Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-03-13
AT THE CHURCHES.

te6 the mighty man glory III Ills HiSh'' iS'
not the rich man glory in his riches ;; but lei
him that glorieth glosy in this, that he under
standeth and knoweth me, that | am the
Lord which exercise loving kindness. judg
ment and righteousness in the earth; for in
these things delight, saith the Lord" The
preacher remarked that persons differ widely
in their judgment of what was most deslra
bic, and in the estimate they placed on thel'
own attainments and capabilities. Ooe per
son prides himself on his strength, another
on his beauty, and still another on his intel
| lectual ability. The text brings to view
several common yet improper subjects Of
glorying or taking special credit to oue,s self,
and also an adequate cause for glorying, IL
the sense Of rejoicing aud self. congratulations.
l. "Wisdom is better than strength" BY
the pursuit of knowledge wonderful discover,
! les have been made, reVolutlonlzing old
methods of business and giving an entirely
new phase to the activities of commerce and
inter communication. The Bibiesis SO faI
| from condemning this intellectual activity
which has produced and is producing all these
wonderful results, that it is precisely IN bioie
lands, and there only, that this intellectual
| activity is found. The Christian is the truesi
| free thinker, in the better sense OF the term
| The charge that religion would keep men il
ignorance and superstition, must come either
| from one who is himself the slave of ignor
ance or prejudice, or from a depraved heart,
caring neither to know nor to speak the truth
The house of God is training-school fol
the intellect as well as for the heart
Worldly wisdom leads away from God. Ii
acknowledges the body-the frame work OF
the universe-but denies the iDdweliing
spirit, which animates and energies the
| whole. One who has obtained little knowl'
edge is often in his own conceit wiser than
seven men that can render reason. The
world by wisdom knew not Cod" Men
wilfully shut their eyes to the manifold
proofs of Gods eYer-present, eyer.active
power and goodness.
2. More people perhaps pride themselves on
their might and prowess than on their wis
dom. They do not like to admit inferiority
in physical strength, much less in courage
and daring. But how utterly Insignificant
| is ali human might compared with Gods
"Canst thou bind the sweet influences oil
Pleiades or loose the bands of Orion? Hast
thou an arm like God p? or canst thou thunder
with a voice like Him ?" All human might
proceeds from Cod 1t is upheld and con.
tinued by Him. Whenever He wills it is
withdrawn and perishes.
8. If many boast of their wisdom, and
more of their might, most of all either pride
themselves on their wealth or seek for earthly
riches as the chief good. The attainment OF
wealth seems to lie within the power-ai
least the hope-of every man. And yet the
possession, ard especially the inheriting OF
great wealth, is far oftener curse than 9
blessing The model prayer seems rather to
be that of Agur: "Give me neither poverty
nor riches; feed me with food convenient for
me-" There is great temptation for the rich
man TO trust in his riches; yet such shall
hardly enter into the kingdom of God. Let
him be rich in good works, laying up in store
for himself a good foundation against the
time to come.
4. The proprietor rather God through
the prophet-tel!s us in what person may
properly glory, "That he Understandable and
knoweth me-" By this is evidently mean;
an experimental heart knowledge Of God,
and not that which is merely intellectual
It includes the intellect, but involves also
the action Of the heart, the affections and the
will. It is child. like, loving knowledge.
So Christ speaks of things hidden from the
wise and prudent, but revealed unto babes
And the prophet brings forward certain attri-
butes of Jehovah into special prominence hi;
loving kindness, judgment and righteousness
How constantly do We stand in need of Gods
loving kindness But it is always united
with righteousness. We are sure that the
1 judgment of God is according to truth against
| them VINO commit iniquity. The speaker
closed by exhorting to the exercise of right
spirit of trust in God, aud turing away
from all improper pursuits and objects Of
| glorying.
At the S;xth-street ~ E. Church yesterday
plorping Rev. 7. S. Dunn preached from
Psalm xiv, 8, "Who shall ascend into the
| hill Of the Lord, and who shall stand in Hi,
| holy place? ?" 1t was about 8 900 years ago
David was well established as King ovel
Israel. The tabernacle OF the wilderness
then 400 years old, had been taken from Shi
loh to Rob The ark of the covenant, OF
| mercy seat, the most sacred Of all the fur
niture, had been separated from the taber
nacle, and was at Kirjlth. iearim. David hac
| built new tabernacle on Mt. ZION, and re
solved TO move the ark Of the old into tn:
new. The speaker here spoke OF the immens,
preparations, the first disastrous failure
which resulted 10 leaving the ark at the housl
of Obed-edom for three months, and then o
the second attempt, which proved a success
| He told how the Levites were organized int
bands for the sacred chants and various kind
of instrumental music. He roted the psalm
that had been written for the occasion, from
the most sublime of which the tex
had been taken. He described tht
ascent of Zion, the responsive chanting, anC
quoted from the history: Thus all Israe
brought up the ark of the covenant of tn.
Lord with shouting, and with sound of tbs
comets and with trumpets, and with Gym
balls, making noise with psalteries anC
harps."
The diyinest Interpretation is spiritual
The ark, Mount Zicn and the sublime occa
sion were all symbols of better things thar
I - I
drapery OF truths that shall live forever
What is the letter without the spirit; wha
the embroidered clothes after mother darling
has slipped out of them The ark symbolizeC
the divine presence, aud Mount Zion with
| the tabernacle became symbol of commun
| ion with God. WHO shall aFcsnd into thu
hill of the Lord" means, Who shall hayt
fellowship with God2 The language suggest
the great need of the soul for communion
The soul is still longing, still hungry after al
that earth can give. There is something il
every man too great to be quoted with honor
wealth or pleasure. As well comfort the pre-
found yet disconsolate philosopher with 6
chid's drum or tin whistle.
The deepest cry Of the human heart is ths
of Philip to Jesus: lord, show US tn,
Father, and it sUfficsth us" Divine father
hood implies fellowship. The symbol, Mount
| Zion, was intended to carry the thought thai
communion with the Father is soul elsyasing
Ia the DAYS of external observauce, high
places to the Jews had a peculiar charm
Moses received the law on a mountain. rht
| blessings and curses were to be pronounced
| from the mountain tops the trial of Abra
| ham was on mountain; on a mountain
swept by the wind, and scorched by fire, an(
shaken by the earthquake, Elijah heard tht
"stil small voice." Moses died on Neoo
and ChrisLis closet for secret prayer was OF
| the mountain. His beatitudes were spok sr
/ from the mount on the mount he was trans
! figured on Calvary he was crucifed. au(
/ from Olivet he assembled to heaven. Noun
! tains, then, are teachers of spiritual truths
! the greatest Of which is that communion will
| God lifts the soul above the common level o
ordinary humanity.
! From the mount of prayer we form jus
/ estimate OF the world. The common mistake
/ of the natural man is to oyerestimate the
world. To estimate painting you mus
stand aside. To form a correct opinion o
| the world ascend the mount, where you maj
sea the stir of the great babel and not b
! iostled by the crowd. How psltry the hon
ors and wealth of earth when We rise to lool
at things spiritual" You have envied thu
great and rich, who live without the fear o
God as well envy the huge OK that, deco
rated with ribbons and flowers and stepping
t. music, is led for show in some great pro
cession, only to go 10 the shanbies. How
many are waiting for the rich to Gle. il
| blissful anticipation of sayory financial slice
7 how ~ h.