Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-05-08
The First Thing.
distract Of Sermon By r. H. Web
s'er; April 27, 1873.

Ever since man SIN drove HIM out
of Eden the great question Of the
world has been, what shall [ eat;
and what shall | drink and where-with-
al shall be clothed" The question
of "a living" is the great question.
1t is not the question of life but Of a
living they are losing their lives in
the effort to live.
When Jesus was here, he said the
world does this, but do not you my
disciples-after all these things do the
nations of the world seek, but there
is no need of it; your heavenly Father
knows that you need all these things :;
and if he feeds his birds and clothes
his flowers, shall he not look after his
children Don't seek for a living, but
seek We first the king dom Of God and
his Righteousness and all these things
shall be added unto you.
Let us attend to this word of Jesus !:
there are three things to be emphasiz-
| ed.
/. Seek ye first the kingdom of
God and his rjghteouness. Which does
not mean-become a christian before
YOU 90 into business or attend to
your soul before you look after your
body or, make sure you are pardoned
and have title clear to mansions in
the skies, before you seek real estate
and begin to make Investments here :;
or, get religion first and attend to get
ting living afterHards-but it means,
in ererything, ai,coys, ererychere, as
long as You live, let the kingdom Of
God be the first consideration. If you
are young, and are looking forward to
trade or profession, not quite decid
ed which to choose, let not the first
question be, how can [ make the most
money neither ask, how can | have
the easiest time, but let the first and
great question be, how can ] do most
for the kingdom Of God Depend up
on it, my young friends You viii not
mistake your calling, you will not
choose unwisely, if this be your first
care Your heavenly Father will no
more let you blunder into a foolish
business or choice Of trade if you
are seeking lis kingdom frst, than he
viii bIunder himself.
IF you have chosen a business or
profession, and find yourself in the
midst Of its duties, be sure, that in all
Your doing, you seek Jirst the kingdom
of God-are You lawyer, sec to it that
all your counseIling, and all your
pleading, and all your working up Of
cases, and all your charges are in accord
with the law of the kingdom of God
Let the ends you seek above all others,
be-not moncy-not office-not personal
power, not political preferment, but
the righteousness, peace and joy which
are the foundation of the kingdom Of
God Would all the legal men of this
country, begin to-day to seek first the
kingdom of God and his righteousness,
making the law of Christ the law Of
their life, they would begin a revolu
ton that would overthrow monopolies,
bribery, gambling, lotteries, dishonest
ruling, party trickery, and every spe-
ces of crime by which the law is set
aside Or trampled under foot, and with
in one year would SO reform society
that nine out of every ten Of them
might be spared to turn their attention
to some other need in the kingdom Of
God. There is nc reason why the law
as a profession should not be Gods
business as much as preaching, but it
is notorious that almost the whole Of
it is none Of his business. Q ye Of
the law, seek fyst the kingdom of God
and his righteousness, and YOU can
convert the nation sooner than it can
be done by all its ministers.
But are you physician, seek first
the kingdom of God and his righteou-
ness? if ye will be wise; if ye vii!
be true men; if We will honor your
God, then We are bound, in all your
study, in all your visitation, in all your
prescriptions, in all your charges to
seek first the kingdom Of God. Would
all the physicians Of all the land do
this, from this day onward, within ten
years the people of the saints Of the
most high would take the kingdom and
the greatness of the kingdom under
our whole heaven. I have thought, at
times, of leaving of to preach, that [
might study and practice medicine, so
surn am T that the oppOrtunitv thus