Daily Honolulu press. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1886, 1886-03-29
Mr.. oggel's Sermon.

AT the Bethel Union Church yester.
day morning, Rev. E. C. OggeI, the
pastor, took for his text "But one
thing is needful: and Mary hath cho-
sen that good part, which shall not be
taken away from her." Luke 1o;42.
The preacher said: John Eliot, Wis
iting a merchant in his counting house,
saw books of business on the table
and the books of devotion on the
shelf. Said Eliot "Sir, here is earth
on the table and heaven on the shelf.
Pray don't think so much of the table
as altogether to forget the shelf" Now,
taking the text as guide, l remark
ist-That only the favor and fel-
lowship of God can truly satisfy the
desires of the soul. The soul of man
bears the image of God, and nothing
can satisfy it except He whose image
it bears. AS the dove could find no
resting place until it returned to the
ark, so cannot man until he find it in
God, who made him. Says Angus
tine; "Our soul was created by God,
for God, and is never quiet till it rests
in Cod" God is the chief good. If
we make Him subordinate we leave
the substance to follow the shadow.
The enjoyments of life are the stream
which should direct to Him, who is
the fountain. Some of you may doubt
whether God is real So may you
doubt whether your breath is real In
this climate you walk by faith, not by
sight. But in other lands when win
ter comes on one can see his breath.
Young men and women, in the sum-
mer of your pleasures you do not,
perhaps, see such thing as your soul
or God, but o do not wait until your
panied senses shall supply the want
of your faith. A thing is never said
to be full until it is full OF that for
which it is made. The lecture room
may be full next Wednesday evening
of chairs, and yet you would not think
of saying, GLOW full the room was
tonight" unless you are all there your
selves for prayer and praise. My
friends, the soul is for God. You may
try to feed it on the husks of vanity
and pleasure, but you are making
mistake. There must be 'a conjunc-
ton uf suitables." The light of can
die is good in its place, but it does not
FIJI great space. The soul has capaci-
ties and aspirations which God alone
can satisfy.
Again-The favor and fellowship of
God impart strength and courage in
times of trial. That is precious
faith which, like the star, shines bright
est in the darkest night Why are
trials sent2 ''For our instruction"
says Richter, ''as we darken the cages
of birds when we would teach them
to sing" Martin Luther, the great
Reformer, through trials was made fit
for the Masters use, as through fire
the true gold is not only tested but
made more pure.
One point more. The favor and fell
lowship of God are portion that shall
endure forever. "Mary hath chosen
that good part which shall not be taken
away from her." All this we have in
Jesus Christ. The Duke of Yelling
ton once said that he could have saved
the lives of thousand men a year had
he had chaplains. The uneasiness OF
their minds reacted on their bodies
and kept up continual fever, when
once it seized upon their frames. 1t is
my Office and privilege to tell of one
who can minister to "minds diseased"
and through whom you may this morn
ing be saved Says Miss Havergal:
"such mystery Of iniquity within
That we must loathe our very thoughts, but
for the cure
He hath devised--the blessed tree
The Lord hath shown us, that cast in, can heal
The fountain whence the bitter waters flow.
Divinest remedy
Whose power we feel,
Whose grace we comprehend not, but we
know"