Morning journal and courier., 1889-02-11
FAITH AND OBEDIENCE.

The Example of the Great Master
 Prayer as a Source of Comfort and
 Strength-The Lesson of Obedience
 Discourse by Rev. I. M. Foster at St.
 John Street M. K. Church.
 Rev. Mr. Foster preached forcible sermon yesterday morning at the St. John street M. E. church. It was full of thought. He said that his subject was "Boisterous Pillows and Contrary Winds," and not Boisterous, Bilious and Contrary Minds" as had been stated. He took for his text, Mark vi, 46-51. The selection was that in reference to Christ's walking on the sea to his toiling and wave buffeted disciples, and his stillinR the wind and the waves. The speaker drew very comforting and impressive lesson from Jesus withdrawal to the solitude of the mountain for prayer, his withawal from the multitudes who wanted to crown him king after his miraculous feeding the multitude. The speaker emphasized the importance of Ohrist's example in his retirement and com munion with God as one full of suggestion and comfort to the Christian. Herein was to be found the key to obtaining spiritual solace and strength in hours of temptation, grief, afiction and weakness.
 The second fact to be gained from the text is obedience to Christs demand. The disci- ples in the boat had departed alone; they had not the presence of Christ with them, but by communion with God they had come to feel 8 sense of security. The wind arose and they toiled in vain. Had the Master sent them on the sea to perishi They made no headway against the contrary winds.
 It is the natural fear of humanity to doubt the presence and care of God This was the had no thought of him. The hardest lesson to learn is the storm that rises out of obedi- ence. It does not possess any of the elements of danger Men told us at the time of the war that danger threatened our country, but the republic was never developing ao much of strength as then.
 There shall in time come the demand to you to depart alone into difficulties and storms, but if you are obedient the storm will go away, and the contrary winds will only increase the victory. There is no dan- ger in these storms. Ths disciples were as safe with Jesus in the mountain with him in the boat, because, although they were miles away, he was watching over them.
 There cennot be @ better safeguard than that which comes out of perfect and absolute obedience. The storms of life are as power legs as the sunshine to destroy.
 God sees the disciples in the darkness and of their efforts. God never forgets his hum ble servants. He never drops us out of his thought or allows us to drift out of his sight.
 
 not only his interest and care in them, but his protection. His eye is on his own, pene trating the darkness that they may not be overwhelmed by the waves.
 All the universe demands his care. You may be crowded out of the thought of men and their friendship and not be remembered by those you love, but you shall not be crowded out of his thought. He takes your life in his care and sees you buffeting with the pillows, and if he should take his eye off you, you would go down; but he never does. He may send you out to endure, but he never presses you beyond endurance. He sends you out to fight, and if you fight for obedience you will be victorious. When the disciples were about to give up the struggle he came to them and said, "Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid" And so he will come to all. He is always on hand. All may forget me, but God remembers me. That's enough. I have triumphed. Protection is mine. I care not for all the world. It matters not how severe the storm, nor boisterous the pillows, nor contrary the winds, if we are obedient His power will ever be to protect us.