The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-24
ART OF HEARING
THE VOICE OF GOD
Was the Subject Of Rev. E. L. Miller's
Morning Sermon.
INDIFFERENCE THE IMpEDIMEN1
Aud That Makes the Art Of liz ID ring
Rare Gift..GOd Speaks in Many
Ways. Through Nature and in Every
Circumstance..G Gods Best Hearers
Are Dedicated TO Him by Their
Parents.

n most helpful sermon was preacHeu
in Trinity Lutheran church yesterday
morning by the pastor of the church.
Rev. Edwin Lunn Miller. 1t concerned
'the hearing ear" In his sermon Mr..
Miller referred especially to Gods
voice and the art of hearing the same.
speak, for thy servant heareth.'
Samuel. ii:l0. was the text. Mr.. Mil
Ter said:
The Holy Gospel today presents
Christ to US as the healer of spiritual
deaf-mutes They brought unto Him
who was deaf, and had an impedlent
in his peech: and Christs Omnipotent
Ephphatha opened his ears and loosed
his tongue. The art Of hearing Gods
voice has always been a rare gift, not
because of Gods unwillingnesS to be-
stow 1t, but because of mans reluctance
to receive 1t. And yet, In times OF the
greatest religious degeneracy, there
have always been faithful servants who
prayed God to speak and vowed that
they would hear. A noble example OF
this we find in the child Samuel. .
that His words would always receive
Reimbursement from us, Speak; for
thy servant heareth.'
God speaks in many ways to His
breaches concerning His goodness and
widom. The scenic beauty of this ia
vored region proclaims God so plainly.
Several days ago l stood on that we'll
known rock at Bald Mount entranced
by the view of land richer than
Canaan. That sight breaches u SER
mon to every intelligent visitor. In
every circumstance of life God pro-
claims Himself. The goodness Of God
is intended to lead to repentance, and
that which We call misfortune may.
under His blessed direction, prove our
highest good eventually. Gods will.
however, can only be definitely known
through the word. Complete revelation
is only found in the incarrate word,
Christ. "GOd at sundry times and i'm
divers manners spake in times past
unto the fathers by the prophets, hath
in these last days spoken unto us by
His Son." Through these manifold
agencies the Spirit is operative. with
view Of securing attention from man
and effecting his salvation.
ASLEEP AND CARELESS.
So few, however, recognize Gods
voice. When He called Samuel he
thought twas the voice of Eli. Even
so many see nothing supernatural in
the world In which they live. and in
the preached and sacramental word.
The sermon Is only, to them, a declara-
tion from man. The liturgy is only
meaningless formality. Samuel slept
and failed to known Gods voice. so
many sleep rocked in the cradle of bust
ness or pleasure, who fail to recognize
heavenly voices.
The faithful servant makes his pray
er, Speak, Lord" so much more ear
~ hon ha HnI. GpI'c NIL
the ord was va ..nreoionS '"' ,hnt @ is Mou are %
In other words, there was O. lack of
faithful proclamation of the same. The
priest Eli was not thoroughly faithful.
SamueTs prayer was very apropos.
Speak, Lord" Even those commits
stoned to preach the word sometimes
become practically despisers of 1t, for
they turn aside to discourse upon for
eign themes, thus feeding starving
souls on husk instead of heavenly
bread What shall we say when even
bishop so far forgets his high calling
as to deliver q political stump-speech
to a congregation assembled to wor-
ship!
Multitudes. also. are turning aside to
cunnigly devised fables, to the con-
demnation cf their immortal souls
The commission to "preach the word"
is more imperative than ever
Samuel lived I'm times. of scarcity in
deed 1t is not when there Is u search
ty of money, or of the products Or the
field that men suffer most. for man
indeed needs but little here below; 1t is
when there Is a lack of spiritual treas
ure, of heavenly bread, that the most
direful times imped. And this sort of
scarcity IL all the more pitiful when
there is an abundance of worldly gifts.
, s,,, ,,n,
hop" /" Dr-"i I'r'!' ni-r."'
The faithful servant not only prays
God to speak, but he VOWS that he Will
hear He first gives diligent heed to
Gods voice. This little Samuel did. He
was a consecrated child, and brought
into the temple as babe. How heed
full to the heavenly voice he was! The
The best hearers of Gods voice are
those who are dedicated to God by their
parents, and brought to the temple by
Them.
But see how little attention is given
TO that which God says in Nature, in
Providence. and through His holy
word. Many say, in effect, do not
sneak. Lord, ] wish to give heed to
her thoughts now" How har 1t seems
to fix the whole mind on the preached
word sometimes. How worldly con-
Germs claim attention even in Gods
holy temple. Where there Is; however
an ,'mat, CD aive. ths beoring ear
Th,'ist pv st;,, sneaks I1is omninotent
I,,,i'nhotha mn tben averv oar 10
a.p,,'a1 ..p,' hv Gin Evnn So,,uo, "did rn-
s.oppen , ,, ~ ~. I'D, mil I,ii fni,,. a.
~ S,, n IT., M. daoS ',,,,,a az ~. yns
,a, hod 70 no brought IN Christ Inv his
.r;ards Tbs Grst onerotions os grace
49,. w., fror, within 60 coon bowaver
., +here 10 n recent;ve attitude tov,ards
a. a., S,,,,nr Chr;et evtends uis hanI
.n',o,,;nr Tho oor and tnn"ue
o,adience towards the same samuel