Morning journal and courier., 1890-11-10
THE PRoBLEM or LIFE.
Scholarly Sermon by Rev. TDr. Phi
lips Yesterday at the Church OF q
Redeenner -

Scholarly Sermon by Rev. TDr. PHIL
lips Yesterday at the Church OF the
Redeemer.
The Church of the Redeemer was un.
usually well filed yesterday morning, the
occasion being the first sermon of the new
pastor, Rev. Watson Lyman Phillips, D.
D., since his installation here. DR.. Phil
lips delivered an able and scholarly dis
course upon the Problem of Life, its origin
and fullest contamination as set forth in
the scriptures. The sermon was listened
to with marked attention by the congrega-
ton, who seemed to vertically drink in
every word as it fell from the lips of the
speaker. The reverend gentleman took
for the text of his sermon the words found
in the fourth chapter of the gospel accord
ing to st. John, and the third verse: Gin
him was life; and the life was the light of
men," In the first verse of this chapter,
he said, the beloved disciple predicates
the origin and divinity of Christ, who was
come to be the Savior of the world. His
origin was before all time, prior to all
seasons. SIN the beginning was the
Word, J" is the language of the inspired
writer, and in the same verse he speaks of
the divinity of his source in those un-
mistakable and incontrovertible words,
''The Word was with God, and the Word
was God.n
Life and light are closely allied. The
light which was 30 closely allied with the
life of our blessed Savior shone in and
overcame the darkness. A man living in
the high spiritual sense of the word is not
merely existing, but Christ himself iveth
in him and is all in all to him, But, alas,
there are some who are still dead in their
trespasses and sins and the only way to do
anything for these spiritually dead is to
shed broadcast the blessed light of the
gospel of peace into their souls.
Everything springing from life shows
forth the glory of God. Gods life is re-
vealed in nature. The stars in their glori-
GUS armament on high are ever singing
as they shine, the hand that made us Is
divine" The great ocean itself with its
majestic and rhythmic roll in all its vast
ness repeats the same grand hymn. The
rocks and trees and everything else in ma
ture echo and re-echo with the same glori-
GUS anthem, hill to hill and valley to val
ley, ever reiterating in loudest songs of
praise.
So also the natural life of man reveals
the same truth and shows forth the de-
signer and builder of that human edifce.
The intellectual life of man reveals the
same divine origin in higher sense.
Even though it devotes its faculties to
framing of falsehoods, in denial of the ex-
istence of God and propagating the seeds
of unbelief still its very ability to frame
the lie is an unmistakable demonstration
of the majesty and omnpotence of its
source. Even in that agnostic, Ingersoll,
the very ability he possesses of framing
falsehoods against the truth as it is in
Jesus and uttering blasphemies concern
ing God is in itself powerful proof of
the lie he utters, showing forth as it does
the majestic power of the most high
Though in your physical life you may
be true and in your intellectual life &C
knolwedge the awful purity of Jehovah,
not until the summit is reached and you
are full of the highest light can You appre-
ciate the full meaning of the life which is
in him and the light which shineth in
darkness.
The spiritual life of man, nearest though
it be to the divine existence, is but the
poorest image of the divine life to men, on
account of being continually warped by
sin. Just in proportion as men re-
ceive that life into their souls, SO do they
receive the light of the world. You
can find light only through the bright
central orb. Go to the source of
and then shalt thou have life and light,
and We shall receive power to become
sihe sons of God" Do not be Satisfied
with lesser lights, but have the lamps at
the top spiritually trimmed and burning,
and then shall there be a new birth of the
soul. "This is the true light which light
eth every man that cometh into the
world. In him was life and the life was
the light of men,"