The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-04-27
SERMON.
The Fatherhood of God.


By IRVING A. sKARIEs.
Our Father who art in fieayen.-Mdn. 6, 0.
The terms Jehovah, God, Lord God. and
others Of like majestic import, were we'll known
appelatons OF the Deity but this is the first
time in the history OF the race that an indiyid-
ual on earth has looked up to the heavens and
called God Father"
! /. Let US first look at the appropriateness Of
this new name Of the Divine Beng:
1. God has fathers way Of FURNISHING US
when we do wrong. The ideal parent infcts
punishment, not for the pleasure OF infcting it
but for the ultimate good OF the punished
God takes no pleasure in Furnishing any one.
Why, have seen the Sheriff at an execution
look paler than the one around whose neck he
was tying the rope. The hand Of Gen. WASH
ington trembled like an aspen leaf when he
signed the death warrant OF Maj Andre. But
God has been pictured as looking forward with
intense longing for the time when he shall have
the greater portion Of the human family wrlth-
ing in q lake OF fire My child disobeys me and
/ bind the little creature hand and foot, and
throw her into kettle of boiling water. then
stand by and laugh at her screams and cries Of
Father help me-" That would be fatherly
But from some pulpits have listened to pict-
ures Of the Divine nature il possible more re-
voting than that. have heard that through
all the cycles Of eternity God would stand and
laugh at the unfortunate occupants Of the bot
tomless pit. The Bible teaches that the indi-
vdual who does wrong shall be punished; this
believe implicitly, but until / am satisfied that
God has as much heart as Sheriff at the exc
cution OF q murderer, or Washington in sign
ing the death warrant OF spy, can never look
up to him and call HIM "Our Father" God,
like true father. will punish the wicked not
because he likes to punish, but for the ultimate
good OF the punished. I would not repudiate
the doctrine Of future punishment, but would
strike out OF it some OF the orthodox brim-
stone!
g. God has o fathers way Of caring for the
WEAKER MEMBERS OF his family The little
cripple receives more of the parents thought
than the other children, because it needs more
OF their attention. In Gods great family We
find the morally crippled in the iails and in the
gutter. Men pass by and remark, A" the rascal,
the sot"; God from his throne looks down and
says =" my WayWArd chtt0.
8. God has fathers ANXIETY to see his
children do we'll. When Henry Clay entered
the legal profession his father expected that
he would be failure. When Henry was max
ing his first plea before jury, it is said that
| his father could not bear to remain in the room
but went out and sat on the doorstep Of the
court house. BY and by man came out and
said to Mr. Clay 81 II enry is all right he has
won his case" The old man sprang to his
feet and shouted for JOY. Gods anxious that
we shonld do well.
4. Goo has fathers REGRETS at seeing his
children do wrong. When your child does
wrong in society how it brings the crimson to
your cheek. l was in a courtroom where a
young man was on trial for murder. In looking
over the large crowd it was easy to tell the
father OF that murderer. All manifested
mere casual interest save one, and he, with
fearful eye, was on the alert TO catch every
word OF witness, counsel or the court. We
sometimes sing s. / am not ashamed to own my
Lord; no, presume not, but can the Lord
say the same OF you?
III. From this truth that God ID our Father,
some lessons follow:
/. II God is our Father then we should
REVERENCE Him. 1t sounds badly to hear
young men speak OF father as "the old gentle
man." or "the boss" Speaking OF God 1t is
said: Holy and REVEREND is his name."-
Some ministers like to have the name "rev-
erend," but as for me, I rather allow God to
wear that name exclusively. / hope always to
command your respect, but save your reverence
for God.
2. If God is our Father, then we should be
careful to do nothing to bring DISGRACE upon
the family name. When the Prince Of Wales
was giving himself to dissipation and debauch-
cry, the people of England protested aaalnst
his conduct, because it was bringing reproach
upon the roya family. A common citizen en-
gagged in the same sins would have occasioned
comparatively no comment; put now the Prince
is doing wrong,-royal blood trinkles in his
veins, some day he is to sit on England's throne,
wear her crown and WELD her sceptre. We are
princess royal blood trinkles in our veins,
crowns are waiting US. Our wrong-doing in
wolves the royal family In disgrace.
3. IL God 10 our Father. then we may rest
SECURE. 1t is not an official but q personal re-
boy, bis father and number Of workmen stood
near coal mine preparatory to entering It,
One Of the workmsn proposed to let the boy
go down by means OF basket and rope. The
little fellow looked up and replied that be
would go down IN the darkness ''lf father
would hold the rope" This life seems some
times an enigma. We can understand but very
little OF the present and less still OF the future
But 1 rejoice to believe that the final outcome
shall be glorious, because Father holds the
rope"
Preached IN the Disciple Church, Paw Paw,
Sunday morning, April 22d, 1877, and revised
by Mr.. Searles expressly for the TRUE NoRTH-
ERNER.
From the report OF the Secretary OF the
National Grange we learn that in 1875 the
total membership WAS 761 1868. but that it
dropped to 5ss, 1897 in 1876, averaging 80 men,