Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-10-10
HIDDEN FROM GENIUS.
A Child-Like Spirit Better Than
Great Wisdom or knowledge.
THE WANT OF THE HUMAN SOUL,
Dedication of the First Presbyterian Church
of Allegheny.
TOPICS TOUCHED UPON BY PASTORS

The Rev. DR. Sutherland, of the Second
Presbyterian Church, preached yesterday
morning on "The Things Hidden From
Genius" from Matthew XII, 25: 81 thank
Thee, o Father Lord of heaven and earth.
because Thou hast hid these things from the
wise and prudent, and revealed them unto
babes"
''The things to which Christ here refers, 4"
said the pastor, 'iare the great spiritual
truths and realities of the divine kingdom.
Does it not seem strange on the face of it
that God should hide these things from men
of large mental capacity and genius and
make them known to the lowly, and, stranger
still, that Christ should thank Him for so
doing? Is there not something startling as
we'll as strange in the words of the text?
What damper it must put upon the ardor
Of those who are in the habit of worshiping
ct the shrine of intellect, Before whom
does the world bow in differential homage?
Is it not before the wise and the prudent?
And vet Christ here clearly intimates that
it is not to these that God makes his greatest
disclosures. Gods ways are not as our
ways in this as in other things.
"How many people worship intellect
Jesus Christ never did. On the other
hand how he glorifes the child-spirit. He
showed that it was not along the line of
genius that men would find rest unto their
souls.
Two Divisions of Gods Kingdom.
"There are two spheres into which the
kingdom of God is divided-the literary
and the spiritual. In the literary the wise
and the prudent have ample opportunity
for investigation and research. The Etera-
ture of the kingdom of God is the fullest
and richest in the world What literary
work penned within the last 800 years or be-
fore that has made an abiding impression
upon the world that does not owe its i'm
preston and influence to its direct or indi-
rect bearing upon Gods spiritual and eter-
nal kingdom? Not one. But the semi
religious literary spirit, though interested
in religious development and controversy,
and progress OF an intellectual or ecclesias,
ticaI kind, is not necessarily religious or
Christian spirit at all. 1t may be and may
not. You will notice that our Savior does
not say, nor do his words imply, that God
hides the spiritual truths and realities of
His kingdom from the wise and prudent
who are at the same time childlike In spirit.
"SOme of the grandest disclosures regard
ing His spiritual kingdom which God has
ever made he has made to men OF mighty
intellect, of except nal genius. But they
were at the same time men who bowed be-
fore Him in humble and adorinC reverence
Paul, the greatest OF Christian apologists,
would stand in the front rank and be easily
the first in the front rank of the worlds in
tellectual giants, and yet what profound
and ar-rVaching spiritual insight was his to
enjoy and to use for the advancement and
enrichment of his Fellow men? And all
down the Christian centuries to our own
day many of those in closest tonch with
heaven and heavenly things have been men
OF large mental capacity and power.
Men of Humble, Childlike Spirit.
"But this was not their only. nor was it
their chief. qualification for the privilege
and honor conferred upon them. In add-
tion to this they were men of humble, child
like spirit-men whose souls were aflame
with love to God and love for their fellow
men. Theirs were Intellects coasecrated to
God and to truth and lives consecrated to
duty.
such conservation of great minds in our own |
day. For example, that of the matchess 1
statesman and intellectual giant who at the
advanced age OF So years, Is molding the /
policy and directing the affairs of one OF the |
EreR test empires in the world-William E. |
Gladstone. In answer to a recent inquiry |
IRON this side OF the Atlantic as TO his con- |
victionS regarding our Lords divinity, he |
sent this characteristic reply: AN that / |
think and write and do and hope for is CEN |
tered in the divinity of Jesus Christ
THE same thing was true of the great poet |
the greatest of our age. and in my humble |
Judgment there have been but few greater |
IN any age-who has just passed away His 1
towering genius was softened and mellowed |
and glorined by the light of God! And |
his splendid creations there |
breatnes the spirit of simple childlike trust |
in profound reverence for God. Who |
OF rs doubts that he saw his Pilot face to |
face when he crossed the bar? Let us re-
member that grace is genius, and that our |
Heavenly Father has promised to give /
grace to the humble To such life is tri- |
umph, death is a victory, and heaven is a