The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-10-17
Cincinnati Sermon.
THE OBJECT OF LIFE.
BY REV. U. s. M1LBURN.


TINE first portion of this verse is
i not to be perverted by being
AIKEN too literally. Jesus, in this pas
sage of the Sermon on the Mount, did
not mean that we should not labor,
nor strive, nor plan, nor develop. He
never taught that all one had to do
was to sit down, fold the hands, put
confidence in the Lord, and trust all
wants would be supplied. By the
sweat of his brow man should get his
daily food. True, the Heavenly Fa-
Their feeds the birds of the air, but
they have to search for the ripened
seed. Man must not only "work out
his own salvation" but he must Ia
Dor for the comforts of physical life
as WELL The old proverb is, The
Lord will help the man who helps
himself" Jesus taught this, although
superficial reading of the text
might indicate otherwise. Just pre-
vious be said mo man can serve
two masters. Ye cannot serve
God and Mammon. Therefore, l say
unto you, Be not anxious for your
life, what ye shall eat, or what ye
shall drink; nor yet for your body
what ye shall put on. Is not the life
more than food, and the body than
raiment?" We are not to think so
much of worldly things, feshly ap-
petites, that they became God which
we will serve. Physical things are
but basis for spiritual. Life is
more than physical enjoyment, more
han eating and drinking, more than
raiment,- Necessary as these things
are. where your treasure is there
will your heart be ALSO" Have some
thing, think of something besides
these earthly things, so that your
heart will not be concentrated all on
self. This was Jesus thought.
The life of a man is the life of
soul. The hunger of the human
soul can never be appeased by world
ly things-riches, honors, sumptu-
GUS board, or costly apparel. The
longings of the soul are not satisfied
with the Epicurean philosophy or
hope gilded with earthly pomp. Sat
isfying the soul with the world is
like quenching thirst with the salt
water of the ea,-it makes still thirst
Ter. 1t is like mirage, appearing to
be water and nodding palms, while it
is desert.
Alexander conquered the world,
but it did not satisfy his soul; he wept
for more, and died "as fool dieth."
Napoleon stood with Europe beneath
his feet, but his Unsuitable ambition
led to his overthrow; and he summed
up the whole of his existence by say
ing, 81 regard life with horror" Sol
ONION tried all the world has, but
found all to be vanity and vexation
of spirit. Byron, with rank, wealth
and fame was not happy.
There is not a single human soul
so small, or poor, or miserable, that
the material universe can fill it. All
history is full of the accounts of life
allure because of the attempt to
satisfy with worldly things. Those
who have had limitless resources
have been conspicuous for their
misery. The real object of life, then,
is not only to accumulate earthly
wealth, acquire power, achieve fame,
obtain honor and distinction, but to
satisfy to the best of ones ability the
heart yearnings, to cultivate the
spiritual power, to develop the moral
perception, to feed the hungry mind,
and to clothe the naked soul with the
spotless robe of an eternal faith,
hope and love. SIS not the life more
than food and the body than raj
ment?"
Man is primarily and essentially
spirit. He is soul; he possesses a
body. True, the development of the
soul depends largely upon the care
and development of the body. But
the body should be cared for as a
means to an end-not an end in it.
self. 1t is that upon which some
thing higher and grander is builded
character Can we afford for one
brief moment to neglect the develop
ment of our higher powers?
But is man capable of self,develop-
ment7 The answer to this lies en-
bodied in the correct answer to the
questions, What is MANI What is his
origin7 What is his nature9 What
is his destiny9
In the Westminster Confession of
Faith we read: "Since the fall man
has been absolutely unable of him
self to do anything pleasing to God,
the whole race has fallen under
Gods wrath and curse, and no mem