Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-01-30
THE TIMES-DISPATCH
SUNDAY SERMON
ny REV. II. ID. &. MACIhCIIAN. ID. d..
Pastor Seventh Street Christian Church.
TENT: IS. 3S:l

These woruS are the aftermath of pro-
found spiritual experience.
In the margin of the Revised Version YOU
VIII find an alternative translation of the
word softly" namely. las in solemn pro-
cession together with IA reference TO rs i2:i
where the writer speaks OF leading the pro-
Ccssion of pilgrims to the temple. To go soft
~. therefore does not mean to go timidly or
unctuously: it does not suggest the Mr. Fear
ing. stll legs the Uriah iiecp attitude. 1t
means rather. shemnty. awe. humility. rcver
ence-ihc stoop and hush of the soul in the
presence of the Eternties--thc slow. steady
tread of one whose thoughts are so conferred
ON the main business of right living that he
mas neither time nor taste for the follies and
tr!viaiitics OF life.
This seriousness towards life les the only
rational attitude. Given belief in cod and
immortality. life Immediately becomes trc
mcndously urgent business. Here we are
lures of a day placed in this little ball OF
planetary dust To work out in the face OF fear
iu. odds an eternal destiny for good i'll.
Here are sin and holiness. right and wrong.
darkness and light. God and devil. and we
must choose between them:-"Our business
as Robert browning says.
= being just the terrible choice"
All around us. too. are fclowbeings like
ourselves. lighting, retreating. sinking. swim
ming. praying. disappearing. conquering and
being conquered Here are loyalties as high
as heaven and ralsitics deep az hell.
mothers kiss and murdcrers blow. the laugh
Ter OF children and the hiss Of hate Her. is
The Will victorious over every obstacle and
hewimg out its destiny like God. and here
- the same Will. cowed. beaten and running
away like "A whipped dog.
But more particularly life is serious be-
cause OF its possibilities Man may become
chat is make OF himself, either saint or devil.
There is no height TO which he cannot climb
nc depth TO which he may sink He may
write his record in the pages OF an "Imita-
ton" or in those Of the Police Gazette. and
when the curtain falls. he may hear either
We'll done good and faithful servant Il
Depart from me" Nor these alterna-
tives fixed Tor him They are matters OF his
own choice. No heredity or environment. no
external circumstances whatsoever can either
cheat him OF the crown--if he viii: or place
IL on his hrad-it he will not.
Again. life is serious because of it's oppor-
tunticS. on every hand are open doors OF
acknowledgements OF achievement OF service.
Always the moments are calling us TO catch
them on the wing and fix them in worthy
thought deed. But aias. opportunities are
trsnsitory: they come and go, never to return
IN Just That form; the neglected blow can
never he struck on the cold iron the door
once shut can never he opened by us.
Now. ii We TO our opportunities
and this i the point at issue--we mus, he
rcaGy FOR them. opportunities do not merely
occur: meg are awaited and prepared for. The
trouble /" not. rule that do not s"Ze
:hcm. but that We ito not Them aud We
dc not So" them because have sub
jcctcd ourselves to the necessary discipline.
1''' III "'''o' t"e o' 10
" ~ ,' " - Won BECAUSE "ehe'"A f'Sh
~" '' ''''' '"c t''"''."b ot 'hc HERMAN
line between the marshes Of ST. Gond and Fere
$3.50 ~" ''''eM '''" the zap a I'LL
" " - " ''''" ''pl M"''''6 't' AFTERNOON
o' 80 '''"' '"''t'et' nay WAS genius truly
p"' u ""s "'so hata "ofh' seH-mastery ana
~ '' VI Il -,'''e' S"'c' "'cN Oh
'"'' "'"",e"' "i 'hS'sht Jay years OF teen
"ic"' S'uhS "h" lfe-iohs AMBITION 10 h.
one dag the saviour Of France.