The herald., 1894-08-13
St. JOHNS Episcopal.

st. John's episcopal.
she sermon preached Yesterday morn.
ing by Rev. B. w. II. Tayer at St.
Johns Episcopal church on Adams
street, wac from Ece!ssiastes XII 49, Van
ity of vanities, saith the preacher, all
is Vanity. The church was filled
with large and attentive congregation,
and during the service four children
were baptized. The Song of Soloman is
said to have been written by him in his
youth, Proverbs in mid-life, and Eccle-
siastas in old age. 1t 10 to the latter
book chiefly that we must direct our at
tention this morning. II 10 book which
may we'll have been written at the end
OF the nineteenth century. An analysis
of 1t will show those very questions
which today bother the political econo-
mists aud the deubters az to the exist
snce of God, are here taken up and ans
wered as any preacher of the day would
answer them. The main purpose of she
book seems to be to take Up these
questions, state them fearlessly and
clearly in the very language of skepti-
cism, and then meet the objections as
they appear. and honestly argue them
out of the way. The cry vanity of
vanities, all IL vanity" is cry which
he utters for the distinct purpose of
refuting it. The came cry is echoed to-
day. We find men who ask: ''Is life
worth living?" We come into tho world
and ere borne ont OF it. In some senses
we control our destinise; in other senses
we are the mere creatures OF circum-
stances. We die and are buried; what
becomes of us? How do we know there
is another world? You, yourselves,
may have heard such questions asked.
Il may be that in the secret recesses of
your own heart you have reverently
asked yourself the same questions. Per-
haps at our own fresides we hear tho
agnostio cry, vanity of vanities, all is
vanity"
Solomon takes up this cry and tests It
by his own experiences OF life. Looking
al it merely from a human standpoint
he describes his own life under the most
favorable OF circumstances. He showed
how he called every art and industry to
be his handmade, to minister to his de-
siree and wishes. and when he eees their
hollowness, their unsatisfyingness, he is
forced to cry out with the skeptic ivan.
lily OF vanities, sll is vanity" But he
now takes step forward in his view OF
life. lie sees the mighty operation of
the force of nature and he takes tn 0
stand that God has crsated everything
for mans pleasure, but when life ends
all ende. All OF these phases of reason
ing Solomon puts forth strongly for the
purpose OF showing their fsllacy and
weakness, and gradually his purpose
manifests itnef. He shows us the deep
faith in God which, even while he was
using the language of the atheist, lay i'm
bedded in his heart. He shows the GER
tsinty OF a life to come, with it's judg-
ments, it's punishmants, its rewards, and
he sums up the whole questiop which he
has been considering with the words,
"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole
matter. Fear God and keep His COM
msndments, for this is the whole duty
OF man, for God shall bring every work
into judgment, with every 6ecrst thing,
whether it be good or whether it be
ev.l'
Atheism is not product OF Christian
time only. 1t has always existed, and
we should try and meet IL honestly and
isirly as Solomon did. The writings of
scoffers at religion have q wide circuls-
ton. They repeat the old atheistic cry
: VANITY of vanity, all Is vanity" They
repeat the old Stoic argument which
Solomon met. They tell us that the
world spins round IN ceaseless course
without any guidance of God. That
men appear upon the earth and die, and
that is the last OF them. The grave
closes over them, the grass grows over
the graves end mounds and tho world
rushes onward to its own death.
The vice king wroto Ecclesisstes to
meet a similar state OF affairs which OBJ
tanned in his times. He saw, as we see,
the guiding hand of God controlling the
events which fill up the Bpan of our
own life. Whose ia that mind which ere.
ated myraids OF planets whirling through
space obedient to fixed laws? Who
made these laws? Who made the plan
cts obedient to them? Whose ia that
voice which speaks to the soul of man
and tells him that though he die yet
shall he live? Who is that One who
sends His own strength and His own
comfort when we most need that
strength and comfort? Who is it, my
brother, that has given you assurance
that you are not mere piece of wreck
age, floating and drifting hopelsssly
back and forth on the pillows of time.
but that you are child OF Immortality
1t is God God who rules the universe
God who guides you'll God who lives
and dwells in you! God the source of
all knowledge, all light, all power, all
goodness; gs the Eternal, Omnipotent.
Omnisciens Deity