The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-21
MYSTERY OF GOODNESS.
THE THEME OF REV. HENRYs
DISCOURSE YESTERDAY.
At the First Methodist church-Mys-
terry Due Either to Our Ignorance
or the Power of View.

Rev. Henry. at the First Methodist
church last night, delivered the first of
a series of sermons on THE Mystery Of
Goodness" taking his text from l Tim
othy, 3-l6: And without controversy
great is the mystery of goodness: God
was manifest in the flesh, justified in
the spirit. seen of angels. preached
unto the gentiles, believed in the world.
received up in glory
AS a preface to the discourse the
pastor said he would invite considera-
ton to a great. theme, too great for
outline even, in the brief time of one
hours service, and yet of sufficient i'm
portance to command the most care
full study and best thought. He had,
therefore. thought it best TO divide the
text along natural lines and to leave
all but the introduction for treatment
ON successive Sunday evenings. He
asked from the congregation close at
tenIion, retentive memories for all
salient points. and that consideration
due a speaker who processes TO take
up but one phase of a great subject at
a time.
We have in the passage referred to
the summing up of the scheme of re-
demption, and of the operation of the
gospel in the form of an early creed,
together with an Introductory message
addressed personally to Timothy. Paul
evidently desires TO impress upon his
pupil, Timothy, the greatness and I'M
portance of the message he is called to
deliver He is not simply 10 recite the
story of the life of a noble man; to tell
of wonderful deeds; TO describe acts
of rare benevolence; TO exhibit the full
fillment of prophecy; to move men TO
emulation by the description of sub
lime martyrdom; to testify to the fact
of the resurrection and ascension. but
by means of all this TO show forth
Gods purpose since the foundation of
the world to demonstrate to the con-
sistency of all religious truth. Paul as
serts that in Christ and his mission is
the pillar, the ground of all truth.
Paul borrows a phrase from the lam
guage of his time when he speaks of
the mystery of gedliness''-the mys-
terry of Gods workings-the mystery of
the plan of salvation. What follows this
phrase is in opposition with it and
gives the sense in which il is used. In
the ninth verse Paul also speaks of the
mystery of the faith" Now notice:
Paul acknowledges the fact of mystery,
thrusts that fact forward, seems to
glory in it, does not attempt to explain
it away. nor does he think 1t strange or
unreasonable that God should move
in a mysterious way his wonders. to
perform in the spiritual as well as in
the natural world.
The mysteries of Gods nature of
Christ's nature. of revelation. of the
operations of the divine spirit, of the
new birth, have sometimes been STUN
bling blocks in the way of even honest
men, UtilitarianS have made efforts TO
cut out from religion the element of
the supernatural. They have sought to
assign to religion value quotable sim
ply in the markets of the world-social.
ethical. commercial and police. 1 am
glad to believe and to find every day,
however, new reasons for my belief in
one who is mighty, all-wise. all-loving.
resourceful and ever present.
The fact of mystery becomes STUN
Cling block only to those who expect
of religion what they do not expect
anywhere else Where will you go and
not find mystery? There is a whole
sea of mystery in one drop of water,
a world of mystery in a rosebud. mys-
terry in the light. in the storm, in the
clouds. in the forest. in all life Does
analysis do away with mystery?
know not any more charming mystery
or one more impenetrable than a rose
bud What wonderful delicacy of
touch to construct so fragile leaf
What wonderful mind TO create so
elaborate and yet dainty design. What
genius to conceive and execute such
harmony and richness of color in the
painting of each leaf. And yet neither
the mind that planned nor the hand
that executed belonged to man. The
leaf is constructed before your very
eyes, and yet you do not see the hand
of the builder. The colors are spread
deity and regularly even in the broad
light of the sun, and yet the artist is
withholden from the sight of all spec
tators. You have picked the rose and ii
lies before you on the table. What
mystery it is. Completed it is a more
beautiful and wonderful structure than
man ever made. Where is the secret of
hidden mystery about il? Take
your microscope and dissecting knife
and begin to analyze. Can you find
the solution? AS you take up leaf af-
ter leaf and tear them from the heart
of the rose and peer underneath to see
from whence they come. do you arrive
any nearer to the mystery of it's ex-
istence? We are familiar with the
mysterious operations of God in the
natural world. We are equally familiar
with the mysterious operations of God
IN the spiritual world. We have come
TO recognize law in the natural world.
~ Aot iScVSHize also the law of the
spiritual world2 The religion of Christ
Is as clear as the sunlight. as fragrant
as violet. warm as the southern wind
refreshing as the mountain spring. ten
Ger as mothers heart, and vet nc
as all of these.
Mystery is almost always due either
10 our ignorance. or our standpoint. An
eclipse of the sun was a mystery to
the ancients; problems in ALGEBRA
are mystery to the uututored the
stars to the child are holes in the sky.
NOW TO draw practical conclusions.
The object of religion is to bring ne
into communion with God. to relieve
US of burdens of sin and sorrow. to give
US pOWar Docs IL do all III D