The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1911-01-11
STRONG SERMON BY
REV. +. s. BROWN.

Beloved Pastor of ST. Ste
phen's Delivers Beauti-
full Discourse Sunday
Night.
On Sunday evening in St. Stephens
Lutheran church, the pastor, Rev. T.
8. Brown, delivered beautiful dis
course on the advent of the New Year,
a brief synopsis Of which follows.
The minister chose for his text the
4th verse OF the 39th Psalm: "Lord,
make me to know mine end and the
measure of my days what it is that I
may know how frail I am"
The speaker said in part: God has
many lessons for Us amid the varying
scenes and experiences of life. Even
the changing seasons and revolving
years are designed to teach US. The
year has just past and forever gone.
and we are upon the threshold of
another. In it lie buried withered af
fections and broken friendships never
to be renewed in this world. 1t is full
of solemn, important lessons for Us If
we would but take them to heart. But
the great trouble is, we shut our eyes
to these things, or do not thonghtfully
consider their significance, or, else
moralize upon them without carrying
out the lesson they teach.
We need to seriously seek the Di-
vine help as did the Psalmist: lord.
make me to know mine end and the
measure of my days what it is that I
may know how frail I am"
The text suggests to us our frailty,
our transformers. Who has not learn
ed this even during the year that is
past? Who has not been bereft Of a
friend or relative, and does not =.
"Sigh for the touch of a vanished
|: = hand -
And the sound of Voice that is
still?''
Many hearthstone ia cold, and
many chair unoccupied. And just
as these years 60 by it serves to show
that on one of these days and in one
of these years we, too, shall haYe
passed and forever gone from these
earthly scenes.
The word of God employs many
striking figures to setforth life's brew
ity. Short at longest, especially, if
we reckon the time spent in sleep, or
dissipated in frivolity and sin. The
strongest life may in moment snap
like thread, or be torn like tree
from its roots when the wild storm
sweeps over it. Notwithstanding all
this there is no truth we take so little
to heart. "All men think all
men mortal but themselves"
Somehow we fail to bring the lesson
home to ourselves personally, or real
ize that this transiency is going to af-
feet me individually.
Now the Psalmist's prayer is not for
others, but for himself. He makes a
personal application of the fact OF his
transiency-"Lord, make me to know
mine end end the measure Of my days,
etc." The prayer of the text is not so
much that we may be informed of the
fact of our transiency; everybody
knows that, but that we may stand IN
right relation with God and one
another in view of that transiency.
What we need to ask from God is
not the knowledge of life's brevity,
but wisdom to act upon that knowl-
edge, for it is only through Divine
wisdom and power that we can order
our lives in accordance with it.
Among the lessons to be learned
from this frailty is not to anchor our
hopes on a life so transient. or store
our treasures in world we may leave
tomorrow. If soon we are to have no
connection with this life we should
not seek our portion here, or lay up
for ourselves Treasures upon earth
where Anoth and rust doth corrupt and
where thieves break through AID
steal"
Another lesson is not to leave to-
days work till tomorrow. This has
two great Disadvantages. Tomorrow
will have its own duties which are
sufficient to occupy us, and if todays
WORK is added you viii be overbur-
;.onsda aid nothing will be perfectly
done. Then you may not be here to-
morrow to do it. How much untin-
isned work lies in offices and stores
and Workshops becauso H. Ionofiu"
ever come!
we sinouiI lightly use then, the