, 1877-12-03

which Gun only close ngatnst got world which
Inns long been not only the Heaven OF tho here
after, but the best hcavcn Of this life.
THE GIFTS OF GOD.
4 SERMON TT DR. II. ". TuoMAs.
Tho following discourse was prcarilcl by DR..
Thomas yesterday forenoon at Centenary
Church:
Tile living God Who glvcth Us richly all things
to cniny.-L TIM, ri.. H.
Sometimes tho greatest truths Of the Bible
seem 10 naali out Incidentally, autl almost aside
from tile main argument Of subject. And
sometimes again thero is An tmmcns0 reach, or
grasp, given TO truth that appears on some
lower piano OF life, by showing It's relations to
tito vast uppcr.world OF fact FROM which 1t 10
descended, or that ilrs back of II as cause.
30 It Ia hero. The Apostle Is guarding tho rich
arainst the danger Of Trusting In uncertain
riches; and then by one simple upward turning
OF thouEht-onc look at causatiou and tho re-
lntIous of thngs-hc opens to our vision tho
larger ornament In which appears tho
living Col, aud along with this
tic truth that We do not create these earthly
blessings, but TINT this living God gives thcu,
to lis for our enjoyment. And thus are VIC
us!ssrcd into q vast world of truth, where we
may turn aVer such mighty questions ~ do.t, OF
Ills gifts, anil the purposes for with lie gives.
Ohe ol lhe Muhf htEai'E1 tiAiiEs ~ coHHectIou
with tho h,1tnan tllt! Is. Tint la forcvGr COM
lng up against thfs Rrcat fact of uod. There In
scafeeiy any huploct that "e toucs4 Or any
thought that VIC attempt to follow Out. but
sometiow t!'' ~ thouRht o. 10y eoes % ~; <t.e LKe
ho9nc ot wv III ttsi'ln secIN 10 eu! u tHln eEeat
ccntrc:: Lake circle; or m oyct-ilanelnE sky,
It Ia oil around US and about U.s. and turn which
way VIC will 1t looks IN upon u.s.. It Is snfo to
aay liat u ~ tnouS.n .n.nus. " 10 ~. ~
ntI.ds: no ol!e th9uEt 's 80 cger present as tne
thought " l'oo. ~ L. 10 every anguaso anu VIII
every people, u 10 a'fnost tho Afat 10
feaca on! s"Aumoou ato tne
last On when Wy tnrn !', our lying
q u n sa or viz
i san'e, nor how Ger WY t reIaalas. And yet
y ,s 70, anu Il wouM ssena ~ t.1ist 10 mere tnat
ae'asohI sonchoW oG g!eat iact ~ w.
there ~ a 'Iyinig ue,Mto' IN, ~ Tn3 sIa, We % lYe, ~, ~
Wnoin anu Wituout WIoah ou. uei.G eouta .'s'e M
bc. ANA tture seems 10 10 so'nethIng N tne
MINI ol man, ~ lta vesY coisItut.1!i, qua III
bringing these tro-ttat D., the n'n.! 81 man ,
anu doa-lo?etner' IL may oo partly IN tnis.
that our minis are 80 cohs1ltuteu that tley
must seek after ca,lsatlo'.. u'l san tlnd Il only
tIoas ot 0o1: And then q may be, anl think
Ia, lurther 10 thAt ehuesa relationship ol thlnfa
BY which nothing tsoated " stanus
ny itsc!t' D1t one tnlh9 u telatoa 20
| anoth:r, anu ILLS - something elst:
AMI thls a1aln 70 soneilinR pG$nhat aMd al
Things at last related 70 toA Or F!rst Ca,lse, 80
that IN whateVcr road tho Mind travels 1t
reaches tlols ano. having beeh accustomed tn
LUIS RESULT " e'ines ~ !aat ~ shottcf ntthou
than following ~ ttGan WlhtllhRt o. tae patn,
ki'o"1nR whete tncy hnal!f caals u soups a. otce
to tue emu ol ts Journey "tnout eoltS over thc
tNAnf Intervening *ttflas
But, although ~ tno Thought oi eioa meets Us
nt livery stcp III !te, alu VIC sra constantly h1u-
| lux Ia this Thought IN nuswer ~ many 4ues-
tions, and IN cxpiahat!on o. many laets, yet nro
Tue "lAest cosupeltc'i w admit 10 themselves
a1ul 10 otheFs that, w!ll!st tho answer nna thy
explanation arc sutlasitntly large to cover all
tItieatin. a's! cts-oen9 tas largest TINT IL IL
p.,sstblc Tor Tue mint! oi man TO GtheF coil.
any ol us 10 comprehend. Tie
laws VI our minds aud tho facts
| OF tho universe uocessltate somo sncll refer
| enco On our part To higher poWrr - tue cause
| OF tue various phenomena with Which wy arc
surrounded, but they To not at1ord any iusl ex.
. reference q ~ thta1s 70 uou We haso uohe
tbs best. aud, indee0 the only thing, We can DO,
but we have done nutlli''R ut AL t0wards cx-
planning bow thcse thln4a can ", or answering
tho many Hnest!otis ttat come w a!l abouk Us,
W. have simply haa Here u e1lect, talEIo u
causs; leFu arc the G1its, there IL thu Oliver;
here ls life, there II tho Lying Ood. And IN this
" hcst for W to rest. II We refuse to let tho
! MUD lind ltS own a,ll most rational anawer IN
God, still tlIa facts are nbout us, Alll ali the
our own understanding; and wa are utterly I'M
| nblu to clthcr put thcss tRcts Aside or to rive
| any better answer. NOr ean we tcst tsll sos1Ie
answer Is given: And, moreover, tt!ls u The very
best answer either to ourselves Or to others that
. rosslbia for ~ ns to make, and H. I. cxpetlrnse
n,ld that Wtltout It t.IcFv Is ~ rest. IN ail ex'
petience we lind cause preceding effect, and In
ielEonee bask Of design; and ia experience we
tiuu 1utrlliEsnee cuhcreted tn solus foFM of