The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-09-23
: ECHOES FROM CAIRO PULPlTS
SSSSSSSSSt

| have MS believe, but the very oppos
| patient, long suffering, full of for
! giyeness. Punishment comes, on tn,
heels of law trampled on the violated
but it is forever remedial, not for ths
sake OF mere revenge. God is moi
human, but Divine.
/ Success and Failure.
Beloved If failure--whcn your best
| is instead of success. he yours
| do not become discouraged. Failurs
as the world defines II is frequently
a great victory. Remember. though
the heavens fall, Justice will be done
| Weeping may endure for q night, JOY
cometh in the morning God deals
with motives as well as with actions.
Some day each OF us shall plead our
cause before the Bar Of Justice
| There, silvertongued oratory, lofty
periods OF eloquence, or specious falla-
cics, accomplish naught: the verdict
viii be Just one--"justice tempered
with mercy"
Growth BY Degrees.
But to our subject, Only a Step"
Only step to what sainthood or its
atipodes. Emphatically. no. If one
fact in Gods economy be fully estab-
lished, 1t Is that of growth. Change
Is busy forever, there is not standing
stiIl.' Centuries ago, the Creek
Heaclitus noted this great fact. Con
tinually,' he said. the river seeks the
sea: man may never bathe twice m
the same waters. In character or re-
ligious life, one is not just what he
was one year ago. He is either bet
ter or worse. In a pond. water often
stands still and stagnates, but with
man. it is either forward, or backward.
Each heart-throb cuts a second from
ones life, these seconds are steps
steps leading toward God, usefulness
success. or leading away from all
this. "One step and then another
and the longest walk is ended"
Christians sometimes become dis
hcartened They, with folded hands
bemoan their fate In the mind 5
hardships' and privations, battles lost,
bitter pain. The prospect is not pleas
ant but hese things cannot all come at
once. even II the whole category he
experienced. Sufficient unto the dag
IS the evil thereof and "as thy day
is, so shall thy strength be- True,
forethought is admirable Plan care
fully, prayerfully- endeavor to
bring fruition Never expend vitality
in worry. Not work, but worry. kills
Step by step, under Gods guidance,
and life Journey is completed. Al.
WAYS advance slowly, if necessary.
but surely.
intellectual and Spiritual vistas
a babe increases in stature, TIC
mind expands. and an Intellectual
"Anak" is evolved-step W step The
man achieves greatness, wins f7me,
Is crowned with honor, w als.4 LIN
bright jewel of goodness. Tho ladder
of progress may have its haso on
the earth. in time, but the top extends
beyond the mists, into eterhn} ii 4
pathway. here and hereafter, bccon 3
an infinite series. Ay, we start here
where does our ascent end? Remcm
Der. the passage of the mystic bound
airy between the two worlds is only a
step. Step by step, round by round,
upward we climb, but not without eff
fort,
The diamond is polished. the oak
converted into a magnificent side
broad and the value of the one and
the usefulness of the other have been
enhanced and Increased. Educate
man. Produce intellectual growth.
culture the soul and the highest des-
tiny OF the individual is being effect
ed. The acme of his aspiration may
be the Mecca of Perfection.
Negative Efforts.
But. turn To the negative side Of
our subject but for a moment. NO
step backward" was the motto of a
graduating class some years ago. Let
rs hope they kept the sentiment. One
excuses himself by whispering, "only
a step" yes. but a "stcp" In the
wrong direction. Only a step, and
then another aud anotehr until sins
wages-death-are paid.
But, no matter how far into depraS.
fly one may have sunk, 1t is only a
step" to begin to walk in the right
direction step at time. poor NOR.
tai, and the Holy Spirit for a guide:
start. step by step, towards the light
why win yc die? Come unto me,
all ye who are weary and heavy laden,
and | will give thee rest, gently and
swcetly says the Christ. Only step
to begin, and help viii be given as
needed
Life; inscrUtable mystery. Here. to-
day, and tomorrow. where? Tho
sound Of weeping is heard in the
streets" Gods hand lifts the curtain
securing the future. aud the Angel OF
death bids us pass the portal OF that
world to be. The step taken. we
stand among the renowned and
mighty ones of yore and our "lovei
and lost" of the yesterdays. From the
arc of time into the Iimitless circles
of eternity