Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-02-20
NOW DOTH GOD KNOws
Inooxesstng sermsn By Bishop

DoUx0oSHo8 o9HAO0 ~ DhomOI
Ross.
Bishop Foss discoursed to yer,
largo audience at the Fort street M
T. Church yesterday, from Psalms
chapter 73, verse 11th-"And they
say. How doth God know? And il
tAere knowledge in the Most High p
God. in His work, has at His dis
Yoszl. the resources of the universe
snA He uses them in His own proper
snd at way. He needs no volunteers
to assist in this work, but, at His bid.
ding, mankind is drafted into His ser.
Eice whether they will or no.
Whatever may be the character and
disposition OF o man relative to this
great central cause, they must ulti-
Mateay join in reverence and thu adj
nMiration of God. Satan knows His
pewer, and at one time worshipped
Him. He is in as much fear of Him
to-day rs in the ages past.
Eventually all must serve, and
L follows that it will yet
came to pass that all things
wesk to the good OF the righteous.
Yes, call things work together for
good to those who love the Lord"
Hen of evil will find that though there
be no fit punishment for their deeds
<here is at least no reward. With the
good man the reverse is true for there
is no punishment, just reward, yet
aside from this broad proposition it
would appear at first glance that
Eigh eousness is without proper re-
ward. To some men the preaching OF
tho Gospel is savory of death; a Chris
6an life is a life of tears and poverty.
II there is a reward it is in the un
known future and not tangible. 1t is
this two-sided influence of which I
now speak. To many persons God
seems at a loss in the moral govern
saent of the world. He does not just
5y mete out punis lment nor fifty re-
ward obedience and virtue. Many a
snan has pondered vero this and has
over and again asked himself, Why
dhisf The same wind that de-
stroys and buries the Christians
bark beneath the cold waves bears
the pirates craft safely to a haven
seeking with its bloody and sin cursed
crew. The rain falls upon the vilest
sinners lands; the sun warns the
seeds into life and he reaps an abund-
8nt crop. In nature the thorn and
Ske fig trees alike are permitted TO
aourish, the useful often bein Z sacri-
seed for the worthless. The inquirer
hooks about and he cries out nature i
stalking on, but blind, blind. Even
good honest men are constrained to
dry out "Did God know"
Bot there are many things beyond
car power OF rc lization now, which
are cleared by time. What is mys-
&ery to-day may be the knowledge of
eAildren tomorrow. Tell me why
Socrates drank the deadly hemlock,
Yhen the power to save his own life
was at his discretion? Why did Paul
suffer the stripes from the Romans?
Why did this great Nation in her in
fancy nurse in her bosom for over one
hundred years a serpent which stung
Aer nigh unto death? Why the
AiNions Of CHRISTIANS in rags, tears
and blood? This is the very thing
which David SO bitterly com planned
e6. 1t almost broke his heart to see
ase prosperity of wickedness.
We may now inquire OF the divine
psrpose. I do not propose to even
attempt an outline of the great
methods Of God, but will simply here
and there cite you to facts to land
marks, as it were, in the purposes Of
God. mere are some manifest
reaexr1s Tor Gods work, and just this
yrsiting of righteousness in rags and
Heasa. blood and amid high-handed
w1ckedness is not without it's good re-
salts. 1t helps to quicken the grace
sf faith in the soul. A wealthy baron
once strung unsightly wires from
me of his castles to cliff,
and his people and neighbors
iaughed at him for his eccentricities,
hut when a storm arose and swept
those wires it brought forth such sweet
music that everyone was delighted.
20 is it with the human heart; it may
stay dormant through sunshine and
81 adow, awaiting storm which will
5o0ch every chord and bring forth the
sweetest melody. 1t is the surely
tried who feel the fullest sense of Joy.
Peter, Paul, John, st. Matthew, and
the host of Christian martyrs were Of
this class. God has seen fit to rear
TIE choicest fruits from stony ground,
and 80, among men great ones from
&ae most lowly grow. A man must
BE tried before tn re is virtue in him.
1 might guide ship in mid-ocean
hat it takes a tried pilot to guide a
vessel through mists anil dangerous
shoals. / shall never forget my last
"trip down the st. Lawrence river.
AH day we sailed quietly on Lake
Erie, and rs evening came, took our
course down the St. L.wrence. On
We swept over rapids, past cities and
villages, but at last we halted at the
head Of the great rapids above the
Hundred Isles. The steamer was
placed in the charge of an Indi an, who
lad under his command four stall
wart and brawny men. He took the
wheel and the vessel shot like an ar
row down into the se-thing, boiling,
raging water. At given signal from
the stern pilot the four men
sprsng on the wheel as we neared the
foot Of the rapids. The steamer
turned short and glided into a safe
harbor. Never had vessel passed.
these rapids save ny the guiding hand
of the Indian, and n 1t face on board
but w&. turned to the bronzel and
ste. visage ar the perlous moment.
Our people are making ju-t such
.plange- every day, and they are
Derved for the ordeal by keeping a
eGeadfast eye upon the Pilot who
moves the world. Darkness, and dis.
tress. and troubles and t, ials are ju :,
the things to develop grace of faith
Sod meant this life as a probation
He mad. US able to stand, hut free
to fall. We cannot find being that
God has not placed under probation.