The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1910-11-25
THE OWOSSO TIMES
EDMUND O. DEWEY. EDITOR.
OwOSSO, MICH, NOV. 25, 1910


Sunday evening in Baptist church
Rev. George Laughton spoke on:
THE Driving Power of a Mans
Life" taking as his text st. PauPs
words: II must also see Rome" He
said in part: This desire of Paurs
explains much of his conduct, that
otherwise would be open to misun-
Outstanding. Indeed we must know
what a mans desires are before we
can know what manner of man he
is. AS a man thinketh In his heart
so is he. The presence of such a
desire in the heart of Paul can read
lily be accounted for. Rome was the
city where the human mind had
blazed forth in great splendor. 1t
was the city of orators, and states
men, of warriors and poets, OF
philosophers and scientists. And
Paul was a Roman citizen. He trav-
eled far and wide, and whenever
men opposed his progress, he had
simply to appeal to a representa-
tive of the empire to be assured or
that rough and ready justice which
was the secret of Rome-s power, So
that many times he realized the
practical value of his Roman citi-
Zenship.
But there was another and per-
haps weightier reason why Paul de-
sired to see Rome. He was essenti-
ally a city preacher-that is, he felt
the necessity of reaching the great
centers of population in behalf OF
the cause he had embraced. And he
knew that could he gain a foothold
In the metropolis of the world he
would have handled the greatest OPP
portunity ever granted to man on
this earth of Gods.
Every life has it's secret desire, its
hidden hope. We have recently
celebrated the centennial Of Lin
coins birth. We have been studying
afresh that great mans life.f Every
nook and Granny of every home in
which he lived has been explored.
Every story about him has been
traced back to its source. The ar
chives at Washington have been re-
searched. Men who knew him have
this mans lifetime he suffered from
detraction and SANDER. Lincoln was
misunderstood and DETAINED. He
died by assassination and there were
some who rejoiced. Now we know
him to have been one of the great
est men who ever blessed the earth
with their influence His life was
life of simplicity, straightforward
ness and honesty.
1t has now been discovered that
the one absorbing purpose of his
life was to save this Union. He hat
ed slavery with an undying hatred,
but that passion was held in check.
He felt that dire vengeance ought to
be wreaked on those whohad plung-
ed this nation into war, but he stood
ready to forego that. Whatever else
might be done or left undone,
nothing interfered with his one rul-
Ing passion-to keep the states of
the Union under one flag.
And the key to any mans charac-
ter, and the Interpretation of his life
Is to be found in his absorbing pur-
pose. The reason why so many lives
are worthless is the want of a driv-
ing desire, or the presence of a de-
sire that is base.
My friend what like is the city of
your dreams? Is It place of gay
ETY., place where fame awaits you,
a place where inordinate ambitions
may be fulfilled, or base purposes
realized? If so, then the city Is not
difficult to reach, but it Is not worth
the pilgrimage.
If your life Is not the life that
trusts the Fatherhood of God, ano
the Saviourhood of Jesus, If it is not
the life that exists by the faith that
transfigures duty, and the prayer
that links Iife's vicissitudes to Gods
illimitable resources, If 1t is not the
life that loves mercy and justice,
and that looks for that city which
hath foundations, whose maker ana
builder is God-in short, If your life
Is not the life that Jesus could COM
mend, then at the end of 1t there
will be found nothing worthy in 1t
and little that is brave, and like the
French tragedian you will sbe ready
to cry, Drop the curtain, the farce
is played out ,...
Another thing about Paul. His
desire to see Rome never made him
Indifferent to the claims of those
near him. With all earnestness he
preached the gospel in the regions
round about Jerusalem. He could
dream but he never made dreams
his master. He could wait and not
be tired by waiting. He knew that
the best place for a man to work ID
the place where God puts him. He
was always under the control of
Gods guidance. He never faltered
In his faith of the good Gods pur.
poses concerning him. My friend,
II life seems small place to you,
II the grinding monotony of your