the crown of thorns-第5部分

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led　us　far　along；　and　that；　in　some　calm　evening　of　life；　when　all　the　tumult　of　the　world　was　still；　and　we　were　ready　to　go；　we　should　go　　not　far　apart　　gently　to　our　graves。

Such　are　the　plans　that　we　lay　out；　saying　of　this　thing　and　of　that　thing；　〃We　trusted　that　it　would　have　been　so。〃　But　the　answer　has　been　disappointment。　　The　old；　ay；　perhaps　the　most　common　lesson　of　life；　is　disappointment。

And　now　I　ask；　is　it　not　an　intended　lesson？　　Evidently　it　comes　in　as　an　element　in　the　Providential　plan　in　which　we　are　involved。　　For　we　see　its　disciplinary　nature；　its　wise　and　beneficial　results　in　harmony　with　that　Plan。　　Consider　whether　it　is　not　the　fact；　that　the　entire　discipline　of　life　grows　out　of　a　succession　of　disappointments。　　That　youthful　dream；　in　which　life　has　stretched　out　like　a　sunny　landscape　with　purple　mountain…chains　is　it　not　well　that　it　is　broken　up；　and　we　strike　upon　rugged　realities？　　Does　not　all　the　strength　of　manhood；　and　the　power　of　achievement；　and　the　glory　of　existence；　depend　upon　these　things　which　are　not　included　in　the　young　boy's　vision　of　a　happy　world。　　Welcome；　O！　disappointment　of　our　hope　that　life　would　prove　a　perpetual　holiday。　　Welcome　experience　of　the　fact　that　blessing　comes　not　from　pleasure；　but　from　labor！　　For　in　that　experience　alone　was　there　ever　anything　truly　great　or　good　accomplished。　　We　can　conceive　no　possible　way　by　which　one　can　be　made　personally　strong　without　his　own　effort；　no　possible　way　by　which　the　mind　can　be　enriched　and　strengthened　where　it　is　lifted　up；　instead　of　climbing　for　itself；　no　way；　therefore；　in　which　life　could　be　at　all　a　worthy　achievement；　if　it　were　merely　a　plain　of　ease；　instead　of　holding　every　ward　of　knowledge　and　of　power　under　the　guard　of　difficulty　and　the　requisition　of　endeavor。

And　it　is　equally　true　that　the　greatest　successes　grow　out　of　great　failures。　　In　numerous　instances　the　result　is　better　that　comes　after　a　series　of　abortive　experiences　than　it　would　have　been　if　it　had　come　at　once。　　For　all　these　successive　failures　induce　a　skill；　which　is　so　much　additional　power　working　into　the　final　achievement。　　Nobody　passes　at　once　to　the　mastery；　in　any　branch　of　science　or　of　industry；　and　when　he　does　become　a　master　in　his　work　it　is　evident；　not　only　in　the　positive　excellence　of　his　performance；　but　in　the　sureness　with　which　he　avoids　defects；　and　these　defects　he　has　learned　by　experimental　failures。　　The　hand　that　evokes　such　perfect　music　from　the　instrument　has　often　failed　in　its　touch；　and　bungled　among　the　keys。　　And　if　a　man　derives　skill　from　his　own　failures；　so　does　he　from　the　failures　of　other　men。　　Every　unsuccessful　attempt　is；　for　him；　so　much　work　done；　for　he　will　not　go　over　that　ground　again；　but　seek　some　new　way。　Every　disappointed　effort　fences　in　and　indicates　the　only　possible　path　of　success；　and　makes　it　easier　to　find。　　We　should　thank　past　ages　and　other　men；　not　only　for　what　they　have　left　us　of　great　things　done；　but　for　the　heritage　of　their　failures。　　Every　baffled　effort　for　freedom　contributes　skill　for　the　next　attempt；　and　ensures　the　day　of　victory。　Nations　stripped　and　bound；　and　waiting　for　liberty　under　the　shadow　of　thrones；　cherish　in　memory　not　only　the　achievements　of　their　heroes；　but　the　defeats　of　their　martyrs；　and　when　the　trumpet…voice　shall　summon　them　once　more；　as　surely　it　will；　when　they　shall　draw　for　the　venture　of　freedom；　and　unroll　its　glittering　standard　to　the　winds；　　they　will　avoid　the　stumbling　blocks　which　have　sacrificed　the　brave；　and　the　errors　which　have　postponed　former　hopes。　　In　public　and　in　private　action；　it　is　true　that　disappointment　is　the　school　of　achievement；　and　the　balked　efforts　are　the　very　agents　that　help　us　to　our　purpose。

