Year: 1878

RUNNING FOR THE PRIZE-A SERMON BY THE


REV. GEORGE H. HEPwoRTH.


II was the custom, you know, said Mr. Hep
worth in commencing his discourse yesterday morn
ing, of Him who the teacher of all teachers to
emphasize and to give point to truth by means of a
happy and picturesque illustration. The waving


field of corn or chance flight Of bird. or any ordi
nary event in daily life became transAgured when
lated by His lips and used for this divine purpose
St. Paul to have followed in the footsteps Of
his Master in this respect While writing to the
novelty loving Corinthians he illustrates the truth
which he desires to fix on the mind by reference
to their national festivities in the text which
you will find in the l. Corinthians. ix.. 24-"So
run, that ye may obtain" Those who have at some
time Of their lives visited the arena in which the
Isthmian games were enacted could the force of
his utterance when they remember the struggles of
the competitors in the match each desirous of wrest
ing the prize from the other. These games were
o national institution and occurred every fve
years. The interval between the games was filled
with the memory of what had occurred and the hope
of victories to be attained They not simply
exhibitions Of physical skill and endurance. for the
poet there to repeat his the orator to stir
the people by his eloquent periods and the artist to
win the prize by his genius. Now. brethren. let
follow this sme for little while this morning and
discover what may be its application to our spiritual
life. The soul is also running from the cradle
to the grave 1t consists OF links of seventy of Gods
years. The audience has assembled in the
vast amphitheatre to witness the great re-
suits and to applaud us in our endeavors
and to pray that at last we may win
the prize. In the of human life every one will
win ut the goal with glory and the crown OF immor-
tai life who obeys the conditions OF success, who
strives with all his might and endures with all his
strength Let remark, i'll the first place that in
the Corinthan games and in the race OF life very care
full preparation necessary. The athlete put him.
self under the charge Of teacher who had had COM
petent experience, and he obeyed; great was his
desire to win in the that he observed the
rigid rules of abstinence. 1t is so i'll the
that we are running; careful prepara-
ton is absolutely necessary That training is first
the book-the Bible. For many years parents
stand in the place Of God and their whispered
danger threatens feel secure in their protect
ing eye. When get on little further in the Jour-
ney of life we come in contact with the sacred page.
While communing with these writer's we contem-
plate their grandeur and stand at the foot OF Snai
the gathering cloud at its summit and through
the awful voice OF God, which says, Thou shalt
love-"


RIGHT TRAINING IMPORTANT


How important 1t is to give our children right
direction OF the mind and OF the soul. Have
regard tor the souls of those who shall never die? 1t
is no light thing when God puts, in His own mys-
terious way the child into the mothers bosom. 1t
is no light thing when the child, sitting the knee
OF its father puts question after question 1t looks
educations in ifethe brain, which is the mind. and
the soul, which is the spirit. 1t is just true that
the right can be depended upon at all times IT il
true that the law of gravitation can be depended
upon. II is just as important to teach the
child that truth must and will prevail in the end
II is important teach him the ordinary science OF
and effect. II there is any complaint to be


made OF education in these times 1t is that brain IL
developed and above the development OF the
heart. foundation FOR this worlds success Is well
laid, while the foundation for success III the obtain


ing eternal life is utterly neglected Our childrens
wits sharpcned to seize good that will slip
through their fingers when they possess 1t, but their
eyes become dim to those treasures which stand out
in startling relief when life is departing altogether All
education tends to true manliness, to anliness
that is always religious. The highest manness is
the result or the highest motives. and the highest
motive is given by Christ. man should remember
his origin and never forget his destiny II he does
this he will sacriice whatever basc and to
trampe vnder foot pleasure that is unworthy. 1t Is
said OF Alexander the Great that day he invited
to engage in some sports he turned to his
friends and answered. eli could forget the prestige
of my family would accept your invitation, but
remember that am prince and cannot. That
s the law OF life the law of the highest manliness,
to remember that Gods hand Is on us and that we
have sometime been in the bosom OF His omnipo
tence. These things ought to make us princely i'll
our thoughts and in our duties. We cannot take
too mcuh labor in illustrating ana enforcing
moral truth Upon children. We ought to be
able say children that IL is better should
be poor and do right than that you should be rich
and untrue. Money that is obtained with falsehood
corrupts and ruins. Mr.. Hepworth then went on to
say that hen the competitors stood In tho IL
necessary for them to strip OIL their clothing,
for the running To be hard, long and wesrisome
All classes admitted to compete-the prince in
his robes and the peasant in has homespun. The
man of wealth must take his robes OIL when he grds
himself for the conflict, and the beggar must lay
aside his peasant clothes. The prince will not run
an. will be impeded because OF his poverty. This
thought illustrated, in closing the discourse, by


portrayal OF the besctting sins which clung to
in the of lifc and which, II not cast away would
nj fham "a inptu tuu hR