New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-20
m NAV selections Of Scottish melodies Cele-
band VII Pc also TO be held In Newark Boston.
pI aae.v and elsewhere
From BROOKLYN PULPITS.
.,.~s PLACE IN AND POWER OVER
NATURE.

INTERESTING
n.NA on GODS MINDFuLNEss OF MAN.
-.o Rev DR.. Dana preached yesterday morning
,hs union service of the churches on the Heigh's
- interesting sermon on GODS Minoiuihess vi
a. ~. taxing for his text the words in Psalm s. w.
..u-hat isman that thou mindful OF him. ana inc
.on OF man. that thou vsitest him. DR.. Dana sa'd'
ns,antisIIv: whoever the writer here may
:. whether the shepherd watching over his
,athers focks In the rich pastures nigh 10 be'hie-
r or the solitary exile scanning the starry skies
from the broad plains of Philistia or the oriiaht
,overe,Cn looking into heavens above him from MS
,a,ace top on Lions crest-it is the old question
What is man. that he should be singled out by d.
zine favor endowed with authority as Gods vice.
eerent on earth? He Is complex. yet withal now
insignificant a speck in creations glory mite IN
o,urc's calm an atom in the lmi:ess expanse of
.nsce Hear the writer of the Book OF Job voicng
,be same old query Of surprise. What Is man. that
thou shouldst magnify him? as If the Almighty
demeaned himself in thus noticing and caring for
man
1T was his natural surrounding that prompted
this query Of the poet king. The world he so lit
lie understood was insignificant when contrast
ed with the stellar worlds that filled him with
vonderment when he contemplated the heaven,
vet what did the psalmist know Of the extent or
spendor Of the universe. To him the earth was
the centre Of all things. Modern astronomy had
not by its astounding revelation dethroned man In
space nor had geology with It's startling dis
closures dethroned him In time. He little guessed
that beyond his vision were stars many thousand
times larger than the SUM- or that one globe by
modern lenses brought within mans view. could
incose 800 worlds large that which was all ir
all TO the singer He little suspected that the
light OF the sun which ripened the grapes in Judean
VINEYARDS was started 100000 miles away from
him. travelling $4,000 miles per second. He I'M
doubtedly knew nothing of Jupiter. distant Gil 900.
u,bn light vyas Wv
reaching the earth
But despite the wonders Of the universe man Is
the crown of creation and all leads up to him. 1t
is not bigness that gives Importance. OF him God
has been mindful since his very advent on the
earth. Lordship has been assigned TO him. and
he has had the shaping OF the worlds develop
ment Look at him for a moment-a self-con-
scious being; by his reason he can unravel the
secrets of the universe and think COOS though.s
formation and monarch in its peremptorness, he
is held loyal to duty. With his imagination he
worlds Of his own. His memory gives to his yes
terday's impershableness and the pictures i pre-
chidings or concentrations he cannot escape His
Will makes him the executor OF ms purposes pS IS
imperial air as he hs earth with his sto as
mens as he years wh their dis
coveries go by. Behold him using the lightnings
tS nsn Ms the
maps out the heavens. makes steam his slave
ductiyity. He reproduces the glories Of the sunset
spheres in his symphonies and sonatas: Through
the lips OF the lawgiver he receives the precepts
which were intended to hold him back from
evil courses. Thence came the fiery appeals OF
prophets warning him against transgression and
announcing the penalties Of forgetting God Th'
eongs Of inspired psamists voiced all his moods o.
penitence and Joy of triumph and sorrow. The la
OF all came the visitation of the Christ. living h'
peerless life. wooing him by entrsaty and promise
and dying 10 break the power OF sin and opening
a way Of reconcilement with the Father.
"Of each OF you has God thus been mindful: tt
each Of you has His Son spoken The marvel o
time is this cose interest in mortal lives on the par
OF the Creator and uphoder OF the universe Man i
a fallen God. and only the Divine Father knows OF
what ne IS capable. 1t is not the contrast between
the creation and the creature man that is so APP
Railing nor need the survey Of the canopy of heaven
with lis vast expanse. Its fathomess blue its starr!
splendors be Overwhelming His magistracy only
God knows for is the blurred reprint Of an ancient
charter No grander facts can be cited than those
The royal singer ames-that God has been mindful
OF him. and that the Son Of man has visited him 1t
is in his unique destiny. his triumphant progress:
testifying his dominion over the creation granted
him. need dwell for the universe In all her
marvels and mysteries only accentuates mans place
and par; Gods child. as the subject OF His solici-
tuSe and saving grace.