The morning call., 1893-12-04
SIMPSON MEMORIAL.
A Sermon on Lessons From Our Ma.
tiOnal History,

tiOnal History.
The Simpson Memorial Methodist Church
was as usual we'll filled last evening The
pastor, Rev. DIR. A. c. Hirst, preached a
thoughtful and interesting sermon on ''Les-
sons from Our National History" his text
being Acts XVIII The following is the
substance Of his discourse: sour Chris
tian faith recognizes God as near US, direct
ing our affairs personal and national. Woe
unto US if our faith beco mes a mere con-
ventionality, or if we practically deny him
by eXaltng second causes into independent
eflcleDcieS, elevating law until 1t hides
from our view benehcent maker OF law.
There is a chain of dependencies running
through all departments Of creation, the
subtle relations of which tt is the office OF
science to discover. All that the Christian
believer holds more than this. is that the
first link of that chain is fastened to the
throne of the living, personal God. To
limit our attention TO the scene, to the
merely manifest and ignOr the source
and life of them; to substitute the law OF
nature for the God of nature. is the folly
OF the savage, who, viewing the compli-
Gated machinery OF mandatory, regards
the shafts and pulleys ami moving wheels
as automatic.
while then we are privileged to con-
gratulate ourselves on the mercies which
have crowned our days with gladness. it
should not be as the miser gloats over his
gold. but with our eyes upcast and our
hands upllfted to our Heavenly Father,
who is the source of all life and being.
But it must not be forgotten that at
this period of our Christian civiliZa-
tion, science and the arts are rapidly
bringing under control the hitherto re-
fract0ry element of nature. Mind has
been launched upon the high seas On a
voyage of discovery under the triple pres
sure OF canvas, steam and electricity, aud
Is now strained from mast 10 keel. cleay-
ing the waves of the untried deep before
it. All these subordinate agencies Chris
plishment of her sublime system Of ad-
vance.
Il know that the country is In q state of
unrest Political an.mosities, financial
troubles and corruption in high places
have served to irritate the popular mind.
But God lives and reigns as ever Nor
does the detection of gold and whisky
ticIans, the criminality Of defaulting
officials. the fraud and thieVery of bank
officers and directors, the arrogant and un-
American assumption Of the President of
this republic concerning the recro wnng
Of the Queen of the Hawaiian Islands. nor
the establishment at Washington of Satolli
as an American Pore, obscure our vision.
The imperisnable treasures of this re-
public are still ours-our honor, our Bible,
our schools. Thank God they are still
ours, shielded bg the invulnerable egis of
truth and divinely envirOned by encamp-
ing angels. A voluntary surrender alone
can deprive us Of them. AS well may the
Pacific he expected by the insweep of the
daily tide TO submerge the snOw-capDed
PEAKS of SHASTA or Ralner as the sur
rounding misfortunes aud ills of life 10
overwheim the man or nation whose
mountain stands strong upon these en-
during foundations.
"COnfirming evidences point with sure
prophecy to splendid future. when all
political tricksters and selfish demagogues
shall be unmasked. and under the high
purpose Of strong, Christian character we
shall rear a more stately and imposing
governmental structure, under whose dome
purer morals shall characterize our states
men, and a loftier type of Christianity
ad0rn our institutions and exait our CON-
mon country in the eyes of the world as
crowned with divine approval. Then, IN
sublime chorus, commerce, Industry,
science, literature. architecture, steam.
electricity and light shall sing their
triumphs in acknowledging praise,
Blessed is the nation whose God is the
Lord. and The people whom he hath chosen
for his own inheritance And upon the
entablature of the marts of trade, the
temples, the homes, the halls of science,
shall be engraved, He hath not dealt so
with any nation.