Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-02-24
A. rnE onRis1IAN cnrRcn
sunday Mornings sermon by Esangs-
list COwden.

lthl iONutus
The morning reading was 81 and
5.h Hebrews. Rev. COwden read
IN clear voice 10 a large and iutel'
lieeht audience, composed more than
half Of men. Rev. SicafOose led IN
spirited prayer. The text was
taken from Hebrew ~, ~, sIl 5'h,
o. The ilriic was Christi anG "uI
perfection through nlndirnte a"il
suffering. No in'ciiig,@i Icing
now came 60 the cplcityinu thai
We were not nDiirr 80 .,r % crca-
ton lLan the l,a-i~ o tI'r EcIds
We did 40; ccnsc ~ Lc, and lilyr d
firilicr Icing ~ re grass "r aiti
mails. II cur ~ = 80 ,ni. in ii'
grave Il T.. great uis'1k', nid n"t
worth living. ~, struggle, s.r
rows, 'iiAs airl ufic;i..Hs ol h6
coull moi well bc borne 10y nuy m
lIs without IT,, rup- laii"u ~ a. be-
lief Ia divine ltiug ai' . fuiur
existence. Tie m,lrnriipiy that
hangs like heavy cloud 0ycr nfdi-
nary old age wa, only pierced and
driven away by mi'rf it, - future
life, higher ami nob.,r iihn this.
WITH sorrow and decay md pain
aud death wI,hin ~, raining our
little cycle Of earthly c.linmlics
steelihg ourself against life's regrets
and difficulties, we had 10 hopeful
future before us. But la spite Of
all this darkness and hunau suffer
ing, the human spirit Is borne up
by belief that God Is interested in
us, that he has sent us II spiritual
revelation 10 bear us up out Of the
depths of doubt and despair and
raise us up TO be immortal beings,
and his children. The exercise OF
his intelligence and wisdom and
omnlscience was not limited TO plac-
ing us here without hope Of saliva
tlon. This conception of God nv
love was not found In science OF
nature. God Is in this world. His
spirit IL gathering up his sons and
daughters. IL we are his children,
then bqiFhs - hnS'Mas 1ne '1IattitniuI
teaching OF the Fatherhood that
sympathlzcd with all humanity.
This broad doctrine Is presented in
the inexoable logic Of Paul.
This was the revelation by the
Apostle Paul. To bring us all home
rs children, was the thought Of God,
BY the infinite suffering of Jesus, the
great captain, our salvation was
thus made possible. lie was per,
fected through suffering, to become
our redeemer 1t was the suffering
of the son of God, Of God himsel.
that made the scriptures holy and
took hold on mankind. The love OF
God for us IL proven by his sacra.
fees for MS. He gave up his son to
suffer and die for us that we might
be saved through belief In him and
a life accordingly. And 80 the Christ
was made perfect with sorrow, Ia
suffer with those who suffer, to weep
with those who weep. The aged
parents present would recall how
they had suffered aud sorrowed over
their chlldren's troubles and heart
aches. How we suffer with our chill
dren! Touch our children and you
touch us ut our hearts core. IL IL
glorious to get these conoe ptlons oi
the fatherhood of God. Sin
and suffering was here and
we could not escape t..
All the harrassing annoyances and
painful tortures Of life might possl-
bly, have been kept from humanity
by divine interference. But that
could not have been safe; Il could
not have been possible, and yet
made II safe and good for the child
ren men. SUFFERING In this present
life was inevitable. IL was essential
10 life, TO our development, to the
upbuildlng of our characters, 10
test the strength of our souls, aud 10
make possible the growth of virtue
and holiness by the publication Of
sorrow and suffering g--even as
Christ was perfected by these same
processes, which made us cast away
the false aud dross OF life and In the
end come only 60 look unto God.
Suflerings were the fires of purlhca.
ton. We came out from them re-
fined. There remained only pure
gold. Christ learned obedlence
through suffering, II WAS the de-
yelopment Of an obedieLt spirit aud
a moral character. Obedience To
God, 10 the Highest, was the
nohlest virtue. Our highest duty is
TO learn Gods will and obey Il,
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nlauaant Ga..A. .s.a IM..au.I