St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-05-04
SECRETS OF GOD.
What Rev. William Wilkinson
Saws of Them.

The rector of st. Andrews yesterday
morning took for his text Job xvii, s:
"HaSt thou heard the secrets of God?
And dost thou restrain wisdown to thy
self?'' In the course of the sermon he
said:
"All the sad lessons of the past have
not been enough to teach US needed wis
dom in the present. Man appears to be
a dogmatic animal, who lays down law
for himself and for his fellows with as
much assurance as if he had made this
and all other worlds, though he is but
the creature of day. In the land of
Uz in the days of Job he and his
friends all fell into just such
mistakes as we to-day make.
in similar things, though we have seen
theories exploded and facts triumphant
hundred times. We and the whole
church of God cannot state IN words
too plain that there are many things we
do not, and probably never, in our pres
ent state. shall or can understand. That
part of the designs of life is, for good
and sufficient reasons, hid from our ken,
In order that the domain of faith may
have its proper peace and love He let it
do its own work. If we knew all. how
could the Christian life be walk of
faith? 1t is when we try to explain that
which cannot, with present informa-
ton, be made clear, that we grope,
stumble, fall. In His love, mercy
and wisdom. the Maker of the
world has been pleased to make
known to us what our duty is as
seen in two lights. One side relates to
Himself; the other relates to our fellow
man. A little He has told US in regard
10 the future state of man, only little,
l. fAy. 20 70, IL 81
true purposes of life. AS long as we
keep wisely to what we know we are
strong for action. There are in every
large city men and women outside of all
religious organizations because of the
weak or preSumptouS claims of those
who loved the truth. but did not know
how 10 treat it well. There is no one
cause for lamentation so great as the way
some who say we are Christian treat
designs, plans, ways and future pur-
poses of God. They speak of Him,
what He will do, or can do, or must do.
with flippant manner which makes
sensitive ones shudder, and which
causes some to say, 'Of all sacrilege this
is the vilest.' What can you know of
Infinite space, plan, intent, wisdom,
men, who are not vile, irreligious, care
less. but careful, methodical, refined
and highly sensitive. ones, abhor the
familiarity thus shown with sacred
things. Because to US some things are
revealed and from US others hid, we
are the more bound to use properly
what we know, so that In the right use
of these we may yet come to know more.
Godlike service is better than to try to
find out the secrets of the Almighty be-
fore the time. And, as Jesus said, 1T
is not every one that says "Lord,
Lord" but he which doeth the will of
My Father who is My diSciple;;' so this
method is to have run to use the conso-
lations of God daily, and best to pre-
pare for that life which will be given to
all faithful souls. So shall we perceive
how philosophy and fact, life, duty and
service are not disconnected but one.
and in the deepest sense, for the most
lasting good of every one who will
practice what Is revealed and leave the
unrevealed in the hands of the eternal
God Of eternal love, who is manifested
in Jesus, the Christ"