The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-10-25
INTERESTING SERMON
rresched Yesterday BY Vim. Hsyns
% LeaveIl
Attic FIasTPREsBYTERIAN CHURCH
error Thou Hast Delivered ny soui
BroM Death, Mine Eyes From
Teaxs, NJ Feet FrOm Falling"


tiful. IT was the frst sermon preached D.
Rev. WIN. Hayue Leavell. pastor OF TN
church, for several weeks. and besides thu
especially Interesting and instructive ser
mon, the music furnished by the choir wa
unusually fine. DR.. Leavell's absence IRON
the pulpit for that time has been due to
very severe and protracted case OF dengue
fever, and he announced before the sermon
that he was still very much indlsposed and
that there would be no services In hia
church In the evening.
The choir, composed OF Miss Buckingham
soprano; Miss Marion Walker. alto; Messrs
Griggs and Taylor, bassos, and Mr.. Seger.
tenor, sang as an opening anthem, Sing,
Ye, the Lord" and the closing anthem
was Love Divine"
The sermon, IA Wise Note" was taken
from Psalm 118, the Sth verse. and the
text was, For Thou hast delivered my
soul from death. mine eyes from tears. my
feet from falling" uttered In fearful graf
itude to the Lord by David.
The sermon was In part as follows:
The higher criticism has been lingering
with the UaHdic authorship OF the Psalms.
We are told that our book OF Psalms was
the service book OF the temple. worship:
that 1t was psalter composed of five sep
arWte books containing the religious songs
OF the jewish people, by whomgoever writ
ten; that most OF them arc songs OF relgi-
GUS patriotism at time when devotion
TO the nation was equivalent TO devotion
TO God; that such Of them as had the
element of Immortality were Incorporated
In the psalter; and have persisted TIC this
good day; and that some Of them may be
David's.
II the 10th Psalm from which comes
our text was written by the poet king, tho
sentiment we have chosen must have In 1t
much of the license OF poetry, for surely
the eyes OF David were not delivered from
tears. nor his feet from falling. Before he
assembled tho throne he was In constant
danger OF his life From the day OF his
triumph over the Phlistine giant, whereby
he excited the enmity OF Saul. 10 that sad
day on Gilboa. when Saul and his royal
house persisted. David was forever kept in
sleepless vigilance lest he be slain.
1t Is mighty stretch OF poetic license
10 say that the eyes had been delivered
from tears, and his feet from fallIng-un-
less 1t is meant that as an ultimate; that
as general conclusion; that as the sum
OF his life with all subtractons made and
allowed, his soul had been delivered from
death, bis eyes from tears, and his feet
from falling. And | think. n0tw,thstand-
ing the many and awful sins OF King David
Inc sum or his career Ia magnificent; and
tnat H. was maryeloisly servceable to civ
ilization.
1t Is quito probable, however, that II
DaVir wrote this Psalm, the ascrlptiou az
praise which the text contains was burst
on Thanksgiving in some hour OF speclal
ueilverance, where his full heart broke
lorth INTO peal OF graceful praise to
God for His goodness and mercy.
In such sense, it would be no very
wonderful thing for any devcut man 10
say that God had delivered HIN from
calamity. sorrow and wichedness. indeed
] suspect that most of us have seen ho,us
when the words would have been most
Ut expression OF our sense OF gratitude TO
God. The moral Development of most pco-
pie has much VI sameness in Il. An OF ue
who Try TO win Righteousness OF life layo
TO hight for it, Some fight in one way
some in other ways. Temptations to overt
ana Outrageous sins assault the moral pur-
lhNe OF some, while others tin1 that he
only temptations they realize the power
OF are those which tend 10 dcveluu and
strengthen some more rcancl form Of
sellshnfss. Others. still. ara able TO adont
tins words OF the rich young ruler who de-
clared 70 Christ that all the reouireocnta
ol the moral law he had scrupulo,sly kent
i rom MS youth up. but find, llko him. that
ene supreme test reveals the existence
~ tnet hearts OF q sefishness which is.
et'er all, the rot Of all sin.
All men have had hours 40 full OF low
ana premise as to be capabls OF thanltlnv
GOD and thanking Him with a fullnsss az
comprehension that could appropriate the
very words of the text. Thou hast de-
nsef.a my soul from DEATH mine eyes from
.s".F, my ieet trcm falling" This. | think
can be said by that man even wboae
monody quotes the sad words Of J,h. .'ro,
signing Is become my bread, and NV crv.
ing is unto me as water"
some lives are exceptionally ioyo,,s
tpey 80 singing all tho way. "My IN. 4.
i1sseu III endless song above ,artb,s
Other lives ssem To ha ~
miserable and cry out with lob.
HAN to the man who hath found a grave ;,
as II certain that In tho steep OF deaih Nv,
ehd the heart-acha and the thousand pa-
tuiai shocks that flesh is hsir to-"
II makes one's heart ache to think OF tho
uncounted millions who must say to than
selves al all times, say 1t when most sue.
cessfnl and happy, say it when calamity
and disaster threaten "thc mistakes .,
my HE are many; the sirs Of my heart
are more" ''' nSA''
Evils done by US In our lives tbronu our
memories with hdecus Skeletons whJeh
rattle their bones at the very door OF our
~ excites my compassion for the folly
y men who find time and matter 10 yey
hs mseivss over the old theological notion
nat all men fell In Adam. Yet / bavs
een men furiously resent the imputatlon
4 the formula.
In Adams fall
We sinntd ALL"
II they must find demonstration Of the
Act that they are sinners
Higntst character is never wrought out
ave under circumstances ~ tri,t "a 4.