The Washington herald., 1906-10-14
LAY SERM
ny 4 IAYMAN.

Books in running brooks sermons in-sLoDes. and
/ good in everything.
/ II is the custom for ministers Of the
/ Christian churches TO preach their ser
mons from texts taken from the Bible.
Adohammedans from the Koran. and those
OF the East Indian religions from the
Veda. These are all known as the holy
books Of these different religions.
/ II one who is neither minister nor
/ preacher desires 10 teach IN this man
ner. feeling that he may merely add TO
the enlightenment or happiness of his
/ tellow-man. think he may be allowed
! TO choose his texts from orher sources
than those used by preachers and priests.
1t has occurred 70 me that there are
lessons Of great moral Importance which
may be drawn from texts outside OF
these bo0ks-from writings OF great
authors. from poems. proverbs. and even
nursery rhymes. which may reach the
Intelligence Of some persons, and Impress
1 them much as If drawn rroin higher
sources. Hence. I start out as u lay
man. deducing some of my sermons from
lay texts. which. when examined and
interpreted. ! hope. may teach useful and
wholesome lessons, and. II properly ap-
piled, tend greatly 10 the Improvement
Of those who read them.
Most OF us have read with pleasure the
saying Of the brook.
Men may come. and men may 80.
But 60 on forever
This is az assertion Of eternity or life
without end. in what we term matter.
Measured By the lives Of men, the brook
Is dt least an emblem OF eternity. We
NIL. b-. .rlL- de- tf in
ana return i'm our aEe 20 find It still
going on and such IL viii 10 doubt con-
JinUe for many ages.
The spring starts from the earth and
passes into the BROOK, the brook flows
into The larger brook, and that into the
river. The river finds It's course through
other rivers into the sea. where all the
waters Of the earth are mingled into one.
Is il not also a picture Of the changes
OF life from infancy 10 old age. and final
passage into the great sea Of eternity
Sermons iu stones You have al
heard the saving. "A rolling stone gath
ers no moss" This Is meant 10 teach US
steadiastuess and fNedness Of purpose.
The man who jumps from one calling
oE occupation 20 another with 40 seem
ing steadfastness. very rarely eXceIs at
anything In is the stone which remains
firm !n its place which gathers the moss.
We are told On tHe Scriptures Of "a stone
which the builders rejected which became
the keystone Of the arch. This was evil
q d.ntly intended TO teach the falHbility
OF human Judgment. How often do we
hear OF the success Of men whom wc may
have known in youth. and OF whom We
had formed a poor opinion. ia fact. the
most successful men IN all the walks Of
ufe lU this country are those who have
come up from humble beginnings, and for
whom iu their early life no one antici-
pJtod Success
Good iu everything This IS the Ian
guage OF a philosoTler; one who has gone
deeply into tH- study Of human life and
an its surroundings. He who expects
too much Is doomed 20 many disapp3int-
mcEts. Yet we ore seldom cured ol eS-
Uectatigu OF hope by dis5ppoiutments.
The true philosopher looks at the world
as Dc IS. He builds no hopes OF expecta-
tons on false premises. He knows full
wei that "a bright day may be succeeded
by dark one. thar hc must expect 20
meet disapT0.ntmeuts. and find false
friends, that his affairs OF business viii
often 80 astr1E; that be will have sick
rUsS. and witness the death OF friends
and members of his family. Yet hc
knows fuiI well that all these things
are inevitable. and more thln counter
balanced by the good things of the
world. Happiness is more evenly divided
than Sc sometimes appears. It is not al
ways nor often tho creature OF wealth
or fame.
It is required Of every man to improve
all The opportunities Of good which are
AFFORDED him. and % keep In continual
activity sUch abilities as have been be-
slowed upon him. But be has no reason
to repiue. though bis abilities be small or
his opportunities few. II he has endeav-
oTcd To improve the virtue or advance
the happiness gf his fcliow-creatgres. or
added whatever he could that was useful
o. the world he may well be conteuted
with this and feel that he has done bis
duty. such man sees books In run
ming brooks. sermons IN stones and good
ia everything"