The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1913-06-27
SATURDAY | l. / NIGHT
M SERMONS
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THE END OF THE TRAIL.


Nv, a.
1t was in Yosemite. was tired
aching. yet grateful to the faithful
little burro who persistently refused to
have me drive him over precipices into
canyons below. Some donkeys know
more than others. Steep trail, yawn'
ing abyss, treacherous rock. log
bridge over which closed my eyes and
my heart stopped beating. finally
emerging from the forest at Glaciers
point, the end of one days trail. Up
and beyond was an imposing array OF
cliffs, domes and snow clad Sierra
SUBMITS. Descriptive words are pitt.
fully impossible. Three thousand feet
below stretches the valley. Pile up
the Woolworth building, Washington
monument, Philadelphia city hall. ca.
thedral at Cologne. pyramid of Cheops,
st. Peters at Rome. and you are still
looking down from the height. lone
step over" says the guide grimly, land
you are at the end Of the long TRAIL
"Then cometh the end" says Paul.
We don't often think Of that. We
build as though we were going to live
thousand years, and not many reach
a hundred. I'VE spend our years as a
tale that Is told. and then cometh the
end-our little story is done. Prologue
was told by our mothers in few
months anticipation; Logos we recited
in our threescore years and ten; the
epilogue few faithful friends may
chant for seven days or less. Then
Is the end.
The Dark Waters.
Humanity has been pouring from the
Lake Erie Of the past, through the
short narrow Niagara Of the present,
over the falls of death, out into the
bosom of the Lake Ontario of the fu-
ture. Humanity consists more of the
dead than the living. We who glance
upward today are the hniest fragment
of those who have looked upon the
sun. Life is a glimpse and vanish
ing. The crowd that pours around
the corner of Broadway and Four
tenth street is as great this year as
last, this generation as the past one,
only its constituents are altered. Vast
gaps would yawn in it were it not for
fresh recruits. But the vanished ones
what Of them? The linotype and mono
type pour out their news from earth's
four quarters. but of these there is no
word. Does any comet pass that I'M
discovered country from whose bourn
no traveller has ever returned? Even
the heavens keep their secret well. 1t
isn't the worlds roar that plays havoc
with our nerves. 1t Is its maddening
silence when we strain our ear to hear
a voice. From the Egyptian Book Of
the Dead" to this mornings Death
Notices" only outgoing travellers names
are recorded
Where Ends the Trail.
The trail, whether city street or
country lane. ends at the grave. That
community of the dead is the greatest
city on earth, larger population. longer
streets. The millions that tread the
earth are but handful to the tribes
that slumber in its BOSOM" Caesar il
there with his imperial legions, Ma
poleon with his heavy battalions. Alex
ander, who cried for more worlds II
conquer. was conquered by the one he
had. To this dust have come Nineveh
Babylon, the high places Of Edom
Moab and the princess of Ammon. the
heroes of Greece, the multitudes tina
passed through the gates of Thebes
the hosts Of Xerxes. Into this com
mon city have trooped the white race
of Europe, red man Of America, un
counted yellow millions of Asia, brown
islanders Of the sea. and Ethiopia's
sons have gone singing through it,
gates.
"Fearest Thou the Black camel?"
Do you dread the end? Does it give
you a sense Of insecurity? Do yol
fear the mystery, the newness Of tina
untried' experience? Do you shuddeI
at the murmur Of that sea? Does thai
certain end bring terror? Don't let It
To have no end would bring madness
Nine-tenths of all our amusements |.
to avoid monotony. To live too clos'
to a friend is perilous. To travel thu
same route, eat the same food, live thu
same life, Is torment. That is the sig
nificance Of the story Of "The Wander
ing Jew" Tell any man he is never Il
die, he would shout with delight, bu
In the end he would groan with hor
ror. Listen! Death is rarely painful
A happy Inconsistencies shields tn
dying man. Even convulsive move
ments are entirely independent Of con
sciousness. Death frees us from acct
dent. sickness, suffering. sorrow. i
opens the gates of heaven. Take car
Of your life; God will take care Of you
death. Moody said: "Some day yor
will read in the newspapers that D. L
Moody Of East Mortified is dead
Don't you believe word Of 1t. At thai
moment l shall be more alive than