Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-11-13
Religious Department.
Extracts from a sermon delivered
at the Presbyterian church, Sunday
Nov. ID, by Rev d. w. Evans:

The subject was the prayer of Thomas re-
corded in John II d" Stew us the Father
and it sutiiceth u.s.
This is the prayer of the human
heart in all ages, This great want,
the want ef knowledge concerning
the Father of our spirits, like an
insatiable hunger has pursued man
from earliest antiquity. II has en-
pressed itself in a thousand forms ::
The slaughtered Hecatombs of
Heather rights and the sacrifice of
Jewish affairs, alike, gave utterance
to this one great want the Pilgrim
ages of pagan deuotees and the CRU
Sades or christian enthusiasts are
but the movements OF multitudes in
pursuit Of the Father: the monster
Temples Of ancient Rome apd mod
ern India, as well as the great cathe-
drals and smaller sanctuaries OF
christian lands, were built in obedi-
ence to this never slumbeiing rest
les ness that drives the race in one
ever continued enquiry after God
Nor has man stopped here; sacri-
fees, sanctualies and pilgrimages
are not the only ways in which man
has given expression to this great
prayer Of humanity" Show us the
Father
The history Of learning is the
hi tory OF the human mind in eager
quest after the Father. Man has
yoked science and philosophy to the
work Of discovering the Infinite
lie has penetrated into the secrets
of nature, hoping there to find some
expression OF the Fathers love. He
Ia lifted his anxious eyes TO the
heavens, hoping to find amid the
glory Of the consultations some
thing new in relation to his God.
Man has eXerted himself in nothing
n he has in finding out God. He
has put forth superhuman efforts,
born OF intense agony; yet the
, answer to the question, .'Canst thou,
by searching find out God! Canst
thou find ont the Almighty 2" is, my
soul seelleth for God, but find him
not.
The heavens and the earth, science
and philosophy reveal not the Faith
el's love foI his children rites and
sacrifices, ceremonies and rituals
are not satisfying; and the multi
.tudes return from their pilgrimages
thinned out by pcstilence and dis
ease, but without finding the Father
revealed. Fooled at every step the
empty heart prays still, "Shew Us
the Father and it suiliccth us" Bat,
asks the Pantheist, does not nature
everywhere speak OF God! Yes.
Listen to its lessons: Nature says,
he is excellent in power y the
plant, the tree, the flower says he is
wondrous in skill; the host Of heav-
On speak lis glory: the storm, the
tempest, and the pestilence say that
with God is terrible majesty; the
bleeding heeatombs, and rivers Of
oil and Lebanon, which is not sufH-
cient for q burt Offering, declare
that God is glorious in his holiness.
But for all that man fails to find in
that GGd any traces of a Fathers
love az touching the parental re-
lation> of the Almighty to this err
ing race, man is forced to confess,
eve cannot find him out" No.
Neither water, air, Sky, earth, or
heaven shows the Father to the heart.
They reveal to our understanding
some great First Cause-Creator of
all-one that is fearful, doing Won
ders. But, remember, the great
search OF man is after Father, not a
First Cause attera parent, not a Gre
ator: after a G'o3 to lore not a Won
der-working force 10 ADMIRE, father
to fold to our hearts, not rigid,
unapproachable being, before whom
we must ever stand III awe. Cold
distractions DO not meet the souls
demands; nothing less than the
warm, loving heart Of the Infinite
Father sutiiceth US. 1t was for this
boon that Thomas asked, "Shew us
the Father and it sutiiccth US" He
sought for such a knowledge of God
as would fill the empty void IN his
nature, as-neither pleasure or wealth,
neither culture or honor can.
But what answer will Christ give
to this prayer of humanity, present
ed by the doubling disciple! 70
those who most frequently saw him,
who, therefore, the more readily
could detect shame and fraud, lie
said, in reply: "In seeing me you
see the Father. | and my Father
are one. | am the image of his