Rensselaer Union, Volume 11, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 October 1878 — Mr. Spurgeon on Discoveries. [ARTICLE]

Mr. Spurgeon on Discoveries.

In a recent sermon by Mr. Spurgeon from Gen. xxi:ll), “And God opened his eyes;” he observed that if the eyes of men were still further opened, the result would be very remarkable. The range of the natural vision of man, as well as the mental and spiritual, was limited, and when the range of any of those was enlarged, remarkable discoveries were made. By the aid of optical instruments man had his ideas enlarged and his natural vision magnified! He began to look into Nature —to peer into the very stars of heaven. Before the use of such instruments became known, men were not aware of the existence of several of the heavenly bodies. Many of the stars then were, though men knew not that they occupied places in the firmament. What grand discoveries were made—what a flood of light was thrown upon tho world, by Goa having opened, by His omnipotent power, the eyes of man! When, in the course of time, men turned the telescope on the nebula:, which were supposed to be various things, according to the different theories, and found them to be so many stars —so many separate worlds —with what awe and reverence must they not have been influenced. Equally marvelous were the discoveries through the microscope, without which we could never tell or imagine the grand wonders which exist around us. Without it we could not study, in the wings of the butterfly, a beauty, a grandeur, a symmetry, which the art of man could never rival, nor could we Serceive in the commonest objects of ature the great handiwork of God, in imitation of which, man, with all his boasted ability and geniiis, might in vain labor. Beside the scientific, if men’s eyes became opened in other departments remarkable facts would be discovered. To see one’s entire life would be to many a strange sight. Many traveled through life as through a mystery; and if they looked back forty, or fifty, or sixty, or perhaps seventy years, with their'eyes opened, what a vista for them! Childhood, early years, boyhood, manhood—how different would they all appear to what they seemed in their passage! The hard and tough battle of life, with all its discipline, the efforts to gain a livelihood, the losses met with the disappointments experienced, tne trials and afflictions born during those dark and gloomy days—all these man could not see as” having occurred for his benefit had he not his spiritual eyes opened by Divine power. Why, some might ask, was the son taken away, the family’s hope; why tho husband, when the father’s arm was needed, or the wife, when the mother’s care wasmost necessary? The reverend gentleman concluded by impressing upon his hearers that whatever had been done for them by their Lord was done for their benefit, as thoy would discover when their eves were sufficiently open to discern the fact.

His hair having been cut, and various offers of fancy soap, hair restorer, etc., having been declined, with and without thanks, the barber says unto him: “Will your hair do that way, sir?” The customer contemplates himself with care In the mirror, then, returning to the sacrificial chair and enveloping himself in the calico wrapper, replies solemnly: “ Just a leeile longer.” A man will brag. It may bo of his_ physical powers, nis proFoundwlsdotb, his morality, his depravity or even his sicknesses, violent cough, soro throat, and all that sort of thing. —Boston Transcript.