The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-11-23
THE WORD OF THE LORD.
Rov. Crooker's Sermon at G. A. X. Hall
Sunday Morning.

Rev, Crooker's Sermon at &. A. X, Hall
Sunday Morning.
Mr.. Crooser took his text from Isaiah
& LIV:14, SIN righteousness shalt thou
be established" Among the ancient
1 Hebrews, from whom we obtain it,
tho phrase. "The word OF the Lord"
did not mean a written code of laws,
nor sven Z fixed tradition; it was not SONS
statement. written down in a book, bat it
was the truth most clearly apprehendsd at
any time by the hottest minds. 1t was nos
considered the product of ~scstatic vision
or miraculous influence; but it was under
stood to be what the soul discerned, when
reason paid closest attention to facts and
conscience listened most intently to the
message of the still. small voice. When the
prophet wrote: "rhe word of the Lord
came unto me, saying he meant simply
session of him and had become the deepest
conviction of his nature; 1t was what he
felt to be the truest and hottest fact of life.
And we must not consider that tho "Word
of the Lord" was d special visitation sent
by the Almighty to tho Hebrew prophets,
and to them alone. We must rather look
upon it az all experience which belongs to
some measure have shared all over the wide
world and throughout all historic tims.
When the Egyptian bowed his head and
reyerently said, ''Ihou art, o God, tho in
finite and eternal being;' when the Persian
opened his heart and lips and sang the
praises of the ono good God, Mazda; when
the Hindu poet proclaimed the sweet excel
lsncs of charity and forgiveness: when the
ancient Accadian wrote on those clay tab
lets, recently rescued from the dust OF CEN
turtles, the supreme trust Of his soul that
God is q father infinitely fsthsrly, q mes
sage 5000 years old: when the Chinese sage
taught his disciples that justice is the
only sure foundation, OF life; when Plato
fought his people that God is infinite good
ness and that by being good we may attain
unto immortality-in these and numberleas
other cases We must recognize the presence
of the word of God as truly as in the rapt
visions CT Isaiah or the divine mslodies Of
the psalmist.
The capacity Of inspiration is a native
endowment of the human soul, and the
spirit OF God is the associate of every finite
intelligence. And the word of God is not
confined to tho world Of religious thought
and feeling within narrow official lines;
artists have painted it, scientists have pub
lished it, statesmen nave incarnated it,
philanthropists have lived it. What a word
of the Lord to tho world of mechanics was
the discovery of steam and the invention OF
the steam engine; what a word OF the Lord
to the modern mind WAS tho scientific idea
of natural law. which enables us to think OF
the universe as a cosmos of orderly and
friendly forces, what a "Word of the Lord''
to modern aooiety was the illustrious labor
of Howard, Pinel and Won Voght in behalf
OF a more humane and efficient treatment
of prisoners, of the poor and of thu insane,
In the widest sense, whatever increases the
blessodness and righteousness of humanity
is this WORD of the Lord'-any truth seen
or deed done that makes a sublimer man
hood possible.
What enters into the political life OF 6
people as the ~clearest vision of duty, as the
most imperial aspiration, as the holiest
service--all this is as much a divine revola-
ton NIB the ancient prophetic plea for JUS
tice and mercy. The Hebrews rightly as
ISOLATED Jehovah with the life of the PEG
pie as a whols-Providence being viewed as
touching the community ut all points. In
its own order, the sweat of the brow in
honest toll is az divine as the tear
of repentance, tho mothers love as true a
witness of Gods presence as the awe which
hlle the heart az We gaze into the midnight
heavens. Hebrew prophecy meant states
nlanskip as well as religious instruction for
TIE individual heart, aud Isaiah and J9re-
mlnh were teachers of political science as
we'll as rcvelators Of the moral law. In
this view of human affairs, William the
Silent, in building up q free state in opposi-
ton to Spanish despotism, was as much the
servant of God rs the Moses Of tradition
VIXEN receiving the ten commandments at
Mount Sinai; Harry Vane, toiling for the
enlargement of English liberty. as much a
man after God'a own heart as David when
uniting the Hebrew clans into something
like a civilized state; John Adams and Pat
rick Henry. ~denouncing the iniquity of
British despotism, as much as Ezekiel
when c~onaemning the grave idolntry Of
his people. The oracles of God are
never silent, there is always some wrong to
s~anctity to defend, and those who speak
mighty words of truth on these urgent
problems of the day are voices of the Eter-
nal. Tn man who clearly gees and deeply
feels some great truth which ought to be-
made alive in the state is a messenger from
the Highest, not in n miraculous fashion
which should make him proud, but by the