The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-11-26
THE UNITED CHURCH SERVICE
Continued from First pagcl

I'LL UlIllLU NnIUIlUlI ULHLIUL
Continued from First Pagel
chemistry, or geology. 1t were absurd to say
that such knowledge is Of no avail. The
lowest kind Of knowledge has its use. The
acquisition Of any kind of knowledge is
pleasure and into the crystal palace of such
knowledge the gates are thrown wide open
before any thoughtful and industrious young
man who may enter and dwell there. lie may
ascertain for his own delight the properties of
water, the nature and proportions of the
different gases that enter into its composition,
aud became acquainted with the laws of
fluids rs well as the great and eminent
scientists Of the age in which we live. In
like manner he may become cognizant Of the
properties of light and versed in its most
beautiful and benefccnt laws as well as the
most distinguished sons of science, Huxley,
Tyndall and DR.. Wilfred Hall, our own
countrymen At the same time ! may be al
lowed to express a word Of caution on the sub
je0t of attainment of such knowledge. Like
every other good, it has some danger near
against which to be forewarned, may be to be
forearmed. man may be versed in all the
sciences, as being congenial with his nature
his incursions into these regions may be
frequent and successful, and he may return
from every studious application which he
mages to them laden with intellectual
treasures; and yet he may be ignorant Of
the wisdom which is supreme-namey the
knowledge Of God and things divine, because
he has no natural appetite for that which is
so spiritual, holy and high, and does not like
perhaps, to hear about it. The knowledge of
God is unique-so perfectly distinct from all
other requirements, a man is darkened and
/ foolish But the particular danger against
which we feel ourselves called upon to warn
you, is the resting satisfied with the know
ledge of the physical manifestation so to
speak, of Gods character and the physical
grandeur of His works without attaining
knowledge of His moral character, which is
His chief glory. God is to be regarded not
only, nor principally, as the Creator of all
physical beauties aud wonderous substances
around above and beneath us, but as the
Moral Legislator Of the universe. He is
chiefly to be known as Law-giver and
Governor, as the righteous Lord that loveth
| righteousness. There no doubt may be
ditluscd over the educated mind some inn
F.. preston of the true God, as Of Him who
made matter and formed and attached to it
given and sufficient laws; as Of Him that,
/ having made all things, gave TO the sound its
. harmony, the air its elasticity, the water its
iuidity, the rock its solidity the light its
| velocity, the lightning its intensity, and to
all things their essence. substance form,
properties and laws; and yet may there be a
palpable and manifest want Of true under
standing, and real influential knowledge of
the Almighty, after all The knowledge of
Him which is most essential is the knowledge
of His Righteousness and His method Of
righteousness to our sinful race. The high,
proper use of knowledge is to qualify man
for moral action. If man 81 ends his time
I in acquiring knowledge of the physical
sciences without attending to the moral uses
Of that knowledge and keeping it subor
dinate to the higher knowledge Of his duty to
/ God and man, it yields little or no profit le-
] yund the pleasure of acquisition. This view
Of the subject is borne out by the spirit of
christianity. Now what does the gospel say {?
1t says that if man gain the whole world
and loses his own soul there is no gain, but
luss-a positive, fearful and iucalcuable loss
In the gospel the moral and accountable
nature is everything. Before it all things
are made to bow Apart from salvation there
is nothing great or infinitely desirable. A
man may not only acquire wealth. power
and rank, but an astonishing measure of
knowledge, which, Of things not spiritual, is
the most precious and noble, and yet not be
saved And if he be not saved, what are all
his requirements ard possessions worth OF
what avail is IL 10 be enriched with the wis
dom OF Bacon, or the science Of II Newton
| the poetry Of "a Milton the states
mauShp OF Washington, if the terrible
| sentence fall at last upon tue ear Depart
from me- Go forward in an honest and
diligcnt study of the bible because IT is the
armOry whence we draw our weapons to
fight the enemies of our souls and that Of our
beloved country. lti the casket in which
are cu,hrined the jewels we seek to display
to INN tai souls; the ocean whose depths
we strive To explore the mine in which we
toll the garden i'll which we roam our chart
aud talisman and the welspring of our Joy.
We must go forward in the increase of chris
tiau glarcs. The man Of God must seek to
have all the fruits Of the spirit, and all in
large degree. Faith must grow nightly,
that we may stand fast and he shielded from
the attacks of the enemies Hope must be
increasingly bright that the head may be
lifted up. Love must he increasingly ardent
coustrauiug us onward in all that is con-
uected with selfdenial aud suffering in
Chrsts cause. Weakness must be the ex-
preston of the eye, patience of the counten-
nnce, kindness the language of the tongue,
and the whole soul clothed with humility.
The christian must go forward in manifest
ing christian virtues such as Justice
and temperance. Forward in brothery kind
ties, aud charity. There must be nOneOn-
iurmity to the world, hospitality to the siints
and goodness and compassion to all men.
,econdly, The christian should 90 forward
because God commands him to do So He is
our maker and therefore has claim to our
obedience. To reject His commands is re-
bellion; to deny His claims inhdelity; to re-
fuse His authority is treason. But christian
nlaNlRa "a a