National Republican., 1883-06-18
THE LESSONS OF JONAH.
INTERESTING sERMoF by REV. c. F. SONIA
.rLLI

INTERESTING SERMoF BY REV. c. f. soNTAG
AT THE GRACE REFORMED CHURCH.
Grace Chapel Reformed church. corner OF
Fifteenth and o streets, was filed yesterday
morning to hear a. sermon preached by the
Rev. G. +. Sontag, who took his text from the
first chapter of Jonah and the first and second
verses. The reverend speaker said that
Jonah wrote his own biography faithful and
true, for he attempts neither to excuse nor pal.
late his wrong as fugitive and recreant
prophet. He recounts tho judgment conse.
quent upon his presumption that others may
take cognizance and obey the voice OF
God. Hc is about to realize the supremacy
of that will which rules among the armies
of heaven and the nations of the earth
Without map or compass Jonah is to
traverse distance of over 800 miles to Nine
voh. By day meath the scorching beams of
a Syrian sky, by night TO find resting place
in some defile of the wilderness amid the war
Of beats and the hiss of serpents. But fear
sways the Lords prophet and he goes to
Joppa and takes ship for Tarshish. Satan has
a thousand methods TO deceive men, and in
Inmates a thousand sham impossibilities when
Heaven issue its mandates to Gods servants.
To one man he pictures a lion in the way to
another an impossible gulf. When God issues
his mandates Satan whispers to men, "Go to
some Tarshish of pleasure" Go regardless
of duty and the sanctuary Bya sleep Jonah
thought to quiet his conscience, but Omnis-
cience never sleeps.
Duringa calm and tranquil sea dumb idols
are sufficient, but when the sea heaps up its
floods and the abyss of death confronts them,
in terrible crises men callIupon the Almighty.
Jonah is sacrificed to the sea, but Omnis-
cience sees him aud delivers him from the sea
and from the belly of leviathan. Called a sec
ond time he goes ON his solemn errand and
proclaims the doom of Ninevah-Ninevah,
wicked Ninevah-with its lordly palaces,
stately temples, monuments, and trophies of
victory. The proclamation of woe enters tho
hovel and the palace, and even penetrates the
marble walls of the kings abode. The whole
population of lords aud mobiles at the command
of the king PROSTATE themselves to the earth,
and deeply humbed call upon God, and Nine.
vah with its half million people is saved.
Among the solemn lessons taught is one that
no man can hide from Omniscence. In every
spot or nook in this broad world that eye
penetrates Even to the most secret chambers
of the soul there is n mind to whose intelli-
gence all this amazing scene of creation,
worlds on worlds, systems on systems, suns on
suns, is ever apparent.
Beware thy sin shall find thee out" BY
a sleep Jonah thought TO drown in oblivion
the voice of the Eternal But Jehovah's 8
word is never silenced. The sinful soul like
Jonah will be aroused some time. Then will
come fear as desolation--d destruction as a
whirlwind.
The voice Of duty is the voice of God.
Who dare ignore it.? How many of
Heavens mandates are disregarded What
woful failures on the part Of Gods servants !
Fugtiyes from duty-from every altar.
But Gods voice will not bo slenced There
lis a pestilence that walkcth in darkness
and a destruction that wasteth at MONDAY"
There was no substitute for Jonah. He
must go. His feet must travers the desert
and his brow must swelter under the hot
Syrian sky. His tongue must utter solemn
word. 1t is not for man TO chose his work.
" Man proposes but God disposes" Accord
ing TO the measure of fulfllment of duty
will be our hopes of Heaven. Mighty have
been the achievements of individual personal
effort. John Knox enters Scotland, and
soon the land of Burns il moved as by an
earthquake.
Ulrich Swinglss, John Calvin, John
Baptist, all were prophets sents forth on a
mission unique and royal
Duty stunned will involve the soul in ir-
retrievable ruin. aud throughout eternity an
accusing conscience will wrankle in the
breast like the unquenohable fire. But duty
done will win for us the smile of Heaven
an approving conscience, a tranquil heart, a
bli6sful Immortality.