And；　if　life　itself　life　as　a　whole　seems　to　us　but　a　series　of　disappointments；　is　not　this　the　very　conviction　we　need　to　work　out　from　it；　through　our　own　experience？　　Do　we　not　need　to　learn　that　this　life　itself　is　not　sufficient；　and　holds　no　blessing　that　will　fill　us　completely；　and　with　which　we　may　forever　rest？　　The　baffled　hopes　of　our　mortal　state；　what　are　they　but　vain　strivings　of　the　human　soul；　out　of　the　path　of　its　highest　good？　　The　wandering　bird；　driven　against　the　branches；　and　beaten　by　the　storm；　flutters　at　last　to　the　clear　opening；　by　which　it　mounts　above　the　cloud；　and　finds　its　way　to　its　home。　　This　life　is　not　ordained　in　vain；　it　is　constituted　for　a　grand　purpose；　if　through　its　lessons　of　experience　we　become　convinced　that　this　life　is　not　all。　　In　the　outset　of　our　existence　here；　and　merely　from　the　teaching　of　others；　we　cannot　comprehend　the　great　realities　of　existence。

How　the　things　that　have　grown　familiar　to　our　eyes；　and　the　lessons　that　have　sounded　trite　upon　our　ears；　become　fresh　and　wonderful；　as　life　turns　into　experience！　　How　this　very　lesson　of　disappointment　lets　us　in　to　the　deep　meanings　of　Scripture；　for　instance！　　The　Christ　of　our　youth；　　a　personage　standing　mild　and　beautiful　upon　the　Gospel…page；　…　…　a　being　to　admire　and　love；　how　be　develops　to　our　later　thought！　how　solemnly　tender；　how　greatly　real；　he　becomes　to　us；　when　we　cling　to　him　in　the　agony　of　our　sorrow；　and　he　goes　down　to　walk　with　us　on　the　waters　of　the　sea　of　death！　As　traditional　sentiment；　as　a　wholesome　subject　for　school…composition；　we　have　spoken　and　written　of　the　weariness　of　the　world…worn　heart；　and　the　frailty　of　earthly　things。　　But；　O！　when　our　hearts　have　actually　become　worn；　and　tried；　when　we　begin　to　learn　that　the　things　of　this　life　are　evanescent；　are　dropping　away　from　us；　and　we　slipping　from　them；　　what　inspiration　of　reality　comes　to　us　in　the　oft…heard　invitation；　〃　Come　unto　me；　all　ye　that　labor　and　are　heavy…laden；　and　I　will　give　you　rest〃！　　What　a　depth　of　meaning　flowing　from　the　eternal　world；　in　the　precept　we　have　read　so　carelessly；　　〃Lay　not　up　for　yourselves　treasures　upon　earth；　where　moth　and　rust　doth　corrupt；　and　thieves　break　through　and　steal〃！　　Thus　the　best　results　of　life　come　from　the　defeats　and　the　limitations　that　are　involved　with　it。

And；　in　all　this；　observe　how　disappointment　is　the　instrument　of　higher　blessings。　　See　how　thus　life　itself　suggests　a　higher　good　than　life　itself　can　yield。　　And　so　the　attitude　of　the　disciples；　after　the　crucifixion；　illustrates　many　experiences　of　our　earthly　lot。　　Those　incidents　which　perplexed　and　grieved　them　were　securing　the　very　results　they　seemed　to　prevent。　　So；　in　our　ordinary　life；　the　things　that　appear　most　adverse　to。　us　are　often　the　most　favorable。

