The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-08-21

Eiequsns Dfseosrse by the Kminent
New York Divine.
At the First Methodist Episcopal church
last night Rev. C. III. Payne, d. D.,
preached to congregation even larger
than the one which heard Bishop Good
sells sermon in the morning. The house
was filed 10 overlooking and people were
standing all over the house. A special
musical programme was rendered and
good congregational singing vas also had.
DR.. Payne read from the sixth chapter
Of the Second book of Kings and then an
nounced as his text: And Elisha prayed
and said, Lord / pray thee open his eyes
that he may see. And the Lord opened
the eyes of the young man and be saw.
and behold the mountain was full of
horses and chariots Of fire around Elisha"
The sermon was an able one and COM
batted the theory that the supernatural
had nothing to do with everyday life in
these days.
In opening his sermon Dr. Payne told
the story of how the king of Syria was in
the field, bat was unsuccessful in every
battle. for Elisha. by bis gift of prophesy,
was lending aid TO his people and divuig-
Ing the kings plans At last the king de-
termined 20 end the prophets career and
sent an army down TO destroy him at the
little city Of nothan. In The morning the
prophets servant rose eariy aud went out
TO LOOK around. All around on
the hills were the kings men. and
his charaots and horses. The young man
was of course alarmed. ana ran to his
master crying, ALIAS. my master. what
shall we dor" "a fine picture the old
prophet must have made standing there
In the sunlight of the morning." said the
doctor. I'VE can see him now looking
with calm, untronbIed eyes into the face
of the young man. And then the prophet
told him not 10 fear. that the
forces with the enemy were much
smaller than with him. or course the
young man could not see them, they were
not visible to him. and then the prophet
spoke the words We have taken as our text
tonight Then the young man saw the
celestial host sent down to protect the
prophet. Is not this young man in many
respects like hundreds of young men both
within aud without this church who have
no eyes for spiritual forces, and Is not the
prayer of the prophet suitable one for
all Of usf pray that the Lord may open
our eyes. yet Why must We rely wholly
upon the material thingss Why do we
forget that We are living in two worlds at
the same time and that there are both
material and immaterial forces at our
commando People AZ the present time
have small faith in The supernatural and
great faith in the natural. do not know
what science had TO do With this loss OF
faith in the supernatural. but when
science set up its opinions
law then SCIENCE has gone too far
IL might helm you rs well as startle you to
pause and ask yourself. What do l
know" The minister then went on 10
say that there was more evidence of the
supernatural than of the natural There
was a strange prejudice. il seemed,
against the supernatural: IL was con-
founded with ali sorts of ghosts and hob
COLLINS. Supernatural force vas regarded
as something mysterious. . violation of
the laws of nature. ges this was exactly
what it vas not TWAS only subordina-
ton Of those laws.
Here the doctor took mp q book from the
table and illustrated how easy he could
overcome the great force of gravitation.
one OF the grandest in the knowledge Of
man. Yet IL one weak man could thus
set at naughs one Of the laws Of nature
why could net God, who created those
laws, set aside any OF them at will.
suspend them for q time IL might
be. Some people might object
that this was turning things upside
down. What OF if The apostles
turned things upside down. so did many
% the ministers nowadays. Who would
give snap Tor gen uine Methodist min
lister who would not tarn things upside
down. Things deserved to be turned up
side down when they were wrong side up
20 begin with. and il was that way with
the scteatife theory Of the supernatural.
If oas shonld be far cut at SEA
as nigh; gazing at the vacancy
and beautiful boaqaet Of flowers shoald
appear before him instantly and without
warning grosine tnto form and beauty
from the mist and daFkness--ln that case
would IL not be called = mirae,ef But
what had the element OF tire Ia
do with affairs Of sais world ?
Would the appearances II these
iowers cot in miG-occsa ~ - more
wonderful than their appearances in q few
short months on the laaa- Coald &ny
being on this earth cause the aoxers 10
bloom II given tau sternilyG Yet we could
see God performing this miracle every
year Of our lives. bat II we were asked how
the nowsrs spring into existence We would
say they grew. Grew from waatf
Vita this tho doctor seat in.o a defence |
OF ths divinity OF Carist and the snsplrs-
tiua Of the Bible. showing that as nothing
was impossible 10 God there MAS no rea-
son 10 doahs either The Sea- Of God OF ihs
inspiration os the divine word. TAs merit
subject taken up was that Of the coaver-
sion 81 sinner The say THAI God came
20 young people waS = perpetual mira
e4e--sAas saea change shcatd