The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1916-07-07
VESPER SERVICES ATTRACTED 4
VERY LARGE CONGREGATION

d.
the "home of Christ is sadly limited.
He spoke, of the going from the
home of dear ones, who would be seen
no more on earth, and said that only
the hope of meeting them again in
heaven, the "Home Eternal" could
give the bereaved ones consolation.
"Let us not deprive ourselves of that
which our hearts demand" said Rev.
Hobbs, "the inspiration of the thought
of an endless life"
The remarks of Rev. W. R. Hobbs
were as follows:
"That man who has but the home
of yesterday, precious though it's
memories be; who has but the home
of today, splendid though its practical
service be; but has not for himself
the assurance of the home eternal
where Christ dwells, has sadly lin
tied his life horizon.
Increasing years bring to us all
the humiliating experience of being
dedaened and coarsened by this pres
ent world It's atmosphere reiaxes
and enervates the soul. Our ideals
suffer, our buoyant, youthful hopes
lose their brightness, the WEAKNESS
of life seizes upon us. Why do we
find it so?
"You give a bird food and drink and
a handsome cage and you say it is
satisfied. But on some bright day
open wide the door of the cage and
as the bird scars upward, vanishing
in the light, note how well satisfied
it is with it's former condition. Your
bird has wings.
$50, provide us an outlet for the di-
vinely implanted longings of man,
the hope of the home eternal, and it
is as if you had lifted the roof Off
a roof w-lying and grimy with the
smoke of worldly thought and motive
and now there is nothing to hinder
the glimpse of Gods heaven. Your
man has a soul and that soul under
right conditions will never be content
with less than this. Things merely
temporal can never satisfy.
There is the man to whom this
, present world brings no prospect save
that of utter misery. The trials of
life sweep down upon him like the
tumultuOus waves of an onrushing
tide and threaten to overwhelm him.
But as this man catches the vision of
the home which Jesus has prepared,
with a new strength he breasts the
flood and 'endures as seeing him who
is invisible 'Nt
Increasingly with the swift pass
age of the years a mans story of per-
sonal bereavement grows His loved
ones are called from this present
world into the mysteries of that other.
How often the heavy burden caused
by the death of loved and innocent
child has lightened by the thought,
He cannot come to me; but l can go
to him. And steadily the hope of
great family reunion possesses that
man and his whole earthly nature is
revolutionized in the light of that
glorious hope.
Friends, let us not lose the inspir-
ational value in the thought of the
power Of an endless life' The eye
wearied with long gazing upon a task
close at hand, is refreshed and
strengthened if it be lifted but for
moment to the hills that encircle our
city. The soul taxed and burdened by
daily anxieties and temptations, is
not turned from duty, but rather COM
forted and made ready therefore by
dwelling sometimes, on the coming
days of everlasting quietness in the
presence of the Lord Restless and
rebellious as we are among these
earthly conditions, the thought of
heaven, where all. that is good and
enduring in us shall grow and abide
forever, brings peace.
1T is well tt, think and to talk of
heaven as an ideal to be approached
on earth and among men: but how
all our bright hopes would fade and our
strength would wither and decay, if
! there were never to be any more of
|! heaven than can be realized on earth.
something more, something better.
something more like a city of the liv-
ing God, fairer than Eden by all the
span of years that the race has been
struggling toward the light-this is
what our hearts demand, what our
Bible promises. and what is awaiting
us who love the appearing of our Lord
when we rise to worlds unknown"
Rev. Winter on hehalf of the as
sembly, expressed appreciation for
the musical program, the orchestra
and the Orpheus club for their part
IN the program. The audience unit
ed in singing "Abide With Me- as
the closing hymn, after which Rev.
Winter pronounced the benediction.
Sunday morning the churches of
the city observed GO to Church
Sunday" and special appropriate serv-
ices were held in honor of the WISH
tos who are here for the home COM
ing.