Morning journal and courier., 1882-08-28
SSonrnal aan Gourier.
Monday Morning, August 29. 1882.



 Rev. Dr. Gcodseli Dwight Place
 Church-NTholesome lpjunctions.
 The threatening aspect of the weather did l not hinder large congregation from assem- l bling at Dwight Place church yesterday morning Rev. Dr. Goodsell preached an admirable sermon full of spiritual food and eminently calculated to intensity the interest of the intelligent congregation who listened to it. The text was 1st Book of Kings, 19-9} "And he came thither unto cave and lodged there; and, behold the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, what dost thou here Elijah?' The pastor repeated that interesting biblical story from which the text was taken and the converse ton held between Ahab and his wife Jezebel and also the wicked threat made by the latter against Elijah how also this disturbed the prophet and caused him to flee from the presence of this wicked woman. People then as now, said he, were best pleased when the prophet prophesied smooth things unto them. Elijah's actions and words stirred up anger in Jezebel's mind, and so it happens to all who live in sin. They are sure to be troubled by the preaching of the truth. Jezebel's threat that she would take the prophets life had tendency to weaken his faith, and so we must admit said the pastor, that poor weak human nature has much to fear has much to contend with. Think, my brethren, what you would have done under the circumstances, and yet he was to blame. God never told him to run away. The mar rative tells us he went days journey into the wilderness and sat under juniper tree and requested for himself that he might die, but when God spoke to him in the words of the text it startled him, for it seemed to him that he was fugitive from duty and it was all the more wrong because he man of God, and he ought to have felt that God YVES stronger than all who were against him. Perhaps we of this day have caves where we hide away sometimes. We have all of us l moods in which we sometimes feel that we have lived for all that is worth living for. \ If true to ourselves we can see Gods hand | leading us. If we falter in the line of duty ! we shall be apt to go into some spiritual cave l and Gods volce will say to in tie language of the text, 'What dost thou here ?'' How ! did God prepare Elijah for his work again ? The narrative further tells that God told him to stand upon the mount and strong l wind rent the rOckS,-then an earthquake l and fire appeared, after which the 'stiIl small | voice." The omnipotent meant to teach this
 man the emptiness of these earthly things. l Spiritual work is not to be done by physical l forces. The soul that prays only when in 1 bodily peril does not always stand. The ! still small voice must be heard in the heart. ! It was for Elijah to see that God all 1 powerful We read every day of sad and l Respondent ones who go into caves Public ! men disappointed in their greed for gain, l Christian men who think they are not appre-
 ciated. give up active Christian labor and go into caves, leaving talents buried, forgetting l that God needs their work. A healthy mind I rejoices in the struggle to run race. We | are to learn lesson here. Caves are not the place for the living, only the dead are to be
 placed there. To some perhaps the message ! is harsh and they would rather hear smooth | things, but God has given us this word as 8 l trust and we are to speak in Gods way If you are in sin and cherishing some idol in your life you are entombed. Ought not ev | cry one of to ask ourselves this plain 1 question, s'Am I in cave? ?'' Let ther l go forth from caves of sin and prejudices 1 and stand on the mount where God can speak ] to us and show us our duty
 l In language expressive of heartfelt thank fulness and pleasure, Dr. Goodsell thanked 1 the pastor and people of Dwight Place l church for the use of their church until the l new one of their own should be completed ! The favor would be ever remembered anG l gladly returned.