The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-05-14
Sermons of
Yesterday

Rev. Gustave Rydquist, OF the First
Lutheran Church spoke last evening to
a large audience on the subject. Veal
and Woe; joys and Sorrows of Men,"
He said in part;
"The situation OF the text is when
Christ announces His departure from
this world. This announcement fills the
disciples hearts with SORROWS. But in
order not to leave them in this sorrow
he points into the future when the
Comforter should come, and in spirit
he would be with them always even
unto the end of the world.
From time immemorial life has been
represented by the figure of journey,
which figure is both striking and COM
forting. Now if our life is only jour
ney, and this is demonstrated by every
thing, then we cannot here build our
eternal homes. Our experiences may
vary between veal and woe. joy and
sorrow, but we have here no continuing
city. Our journey is toward another
city, not built by hands of men, the
eternal city of our God. Every day
brings us nearer to this object OF our
longing. Some times the way is be-
strewn with flowers, again with thorns
and briers. Some times the sunbeams
bright and clear; again life is dark and
dreary. The one experience. is as neces-
sary as the other. 1t belongs to the
Journey. 1t behooves us therefor to
take these vissitudes of life as meted
out by a higher wisdom than ours. and
yet both joys and sorrows serve us on
the way. Yea, We should hear the
voice of the Eternal speak to us both in
the Zephyr winds of spring as well as
in the threatening storm.
"Some men are only satisfied when
indulging in some carnal pleasure.
They dodge every woe and go out Of
the way for every difficulty. They are
lost on the byways of tickle pleasure,
and drift on aimlessly to the end of a
useless life.
"The weakling fears every difficulty
in his way. There is mountain which
he could surmount but he waits for it
to be moved. There is a river he could
cross. but he waits for it to flow away.
The unfortunate one only measures the
difficulties but does not try his strength.
"There is also a Jeremias, Juniper
tree Christian He does his utmost to
find this world vale of tears, or else
he will try to make it such for himself
and others. He creates woes for him
self and envies the pleasures Of others.
The more miserable the nearer God.
"As soiouners here it is our duty to
meet and to face boldly anything that
may befall us in the providence Of
God. The weals Of this life we should
receive with JOY and Thanksgiving, the
woes with patience and submission.
They are meeted out by the same hand
and prompted by the same heart with
our eternal welfare and happiness in
view.
SIN the sorrows of life Christian is
not without the comforter. To him
every cloud of woe has silver lining.
MANY are the woes of man which are
the direct results of an unrighteous life.
They too are lowering clouds over the
sinner. but have no silver lining. There
are the thunder of the wrath of God
and the consuming fire of his holiness.
"There must be some great and hid
den reasons why God must employ such
an agent as woe to bring about his
aims, since his name is Love and takes
pleasure inthe happiness of his children.
We cannot fathom these now. In the
clearer light of eternity we shall see
their connection with our salvation and
praise God.
"Woes may be self-caused and yet
belong to our experiences as Christians
The soldier goes out into battle and dies
in the good cause of his country. The
physician goes to minister to the sick
and dying regardless of the disease and
falls a victim to a dreaded contagian
The defender of truth and righteousness
in our public assemblies, legislative