Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-06-24

to the church i'll double file, and We're
seated 10y the class marshal. Lewis
Walker ltunn of Nccdham, Mass.
y spcciai musical program. prepared
for the occasion, was carried out
President White took for his tex;
ii. Corinthians, VI; For We walk by
faith, not by sight. President White
said in cart:
"Whncvcr can say this stands on
high ground. lie has indeed climbed by
the pam &c prayer to the tablcland OF
faith, where he secs as in a vision The
sunrise of Gods purposes. Though all
ether non who dwell III the valley and
are absorbed with the things of this
lilc are walking the paths that do not
lead upward III the quest for wealth
that turns To ashes at the touch.
"Th"r" seems to DC four classes of
mon. Th' first is composed Of all who
live in the valley, absorbed i'll the daily
duties Of life. They have not seen The
vision If the high places where the
LIST mrn ana women have gone to COM
munc with God, to become acquainted
with themselves, t. conSccratc their
ilNcS t" Il noble purpose, returning to
the vLliry of service with duty hence
al
I.I"aStr" when met in the service of
God and men. Til" clouds of this world
shut OUT The vision that is religious.
The second class Of people is COM
posed of all who give more or less at
i"ntIpn, but very lntcrmittcntly, to the
Christian life. Some sharp experience,
Il sudden loss, an hour i'll Gods Acre,
with Il heart broken by sorrow, a sud
dCn call To Christian service from the
lbs of some man of God, who has
woven his life into the warp and wool
of daily experience, or some ovcrpoWer-
lIi;5 ScnCc of the Sublimity of Christian
l'croiStl displayed by a noble woman.
face to face with unhcraldcd grief,
IriakCS the cloud overhead break, giving
Il vision If the upper region where
Faith stands and receives its inSpirl
ton.
1.-The third class have seen the clouds
all pass away. and like the shepherds
i'll the springtimo in Switzerland have
a heart ache that amounts To Il longing
for the pastures higher up. And the
journey is begun; but the ascent has
not been long continued before difficult
tics that had not been ANTICIPATED are
met; inheritance like Il lcadcn weight
fastened to the feet, rctardS the pro-
gross and stumbling blocks multiply
al every turn Of the zigzaG journey up
ward. Tho journey is discontinued and
slowly the soul retreats to the valley
and has a memory of an unfinished he
beginning and of purpose holy
enough but never realized.
"'Thc fourth class has joined the
company of the apostles. have climbed
to tn" very heights of life. What were
stumbling blocks to others We're step
ping stones t. them. and looking for
tho footprints Of the faithful who have
gone before. they have come with a
growing courage to the highlands of
faith.
"Lct us Join the company who stand
with their faces toward the sunrise and
pray for light upon all the dark prob
lcmS of life, fer light to shine upon the
past enabling us to SOC the Wav in
which Cod lei us, that from the van
tag" ground IF the present VIC may
have faith for what is beyond the hOri-
Zpn aE NC continue our journey
est. Paul would not have us to walk
Nithrur eyes closed, but like the wise
psychologist. would not have US rely
too much upon the testimony of this
S"nS" The years that YOU have passed
as students have enriched the possess
SinnS which sight has given you. But
You have been conscious in your
studies that you have seen only u
part. Everything that You have seen
has made ynu long for the unseen. This
indeed X what sight does; it makes
US restless. unhappy, impatient. until
| its limitations are supplantcd by faith.
"Unti faith indeed has come to tho
rescue of sight. there is great proba-
blity that every ono of us has his life
wcll described by those words of the
Master: IF the light that is in thee
be darkness, how great is that lark
ness Sin even has impaired our Wis
ion.
cor tho 'isIns' that have afflicted the
world. astcmatiSm is among the worst
because il * the mist insidious. other
issues have had creed, a rise and fall.
AMI page in history; but astigma-
tsm has ever held its unconscious ad-
hcrcnts in closest touch with its bale
ful influence. stolen its quiet way into
human life disorganizcd its activities,
blurred its initial perception, and
laughed over the wreck it has made
W ll'iN iII''II - lNill tItfi'
one who relies upon sight to find that
the light that is in him, which sight
gives is turning to darkness?
"Astigmatism is the failure Of tn"
lenses Of the eye to focus the object
to Il true point There are several va
rictics or degrees. producing optical
decisions, partial blindness and a
namclcss number of secondary disor-
dcrs. Sin in the heart Of man has de-
stroyed not only his capacity for faith
but has deranged his perception Of
spiritual realities. The sight that men
have * imperfect and optical illusions
arc often turned into spiritual dclu-
SionS
Every man whose heart has not
been purified OF its sin by the stream
of Gods grace, is unconsciously held
by astigmatism.
1.-THE first effect in his life is rest
lessncss that can never be satisfied.
He is forever reaching for something
that he cannot touch. aspiring for
something that he canont reach. has a
? J, Viii !,