Help the paradise to make, Work! to build a moral beauty, Work! it is a Christian duty, Work! the little ones to bring Sound abroad the saving chorus, There's a noble work before us, Courage labour, and be true, "THE LIFE BATTLE." A LECTURE DELIVERED IN HIGH STREET CHAPEL, YEADON, BY MR. JOHN FENN HUMM. Mr. Humm died soon afterwards, aged 24 years"His end was peace." I RISE, with your kind permission, to address you upon a subject which must be of the greatest importance to all, viz: "The Life Battle." I have selected this subject because of its vast importance, for we must all of us, whether old or young, rich or poor, learned or illiterate, enter upon this life struggle. The Metaphors used to illustrate this life scene have been numerous and various in their character. Our great poet likens it to a Drama -where .All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players: What a stupendous, varied, and magnificent "Drama!" Others have compared this life scene to the rolling year, the spring, pleasing spring, with its softening balmy breezes, budding hedgerows, and feathered warblers, with its verdure clad hills, dewy meadows, and sporting lambkins, typifying the first dawn of life right through the boyish days up to young man hood. The summer with its refulgent light and heat -its brilliant sky without a cloud-its richly perfumed air-gorgeously painted flowers, and mellow fruit, tells of the very hey day of life. The autumn with its declining days, yellow leaved hedges, and stubble plains, blooming with the rosy hue of decay, fitly symbolizes man's declining years. And then stern old winter with its dark clouds, rough storms, and violent tempests, with its chilling blasts, white snows and hoary frosts; unmistakeably reminds us of the last scene in the grand Drama-the death-bed, and the cold, cold grave. Others have likened life to a voyage-eventful voyage indeed-across the rough ocean of time, to the haven of eternity. The gentle breezes, and the mad hurricane, the still calm, and the destructive gales, the little ripples and the foaming billows, the innumerable rocks, shoals, and quicksands; how illustrative is all this of life's dangerous voyage. See yonder gallant bark richly freighted, leaving the harbour amidst joyous acclamations-with what noble bearing and lofty sail does she float majestically out to sea, how she mounts the waves and rides triumphantly onwards towards her destination; but this is fair weather sailing, the test time comes, the storm begins to rage, the winds howl, the lightnings flash, the thunders roll, and old ocean lashes itself into foam like fury; she would outride the gale but her ballast is insufficient, and the Pilot unskilful; he trembles at the wheel, his nerves fail him, he lets the ship run off her course, she dashes on the rocks and goes down entombing in the deep sea her living freight. How illustrative this of the moral shipwreck of thousands, of whom was entertained the brightest and the fondest hopes! There's another ship; she sailed from the harbour with the same joyous acclamations as did the other; she encounters the same storms, the waves toss her. about as the merest plaything, her sails are rent to shivers, the lightnings splinter her masts, the huge billows roll over her from stem to stern. But the winds may blow, the billows may roll, she is fully prepared for the storm, her ballast is sufficient, and there is a skilful Pilot at the : helm; he is lashed to the wheel, but right nobly does he steer the gallant craft through this dangerous channel, past that rock on which thousands have foundered, and by those sands on which many have made shipwreck at length, with sails torn, masts splintered, and bulwarks gone, she reaches the distant harbour, and anchors safely in the desired haven. Illustrative this of the thousands who contend bravely against the storms, outride every gale, and steer clear of all the rocks and shoals meeting them in this dangerous life voyage; and finally, although with spars splintered, sails torn, and timbers shaken, cast anchor safely within the haven of everlasting repose. But, in my opinion, no figure so fitly illustrates the Life Scene as that which compares the world to a vast battle field, and men and women as soldiers. From the cradle to the grave this life is indeed one continuous warfare; it is no mere sham fight, no mere conjured up fancy of the brain, but a stern grim reality; with the most of us it is a hand to hand encounter. We hear a great deal of sentimental nonsense now-a-days, that would lead us to imagine that this life is one smooth, placid surface, without a single ruffle; all so gloriously calm and comfortable; such superlative nonsense may suit in some measure the favoured few who happen to be born with a silver spoon in their mouths, and have little else to do but walk on turkey carpets from morning till night. But let you and me who have myriads of difficulties to encounter, struggles to brave, hosts of foes to vanquish and conquests to win, arm ourselves and march forth like good soldiers determined to win the day; let us be fully equipped for the conflict, our armour tight fitting, our swords keen edged, our spears sharp pointed, and strong, in the power of moral might and virtue, we shall be equal to every foe, and shall wear at last the victor's crown. Whether we consider life from a secular, an intellectual, a moral or a spiritual stand-point, it presents one great warfare; yes, there is a constant struggle going on for ever between Good and Bad, Might and Right, Truth and Error. And if any feeble suggestion, I may to-night throw out, shall inspire any to greater action, shall bestir any to a nobler, braver fighting of the "Life Battle," then the feeble efforts, and human endeavours of one in the ranks, who is fighting side by side, shoulder to shoulder with you in this great warfare, will be crowned with abundant success; and our meeting together to-night will not have been altogether in vain. I desire to-night to speak principally to the younger part of my audience, for as I am but a youth, you will not expect me to address myself so much to those who long before I was born, had entered upon this Life Struggle. Our object will be to endeavour to point out some of the best means for fighting this battle. The grand policy of most of our successful Commanders has been, before meeting the anticipated foe, in the deadly strife on the battle field, to ascertain as far as possible the resources |