　I　may　say；　indeed；　that　to　any　man　who　is　rightly　exercised　by　it；　disappointment　always　brings　a　better　result。　　But　this　statement　requires　that　I　should　say；　likewise；　that　the　result　of　disappointment　depends　upon　the　level　and　quality　of　a　man's　spirit。　　〃One　thing　happens　alike　to　the　wise　man　and　the　fool。〃　　But　how　different　in　texture　and　substance　is　the　final　result　of　the　event！　　Disappointment　breaks　down　a　feeble　and　shallow　man。　　There　are　those；　again；　whom　it　does　not　make　better；　　in　fact；　whom　nothing；　as　we　can　see；　makes　better。　　Everything　glides　easily　off　from　them。　　Now；　it　is　a　noble　thing　to　see　a　man　rise　above　misfortune；　…　a　moral　Prometheus；　submissive　to　the　actual　will　of　God；　but　defying　fate。　　But　there　are　men　whose　very　elasticity　indicates　the　superficiality　of　their　nature。　　For　it　is　good　sometimes　to　be　sad；　　good　to　have　depth　of　being　sufficient　for　misfortune　to　sink　into；　and；　accomplish　its　proper　work。　　But　the　man　who　rightly　receives　the　lesson　of　disappointment；　and　improves　by　its　discipline；　bent　as　he　is　on　some　great　or　good　work；　is　impelled　by　it　only　to　a　change　of　method；　　never　to　a　change　of　purpose；　and　the　disappointment　effectually　serves　the　purpose。　　But　the　fact　before　us　is　most　clearly　seen　when　we　contemplate　the　results　of　disappointment　upon　a　religious　and　un…religious　spirit。　　A　man　is　not　made　better　by　disappointment　to　whom　this　world　is　virtually　everything；to　whom　spiritual　things　are　not　realities。　　To　him　life　is　a　narrow　stream　between　jutting　crags；　and　its　substance　flows　away　with　the　objects　before　his　eyes。　　Nay；　some　men　of　this　sort　are　made　worse　by　the　failure　of　earthly　hopes；　and　their　natures　are　compressed　and　hammered　by　misfortune　into　a　sullen　and　granitic　defiance。　　But　he　who　sees　beyond　these　material　limits；　looking　to　the　great　end　and　final　relations　of　our　being；　always　extracts　from　mortal　disappointment　a　better　result。　　In　the　wreck　of　external　things　he　gathers　that　spiritual　good　which　is　the　substance　of　all　life；　　that　faith；　and　patience；　and　holy　love；　which；　when　all　that　is　mortal　and　incidental　in　our　humanity　passes　away；　constitute　the　residuum　of　personality。

Our　hopes　disappointed；　our　plans　thwarted　and　overthrown；　but　out　of　that　disappointment　a　richer　good　evolving　than　we　had　conceived；　something　that　tends　more　than　all　our　effort　to　produce　the　real　object　of　life。　　My　friends；　what　do　we　make　out　of　this　fact？　　Why；　surely　this；　that　life　is　not　our　plan；　but　God's。　　Consider　what　we；　often；　would　have　made　out　of　life；　and　compare　this　with　what　Providence　has　made　out　of　it。　　Contrast　the　man's　achievement　with　the　boy's　scheme；　the　dream　of　care　with　the　moral　glory　that　has　sprung　from　toil　and　trouble。　　Contrast　the　idea　of　the　Saviour　in　the　minds　of　those　disciples　with　the　actual　Saviour　rising　victorious　from　the　conditions　of　shame　and　death。

Life　is　God's　plan；　not　ours。　　We　may　find　this　out　only　by　effort；　but　we　do　find　it　out。

We　are　responsible　for　the　use　of　our　materials；　but　the　materials　themselves；　and　the　great　movement　of　things；　are　furnished　for　us。　　Let　us　fall　into　no　ascetic　view　of　life。　Out　of　our　joy　and　our　acknowledged　good　the　Supreme　Disposer　works　his　spiritual　ends。　　But；　especially；　how　often　does　he　do　this　out　of　our　trials；　and　sorrows；　and　so…called　evils！　Once　more　I　say　life　is　God's　plan；　not　ours。　　For　often　on　the　ruins　of　visionary　hope　rises　the　kingdom　of　our　substantial　possession　and　our　true　peace；　and　under　the　shadow　of　earthly　disappointment；　all　unconsciously　to　ourselves；　our　Divine　Redeemer　is　walking　by　ou