The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-05-23
IN RELIGION.
Helena's Botanist Preacher Gives
Some Plain Illustrations TO His
Congregation.
II Terrestrial Matters Are Myster-
los Why Marvel at Celestial
and Divine
Every Discovery of the Telescope and
Every Revelation Of tho microscope
shows Deeper Mystery.

At tho services yesterday in the First
Congregational church, the pastor. Rev. +.
d.. Kelsey. Sc. d., took ~ his text John
21:22. "What IL that to thee. follow thou
me-" Our Saviour had been foreteliinR to
Peter the manner Of his martyrdom, when
Peter pointing to John asks: Lord, and
what shall this man dor" Jesus smith
unto him, II l will that he tarry till l come.
what is that to thee? Follow thou me-"
Peter here may we'll stand ~ tho type Of
multitudes of pryinR people who ask in
Vulnerable questions, puzzling over con-
undrums when they ought to be actively
engaged in the pursuit Of known duty. All
intellectual problems run out into mystery;
we have to do with active work. Difficult
ties and duties, this is our theme. and over
every difficulty may be placed our Saviour's
direct command to Peter-"What 10 that to
thee; follow thou me-"
As to our difficulties. let it be fairly and
sqdarely acknowledged that in religion
there exist puzzlinR theological queries,
conundrums, and difficulties. We ought
logically to exreot these. But religion is
not the only place to find difficulties. Can
you square a oircle2 Yet this mathemati-
mstioal difficulty does not prevent the find
ing of the surface of a circle. Never can l
forget the astonishment produced in my
college GLASS when W. reached that PROPOSE
ton in analytical geometry which proves
that the curve of u hyperbole approaches
nearer the asymptote the farther it ia pro-
duced, but being extended ever SO far can
never meet 1t. Yet this useful proposition
that puzzled Us in college is one on which
ssts some of the practical appliances of
scientific mechanics. and while theot etjc-
ally the lines never can meet. practically,
they very soon do meet when reduced to
steel in machinery.
intimations of further things that await
discovery; every revelation of the micro
scope shows deeper and deeper mystery.
Life itself 10 the mystery of mysteries. II
terrestrial matters are themselves mysteries
why need We marvel to find thst celestial
ana divine matters are shrouded in mys-
tery2
Again let it be clearly a%pprehended that
mystery may exist not in the matter itself
but in the immaturity of the mind attempt
ing its grasp. A little child cannot grasp
algebra. or geometry; the difficulty lies not
in these sciences, but in the child's imma-
turlty of mind.
Here is a problem but very few in our
city can work. not because it is a difficult
problem, but because its solution REQUIRES
a knowledge of ditfsrential calculus and
but few study the mathematics. "a boy
standing on the top of a tower whose height
is sixty feet. observed another boy running
toward the foot of the tower at the rate Of
tive miles an hour on the horizontal plane;
at what rate ia he approaching the boy on
tho top of the tower when he is eighty feet
from the foot of the tower?"
The answer is four miles per
one who is thoroughly acquainted Wit diff
ferential calculus, but all Others will find it
deeply mysterious.
So. many a question in religion is deeply
mysterious. not because the thing itself is
mysterious, but because We are not prepared
to solve those kind of questions, If we find
mysteries in things terrestrial we must not
wonder at them in things celestial, theo-
logical and divine.
Moreover, never forget that many a diff |
Guilty passes away with time and expert
ence. The problems of youth are collapsed
s 81 sa9' Ss OF 4 Pssar@awh ht T is T sbat 40 20 H ,b ee?
Follow thou me-" we shall find many a diff
tculty will trouble us no more. Moral
action will clear the heavens of dark
mists of perplexity. or time will prove them
of no account. FOLLOW Christ in all obedient
life of earnest effort to serve God and man.
and all the conundrums and enigmas will
vanish like mists before the noon sun.
Bat someone says you are pleading for
''eoing it blind" BY no means is it go
ing it blind' for a student to follow the di-
of a teacher. After all a teacher
can say to a student: DO as I tell you
now; the reason of it you will know here
after" No teacher can really explain cube
root until after the pupil has studied algc-
bra, yet many a man needs in his trade or
his business to extract cube roots, whose
must needs be cut shot of
/ asked Yesterday to be given directions
for going from Helena through Unionville
over through Colorado gulch to Helena.
iS not a man living who can make
0ne understand that route who never has
taken it. But many of US can take a
stranger over the cute 3nd show him. Nor
is it going it blind' to follow a competent
guide. 1t Ia not "going it blind' to follow
The directions and accept the revelations
If the reat and divine teacher, Jesus
Christ.
Brethren. tho safest. surest cure for
heresy and unbe!ief il al earnest
elf-surrender of ourselye to this Masters
noble service. Difficulties of doctrine, diff
%iculties of facts in providence. difficulties
Of Nl kinds exist and ever will exist. Have
you never entered a grand cathedral? From
;he outside the windows are \ mass of cold
.eNd mixed with Il confused tungle of
colored glass; but once inside the
and those broken pieces nre seen
~ AtpS " ~ AA'uo lIlS " II |
Virgin. or Of the Cruciiied Lord. or of some
martyr. SO III our lives he o we
'eem to see naught but cold lead or broilcn
.ragmonts; wait, oh, wait. my b!otle;, I'M
Ill God shall sake you inside the eternal
heavenly cathedral. then these broken frag-
nents and dali lead shall DO transmitted BY
radiance into glory Understandable;
MY inside of Gods heavenly cathedral
hall We over understand the enlgnas Of
'ur broken fragments in life; but IA 10 ull
hese enlpInns Christ says: "Whnt il that
q thee? follow thou m,." "Whnt thou
newest not now thou shalt know hereaf-
or"
Moreover, brethren. it's not solution OF
'n'gmas We need; It's not moro light We
leed. What we need is moro conscience,
no @ Obedience of known duty. In Il MN
stry of eighteen years. | have scarcely met
With II case of difficulty whe y soonor or
nter. | have not found evidence that the
ii1liculty was moral rather than INTEL ctnal.
O INN that wi!leth to do Gods will, to him
givotn to know of the doctriue.
hank God, heayen'a gatra swing wide
'pen, not because we have ut onu of our
chool tei III passed II written examination
nd answered knotty questions, bat be-
Atse we have faithfully and earnestly fol
we'd Chriat liz our teacher, lord and divine
Ono OF our members has this
written on the bnck of II y. y. s.. G. l.. card:
~ very day ia fro h leEipning,
Listan. my soul, to tho vi d refrain.
And spite of Old sorrow, Nnd oder SHINING.
And puzzle tornrasted and possible pain,
Take hea r. with the day and begin agaiL."
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or men IN the market ut Tho lee Hive, only ~