The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1893-05-15
SOME SPIRITUAL SUGGESTIONS,
The Features of Some of Yes
terday's Sermons.
DR.. Thomson's Discourse on the AS
cension of Christ.


DR.. J. s. Thomson preached yesterday
morning at the Church OF the Unity to
crowded audience, upon the subject of
the ascension OF Christ, taking his text
from Acts / 49, He began by calling at
tention to the fact that the REALTORS OF
the histories found in the New Testa-
ment were all close students OF nature
that the rites and observances of the
church were founded upon an observa-
ton OF natures laws. The ritual OF
baptism. the observance OF Yuie tide, of
Lent and Easter were all traced back to
their respective origins centuries before
the Christian era. The doctrines OF purga-
tory, and Of the ascension, are symbol
lied in the suggestive and instructive
teachings OF nature. No religion
can be strong and true that
disregards the teachings OF God
from the myriad living mouths to be
found IN nature. As the oak rises from
the acorn and the Hercules from the
baby, so the human soul gathers its
wonderful powers in some occult way
beyond our knowledge but within our
belief. Yet the fact that Christ ascend
ed beyond the clouds, being fact be-
yond our ordinary experience, we find it
hard to believe. We are like the saw
age who had never comprehended the
possibilities of balloon travelling.
Christ. the lord OF life, the represent
alive of msE at his best, lifted his form
into the skies by the knowledge OF a law
and power that we know not.
OF the intermediate state, the doc
trine which protestants said had no
place in scripture is true and scriptural
1t is scriptural to believe that the soul
OH the death OF the body, goes to sleep.
1t needs rest, to get new powers
and refreshment for the life be-
yond. We sleep in Christ as Paul
said. and it is reasonable that the time
should be thus spent. The soul, accord
ing to the suggestive teachings of ma
ture and Of the bible has to be prepared
for the life beyond. Christ acted out
the doctrine of purgatory. Any soul not
full grown cannot be admitted into
heaven. 1t is In the yestibule to the
great heavenly temple that the soul gets
it's preparation, and while the young and
immature souls may be in paradise they
cannot get into the life of heaven until
they have passed the season of prepara-
ton in the intermediate state.
Only those whose spiritual nature lie
educated can ever know Christ; we can
never know Him by the senses, and as
soon as we get down to the physical
plane He disappears from our cognition.
The student of astronomy and OF geol-
ogy finds after all his research that
there il an invisible end to his study
where it vanishee in cloud and is taken
out of his sight. In literature we have
a Shakespeare, mountain of intellect
without beginning or end, one of type
never repeated, and the cloud receives
him out of our sight. The same mys
terry attaches to she beginnings of ma.
tions. Rome, England, America, theil
origins are beyond our knowledge and
vanish in the cloudlands of obscurity
Christ came to make men feel the beat.
ings of Gods heart in the universe. The
learned speaker then launched into an
imprisoned description of the future
resurrection and ascension which was q
most vivid and remarkable piece Of word
painting to which no summary could dc
justice.
To the objection that his picture
might be called a mere fight of imagina
ton, the preacher answered that it was
impossible for little human mind in {
little bone box to conceive thought oil
dream dream that God would not, il
he wished, fulfill. There are other
worlds of mind and other leaders to bt
born whom the angels will delight tt
honor. With parting shot at tn,
pessimist and HE unproductive views o.
life, death and the hereafter, DIR. Thorn
son brought to close with peroratior
on the uses and application of prayer, {
sermon that caused profound sensa
ton throughout the congregation.
Next Sunday morning his topic vii
be, Are the Jews Christians?