The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-19
rOUBT AND DOUBTER.
Good Advice to Quibblers About
Little Things of Life.
SERMON BY REV. Won HERRLlcH.
Rsv. wallace Nutting Defines Christian
ity-Discourse OF Rev. william G..
Elliot-sunday Observance.

The Rev. John r. Won Herrlich, late OF Sc.
Pauls church, Sacramento, preached at St.
Marks Episcopal church yesterday morning and
evening. In the evening Mr.. Won Herrlich
preached from the text:
John xxi:22: "What 10 that to thee? Follow
thou me-"
Mr.. Won Herrlich preached without notes. and
held his audience by the power of his strong
personal magnetism and .orcible reasoning
"The text said the speaker, "strikes the key
note OF every individuals duty and obligation
No one 10 inherently great who does q thing
with the idea OF applause or appreciation.
"God clothes the lily, blooming amid the tan
Rled forests of Africa, with as much beauty and
fragrance as those that adorn the lawns Of q
palace, although no human eye may ever rest
upon it. True genius should werk, not for
thing it hopes to accomplish. This has been
the history Of all great moral, spiritual and in
tellectual accomplishments, working because
one Il moved and inspired to do it. In our text
for this morning Christ does not rebuke legiti-
mate and proper curiosity, but that trivial con-
Germ about the affairs and doings of others, or
that small interest in unimportant things which
stops or checks growth in moral and Spiritual
directions. How many are there" said the
speaker, "who are more bothered about unim-
lowed Jonah, or how Noah got all the animals
into the ark, or where Cain got his wife--than
they are In regard to their growth in grace or
their fitness for life beyond this. AS though
the size OF the whale that swallowed Jonah had
anything to do with their moral and spiritual
Development The lesson of the text is our per-
sonal responsibility and obligation. That we
will develop spiritually just in proportion as we
struggle and seek after it in spiritual direc-
tons The speaker gave many illustrations of
s growth and progress in intellectual and artistic
direcuons-the struggle and progress of the
scholar, the artist, sculptor and statesman.
snow this same great law holds good in d.
It. we grow into 1t and we OBTAIN 1t, Just in pro-
portion as we are fitted and prepared to receive
II Christ once said to His disciple: Il have yet
many Things TO say unto you, but ye cannot hear
them now: We do not drift by chance into
these moral and spiritual gifts and graces-into
the beauty and power of an exaulted moral
character any more than ships drift haphazard
into their ports and harbors." The speaker
dWeit upon the nature of what many called
eoubt No one doubts the desirability OF spirit
ual character. No one doubts that Il is better
70 be true, noble and good than to be false ig-
noble and bad. Most doubt Is in regard to
trivial things which have little or no bearing
upon our higher moral and spiritual interest
ana welfare. great many measure their own
moral and spiritual progress and condition by
tne iives ana action OF those about them, and
excuse their own defects and failings by the
fact that Others are defective. But Christ says
90 all such, as he said TO Peter of old: what is
that to thee-follow thou me-
We may all have our hours of doubt and
misgiying, when so much seems indistinct and
uncertain, but the great things of life and
duty and obligation of each one to make use of
every opportunity to develop their higher pow
ers and capabilities
Tne speaker dwslt upon the various phases of
doubt in regard TO religious processes. "What
we are concerned about Is not the process, but
the result We do not understand the processes
graph, the telephone; how the various kinds OF
fruits and flowers come from the same ultimate
sources. Many doubt those things which APP
peal TO reason and faith, instead OF sight and
touch." A striking illustration of the fact that
inviaibtlity did not mean destructlbiity was
given by the statement that he had seen a bar
liquid, and then be regathered again. It's invis-
fbiiity In solution was not destructibility. The
mighty forces of nature are all unseen and in
heart are fnvisi bic only in so far as they reveal
themselves upon the face and features or express
themselves In words and thoughts.
The speaker gave several illustrations OF the
transforming power OF religion-the hard. sell
nsh nature transformed into the beauty and
uality.. We know what religion can do we have
seen the living results, although we cannot
grasp the process any more than we can explain
ure. Mr. Won Herrlich dwelt upop the different
classes OF Directors to religion-those who go to
the Bible, not to find clear, plain, evident truth,
tradictions; who 60 TO the Bible as some people
60 to the museum, to see the curiosities. To all
such Christ says. as he said to the apostle Peter
"Whst is that TO thee? Follow thou me-"
What have these seeming difficulties. which
result from your want of underst landing and
know ledge; what have these things TO do with
TO retard spiritual growth aud progress until we
settle a lot OF unessential and trivial questions,
or solve the problems OF moral and spiritual
processes which, like most of the processes of
material nature, are beyond the grasp and I'M
Outstanding OF the human intellect. What is
She process to thee? 1t is the result we are con-
The speaker closed the sermon with a word
painting OF the beauty and influence of home
religion and its lasting and undying impress
sions "Look there on the misty canvas of the
past. / see before the altar of Goa vision OF
tenderness 1t is the form of woman pouring
out her soul in prayers and iongings! With her
white hands clasped and face uplifted she en-
treats God that His blessing may rest upon her
precious household! Ali through the dim of
Years. listen again to that VOICE. remember
Mat sweet face beamiug with love and glowing
with tenderness; / recollect those sweet hymns
anu prayers heard in childhood, and in my bet
ter moments dare whisper that sacred name,
mother, my motherl Your mother asking Gods
favor and blessing upon her household The
remembrance of her faith and religion is sweet
and sacred, for they brought peace and Joy to
before her. There they knelt, pure, devout
faithful, believing, aud there will / kneel, and
when forget that altar or deny that
roof OF my mouth and may my
right hand forget its cunningl Doubt and spec
whence came l. and whittier am going? What
Is my lie, and why was IL given to meI What
is the best and highest way in which can use
III on. my friends, do not lose your spiritual
anchorage, to drift about upon the tossing
waves OF theory and speculation. | ask of the
unbeliever and scoter, whence came /. aud
whittier am goingf and they tell me came
from nothing and am going nowhere! ask of
theory and speculation, where are my loved
ones; my father. my mother, my dear and be-
loved onesf But their voices are silent; they
give back no answer I ask of the winds and
the waves and the voices of nature but all ara
hushei and silent TO my pleading questions
"But ask OF the religion of Christ, and there
comes back voice which tells me of land
where the flowers never fade, where tears never
row and death win never gain entrsncei II is
IN voice of our blessed religion-the religion of