Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1908-01-24
@S5SS5S=55S5s5=5=5S=SS
HIGHER AND BETTER LIFE.
By the Rev. DR.. S. J. Niece.

LIE grass WlLnereth ana the mower
thereof falleth away; but the word of
the Lord endureth forever" Peter
IL
In this passage we have a contrast
between what is perishable and imper-
ishable in this life, between the chang
Ing and the unchanging, between the
glory that is seen and temporal and
the glory that Is not seen and eternal.
We can find in it, If we will, something
to assist us in our meditations at this
season. 1t solemnly reminds us Of the
flight of time and of privileges and OPP
portun1tieS which, whether used or
misused, are now gone forever. We
think of the changes Of the past, of
the friends who have started the jour
ney Of the year with us; we recall the
vicissitudes of the year, the hopes
which we cherished but which were not
realized, and of the losses of what
seemed to us permanent gain. A sense
of the 1ncompleteness of life comes to
us, and we are oppressed with feeling
of uncertainty for the future.
1t is only natural that meditation at
such time should awaken pensive if
not melancholy thoughts. To some it
is a process so full of pal and so de-
structive of their peace that they care
fully avoid it and give themselves with
renewed energy to the enjoyment of the
present. But there is meditation
which, while it chastens the soul and
gives sobriety to it's thoughts, at the
same time strengthens it and fills it
with hope and courage for the future.
1t Is to this exercise l would, by the
help of the Holy Spirit, lead you this
morning.
What Peter writes so touchingly con-
corning the transformers of human
life and all earthly glory is no new
truth nor is it a doctrine peculiar to
the Scriptures. Call it doleful If you
choose, it Is nevertheless one of the
sad and distracting facts of life. Poets
! and moralists have made it their theme
through all past ages. Moses in his
immortal Psalm of Life, the author of
the Book of Job, Isaiah, Homer, Hor
ace, Virgil, Dante, Milton and Tenny
son, have all sung in varying strains
earthly life and Of the perishableness
of all earthly glory,
We do not need to prove that mans
life is brief and fraii and that the
glory Of earth passes away; but we
do need to realize it so that we may di
rect our conduct Alright. 1t is good to
live, and there is something attractive
in the glory of human life. There is
much in it to stimulate us to activity.
Earthly rewards have their uses and
he is not a wise man who affects to de-
spise them.
There have been times when the frail-
ty and brevity of life have been 50 i'm
pressed upon us that everything fell
under the dark shadow of the solemn
truth. We have seen fortunes disap-
pear, and the glory that once was ours
has given place to weakness and OBJ
security Changes as with shock have
lifted us out of the grooves Of old
habits, destroyed our peace and left us
signing for that which never can come
to us. Yes, we know it, 1--WE all do fade
as a leaf" This is the condition of
life. and there is no escape from it.
What, then. shall we say? Shall we
give way to despair and mourn In an
guish over what we cannot help? Shall
we answer, as many have done, LET us
eat and drink for tomorrow we die?'
Now, mark the reply which Peter
gives. Yes he says, it is true that 'all
flesh is as grass and all the glory of
man as the flower of grass; but the
word of the Lord endureth forever"
That is not the language of despair and
encouragement. 1t is an utterance of
hope Something abides and gives per-
manence and enduring glory and great
ness to life Peter calls it the word
of the Lord. What that word reveals
and testifies to is a great and abiding
reality.
This view which the apostle gives us
first of all delivers us from the sadness
and dismay which the constant changes
of life would otherwise produce. We
can see, in view of Gods plans, how
change has its place in the worlds
progress. We are prone to settle down
In the routine of life and we do not
like to be disturbed. Habit wears
grooves in which our lives run, and it
hurts to be jolted out of them. But
God, in the fulfillment of His great
plans. permits changes to come.
This view will give us peace in the
midst of the distractions and vicissi-
tudes of the present. All instinctively
long for permanence. We want abid
ing good, happiness and joy that will
not mock us. In the midst of change
we long for the changeless. Whether
we are seeking Alright for it or not, we
need for our happiness an abiding city,
a city which hath foundation, whose
maker and builder is God. We grow
weary of meeting and parting, of low
ing and losing. of toiling and then see
inc the reward taken away. If there
III e, 10