Year: 1872

av that the remnant OF Israel and such As are es-
,caped OF the house OF Jacob shall no more again
stay upon him that smote them, but shall stay
upon the Lord, the Holy One OF Israel, In TRUTH
&C. An endeavor to show how dificult It was for
the people OF this country to realize the expert
ence and suerlngs OF the Israeltes In the days OF
their oppression and enforced exodus by their for
ieigu c0nquerors served for an introduction to
the discourse. practical application OF
the condition OF things that followed this
exodus In the saving OF remnant OF this
people to cur everyday lie formed the main
feature OF the sermon. What he wished to speak
about more particularly was, he said the remnants
of society. Had those whom he was addressing
ever thought OF the confgurations that were going
0nall the time In human society? Men, who might
be ukened TO the


STRAGGLERs OF AN ARMY,


drop out by the wayside as the vast army OF man.
kind march along on their way In the vast tramp
of human progress. Human society was but o
yaster army and upon much longer marcn.
Looking upon society from that point OF view,
had they ever thought Of the broken-down
hope, that stimulus that gives fibre to the
bodya 1t Is called heart-breaking, but 1t was not
that 1t was brain break, II was s0ul-break. Who
keeps an account OF these menY God does. You
think oil the prosperous men. God thinks OF the
poor men Who Who thinks Of the rising prosperous
thinks Of the d0wn-trodden men. Nature cares


little for them 1t goes on its stony, relentle way,
ana with its iron arm strikes them down livery
little mercy In It, II society helps them 1t only
bungles in its help. At the best, society In all its
endeav0rs to help creaks in it's hinges, and when It
seeks to care for men Is as bungllng and as awk-
ward as yeOmen and lOuts when they have to take
care OF . newborn babe. Let us look at some Of
these helpless men, for 1t s to these that am sent
to preach; 1t was to this remnant that the Mas
ter was sent. There were those that were made
helpless by broken health. These rise up from q
fever, Tor example, and all life is wilderness to
them They had been the stay and support OF
their household, and there were no histories so
own households, where man had given himself
for Others In less sublime, but not the less heroic
sense. than Christ gave Himself for mankind
There were many OF these that were not permitted
to go down; they We're stranded as ship was
stranded, every wind and storm beating upon
were Others who became remnants because Of
tmisapplication OF their powers and the utter
failure that followed tnerelrom II men would 60
Into life more humbly they would 60 through their
Tile more successfully. II men would but be con-
the opening OF their faculties there would be more
successes. There were men who came from the
country to New York, and they arc going to be


AsToRs AND vANDkRBILTs,


and nothing less. There are 500 men crushing
with them TO the same end, and in the crush the
weak men are trodden down. Then there are the
men who have no adaptation. There are the men
who put yoke OF oxen to rock the cradle, and
put the nurses foot to plough with. Then it is
said, Is not this one OF the mysteries OF PrOvi-
dence Providence Is all right. Providence don't
make mistakes; men do. Then there was another
taxed The tendency OF modern cities was to-
wards heat rapidity and intensity. Modern So
.cety has concentrated labor and not distributed
III; the large stores swallow up the little cnes the
large banks the small ones; the large insurance
offices trying to swallow up the smaller ones.
Thus labor becomes like snOw-a great blessing
when distributed over the earth, but curse
when It all falls on one place. Then there are
q great many persons who break down by the
,misinanagement OF themselves. He (Mr. Beecher)
had the profoundest regard for conscience and for
grace, but he was quite certain that moral develop
ment and growth had much to do with the stomach.
How many men in his own profession break down.
they take all the steps that was necessary to de-
or fifteen years. Why? They are everlastingly
talking, day after day, everybody, wants them and
1T Is such perfect ease to them, they can do 1t
readily and so well but TIE time soon comes when
they cannot do it at ALL They have mismanaged
Mr.. Beecher here gave pantomimic Illustration
OF man, that greatly amused his audience,
Mho, ,o worth a,s1 1r,na Maf Million was SO lavish
suddenly found that he was bankrupt. He
also here alluded to the waste of nervous SEN
sibillty especially in young men, who, for the sake
OF nervous excitement OF temporary character,
will ruin themselves In body and soul, thus de-
stroying the vital organization that God has given
them. The preacher then glanced at the treat.
ment OF criminals and the very frequent mistakes
that were made in reference thereto Men were
seen in society and We're received therein who
were known to be criminals. Some man gets one
of these arrested and the life III that man was
Sing Sing whose cells were visited by angels. Well,
COD does Tor this remn ant OF men what society and
nature does not. He tMr. Beecher would despair
III all the men in this world who fell In


THE BATTLE OP LIFE


had no God to take care OF them in the world to
come. The spirit OF Christ was not to bless those
only who succeed That spirit was the Spirit that
said blessed was the poor, and blessed are ye when
men despise you. Did the mother OF the wayward,
wild son ever despise him or turn away from him?
Did she ever give him upS And shall lie who
made that mothers heart turn away from His er-
ring childrenS Bear, then. with this burden, for
II God be for you who shall be against your Do not
throw away all restraint, for II there should be
continual twilight there is an Immortality for you.
Say not that .'My life has been grand mistake
and plunge into o gulf OF despair. There's
bright and blessed beyond, and it is not far be-
tween soul there and soul here. Much can be
done in the afternoon and in the twilight OF our
lives. If the world has gone hard with you pluck
up your courage; let everything go but that hope
that God loves man, even waits for man, aud in
that hope stand strong.