The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1910-06-23
THE PULPIT.
s A BRILLIANT SUNDAY SERMON BY
TIE REV JOHN E ADAMS.
Theme: Hope.

the Rev John Erskiue Adams. mas
tor of the Ross Street PRESBYTERIAN
church. preached the second sermon
IN a series of three Oh |. Corinthian'
1918: Nov abideth Faith. Hone
Love, these three, but the greatest oil
these is Love" The subject last
night was Hone Mr.. Adams said
The man who wrote these words
practiced what he preached Il was
ne who said Brethren, be- ve fol.
lowers together of me" Whenever
he pointed up the steep slopes OF
duty he WIS ready 70 jump into the
lead and show the way. He was the
first to lay himself upon the altar
when he enjoinel upon others the
duty OF sacrifice. He never slum-
bered while others were on the
bridge; he never stopped TO rest
while others were on the march
Me had not only the enlightenment
iot his counsel, thew had the energy
'ot his conduct; not only the illum-
nnation Of eXegesis. but the inspira-
,tion OF example Great as was his
preaching, the practical illustration
lin his own life Of the things he urges
upon others Is st'l greater Unlike
the modern general who, from the
distance OF miles, perhaps upon some
eminence, from which he surveys the
entire field Of battle. mobilizes and
moves his men by semaphore, aide or
telephone; himself far removed from
danger OF shrapnel or Mauser. Paul
never sounded the charge that he did
not plunge into the thickest of the
fight. Did he preach Christ as the
ultimate ideal and goal for which
men should strive? OF himself he
says. Not as though | had already
attained But one thing i
do press toward the mark for the
prize"
We are not surprised, then, to
find in him the apostle of hone.
When he places it among the graces.
he does so because II had graced his
own life. He can urge upon others
the duty and privilege OF optimism
because he knows what II is to glory
In his own infrmities. and count all
worldly losses as gains He ever
walks with buoyant and springy
step. With him the shadows never
lengthen and the night never deep
ems, it is alwavs day. He walks in
the light; he is a child or light; he
rcioices in tribulation. and through
Its leaden skies the star of hope even
shines.
Hope Is defined as the desire OF
some good, accompanied with an ex-
pectation of attaining IL, or a belief
that 1t is ob:ainhble. 1t is more than
an emoticn, therefore, or wish, or a
Uesire, 1t is a confidence. an expecta-
fion; II almost reaches the stage of
conviction. 1t is the philosophy OF
optimism, and as such II abides and
deserves to abide. We are told that
travellers in the Alps, standing upon
the middle ground see. beneath
them, the shadows and valleys and
darkly flowing river, and above them
the snow-clad heights on which the
sun rests long after the valley be-
meath is in the grip of the night. At
one time, then, il Is possible to look
down into the shadows or up into the
sunshine. Pessmism is the philoso-
ply of the downward look; hope lifts
Its eyes unto the hills from whence
cometh mans help; and believes that
the best and not the worst IL yet to
come.
David was an optimist. In the
Forty-second Psalm he is facing
crisis. He cannot stand upon middle
ground. He must either descend or
ascend; 1t is the abyss or the noun
tain top. And so, he lays hold upon
The one refuge from pessimism and
despair, and calls upon his soul to
nope, why art thou cast down. o
my soul? And why art thou dis
quleted within me? Hope thou in
God. Tor ! shall yet praise Him for
the health Of His countenance.
Fopo abides because II is the sur
vivai Of the tittest Dependency nm,
fits. humbles. dethrones. II saps the
very strength from manhood. Fran
ces II. Burnett in The Shuttle. >"
gives MS the picture of the English
lord, sitting hour after hour, hold
ing the wasted fali OF one of his
common labOrers, who Is stricken
with typhoid fever. and calling back
through the power of none the life
that had almost gone out in despair
IRE great specialist. who has been
called in in the hour of crisis. when
tho faces OF the watchers are pale.
ani fear mas frozen the very foun
tairs OF life and energy. gives the
verdict Of Hope and instantly the
bodv straighteus. the back stiffens.
the blood courses through the veins.
Hope is energy. The provisions
have failed the boat leaks, the seas
rise strength is gone, and intolerable
thirst alone remains. But. upon the
horizon there rise the masts and then
the hull OF the liner. Hone at once
energizes. With the yestige of re-
manning strength, the distress signal
is hoisted. II Is seen; II is answered
the steamers courze Is changed and
rescue Is at hand. Hone Is the gran
itic element OF nature. OF Samuel
Adams, Bancroft SAYS: Difficulties
could not dlsconrge his decision. nor
dangers appall his fortitude. OF des-
pondency he knew nothing; trials
only nerved him for superior strng-
giles. His sublime and unfalterlnv
hope had cast OF solemnity, and
was as much part of his nature as
II his confidence sprung from insight
into the divine DEGREES. and was as
firm as n sincere Caiyinlst's assur-
ance OF his election"
Hore is LIES song Once Elijah
lost It. and life was par1lyzed. Hav-
Ing seen hope slip away from him. he
was ready to die. The wilderness Ii
about him and within him. The best
thing God car give him Is the grave
And this man Is not coward. He
has fought TO death, on Carmel
Baals priests. lie has won many
other battles. but now he is In the
grip OF dependency, and his imper.
ial spirit is broken. But God calls
him mp from the depths, and when
natures elementary forces, when fire
and wind and aarthouaka FoH %