The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-03-18
SERMON TO THE GRAYS.
THANKSGIVING SERVICE AT ST PAUL,S CHURCH YESTERDAY.

For Marvellous Escape from Death in
 Train Disaster-Impressive Discourse
 by Rev. J. DewoIf Perry on Duties
 and Obligations Which Pertain to
 All in Whatever Station of Life.
 The New Haven Grays attended St. Pauls church in body yesterday. The service was one of thanksgiving for their miraculous escape from death in the recent Waterbury train wreck.
 A special sermon was preached by the Rev. J. DeWolf Perry, rector of St. Pauls Episcopal church, and the usual prayers were offered conforming to the Episcopal ritual for services of this na- ture.
 The attendance was very large, the church being nearly filled. Music and hymns suited to the occasion were rem dered by the choir and congregation.
 Rev. Mir. Perry's text was "Ye are not
 your own. for ye are bought with
 price," I. Cor, vi. 19, 20. This state
 ment of the text, said Dr. Perry, may
 seem startling, almost extravagant, at
 first sight, yet it is by no means an
 isolated idea of an extremist nor the
 fancy of theologian. The speaker in
 opening dwelt briefly upon responsibil-
 ity in the new Testament sense that of
 being answerable. He illustrated by
 speaking of the parable of the ten tal-
 ents. Important responsibilities come.
 We do not choose them.
 In all the personal relations of this
 life a man enters by no choice or con trlvance of his own. This thought was illustrated by the speaker by the case
 of child and the obligations he inner it's for care and bounty bestowed upon him. Are his inheritances bad? We'll,
 they are his to overcome. Are they
 good? They are his to turn to ac- ] count.
 The man is small spirited who in . blind rebellion or pride of heart sees only in his world the independent right ) to turn life to his own account-claim it all his own.
 Happy is the man. however distantly he may have gone into the far country,
 who can come at last to the true knowl- edge of himself and say "I will arise and go to my father Happy still is he who has never even in his heart denied
 the ties that hold him to his home. The speaker then took up the subject
 of mans responsibility to his fellows; to
 society. Here again is indebtedness
 indebtedness to the community which
 has educated him to government which has protected and to mankind which has conferred upon him the accumulat-
 ed blessings of civilization. whether he
 will or no every child is received by the
 world under it's responsibility and
 care.
 We are trustees for posterity, respon- sible for the accumulated interest on
 treasures that have been placed in our hands by generations before us.
 It lies not in the power of any man to pay the price by which his liberty wsa bought but one thing he can do , it is to pay his share toward blessings
 which future ages may receive from : him.
 i But there is still higher, truer sense of human responsibility There are certain possessions which a man takes easily for granted though they 1 constitute the whole of what makes life ) worth while. Beyond the freedom and the use of this world which past gen. erations have bequeathed us, is the | world itself, in all its wealth and beau- ty. Back of all the knowledge of truth, [ is truth itself; and larger than all the blessings by which men of old have
 enriched and expanded life is life, ! which is the gift of God Himself.
 The sense of obligation for these
 things in most of us lies dormant. We r take them, never dreaming that we have others than ourselves to thank.
 Yet sometimes God awakes the sleep~ o ing sense of gratitude in violent, what n might seem almost cruel ways You,
 my friends who have gathered as a
 body here this morning have been re- minded of Gods mercy which bestows
 the right to health and strength and
 life. The lesson has been learned by l, more than you in many a sad calamity ; of late The truth has been burned in z upon the consciousness of multitudes
 these past weeks that it is not by = their own power or their will that life : is preserved, but by the mercy of God
 We can find here the explanation of r catastrophy that brings suffering in it's train.
 [ Perhaps God takes this way of restor- y ing in us the capacity for thankfulness. n We lose it through conceits of many - kinds. The right to life as our own; !, OUT claim upon health, friends, food and raiment as the results of our own !: labor and the reward of merit. This v kills the very faculty of gratitude. So, r when God reminds us, by the vision of
 sudden death, by the loss of family or !; friends, or by any proof of the short . ness and uncertainty of life, the transit
 toriness of all that we call ours, it is ,- borne in upon us with startling force that we are not four own," but have [: our lives at the price of Gods care and r protection.
 Then it is altogether fitting that you !: should make such expression of your gratitude as this for which you are as-
 sembled now. Let me acknowledge to