, 1874-11-27
SECOND PRESBYTERIAN.

Sermon bv tho Rev. j. nIonro Gibson.
: The congregations of tho First md Second
Presbyterian and tho Now England churches
hold joint services in tho Second Presbyterian
Church, corner OF Michigan avenue aud Twenti-
eth street. There were about 500 people present,
The exercises were similar to those used SUM-
days, consisting OF q long md a}Bon short prayer
by the Rov. Arthur Mitchell the singing Of
hymns, the reading OF the Scriptures. sud ser
mon. Tho music, especially tho singing Of Mrs.
Farwoll the soprano, was superb. Tho Rev. ],
Monro Gibson preached, taking for hia text:
aaith tho Lord Twill hear the heavens, aid they shall
hear tic earth and tho earth ahali hear the cor mud
tho wine, md tho oil; aud they sha hear 1ezrcoi.
He said they met to give thanks to God for
His goodueHs. 1t was, indeed. q reasonable Ser
vlco, aud ought surely to be delightful one.
The passage read waa tho subject Of q fow re-
fcctiona which would be found appropriate to
tho service. It WIS promise addressed to au-
cient Israel, AMI was fulfilled to us, as 1t had
boon to many previous generations, again in this
year Of graco, 1874. The Language was pootical
and 1guratiyo. but quite easy Of comprehension.
Tho word "JezroeI" meant "seed Of od"--a
poetic name used by tho prophet to designate tho
people Of God Israol Tho passage presented
sort of picture Of tho whole process by which
God answered His people when they presented
tho pryor "Give uH this day our daily bread"
The pcopls looked to the corn and tue vine and
the oil-tho products Of the yoar-and ploadod
for their Share; md the corn aud tho vino and
tho oil heard-that was granted them which tloy
needed.
Again, the oorn and vino and oil were ro-
fotrea to ss looking to- tue earth and tue earth
in her turn. looked up to tho heavens for the
auushino mud tho rain Which she needed, and
hoavon granted the blessing. Vas this all :?
Did this terminate tho process No. We must
above tho heavens, to whom they muBt addross
their prayor,-a prayer which would bo answered
iiho ali tic rest. IL will hear, saith tho Lord"
Tho preacher then wont on to show how erory-
thing was linked together aa chain, saying that
| in Naturo's Chain, it wc followed it up wo would
always como to God ct last. lilo eowor aowod
tho seed; but whore did the seed come FROM ?
From eyolution2 That VAS no answer to tho
queston whence 1t tlrst came; provokipg only
another observation-disclosures came not only tho
! things evolved in tho causo Of ages, but whenco
oa,ne tho process OF evolution Who started 1t
tirat9 Who euporintonded 1t now? Whonco
camo tho power that made things spring up and
ali I those things" fhis truth aoomed to bo d..
niatl th;oo months 'go By one Of tue foremost
eciSntio os Gn OF Msrna bs. b"t Mr. n T,
Ind been aseribcd to him, ,confessing
that ho would DO very shallow man indood who
looked out upon tho wonders OF Nature and do
liborately cherished tho thought that there was
limaolf did. 10 TINT Hhst was thought to bo an
| assault upon tho faith, was In tho oud to bo n
confirmation Of It. It was getting to DO unfasli-
lonablo to look iuto tho Scriptures aad expect to
ind special lessons in peculiar forms OF o1pros-
sion. II ought not. however. to 10 90, Tor yalu-
| ahIH tcagnnH vera fnt1ud t1osn (1n1 was mt