The news & observer., 1897-02-09
KINGDOM or HEAVEN
Series.of Sermons Being Preach
ed at the Tabernacle.
FIRST ONE LAST SUNDAY
NEBUCITADNEZZAR'S FORGOT
TEN DREAM WAS THE TENT.
A SERMON At Night O4 CEE
"No Goverr men," Says Or Smms,
Ian stand Unless il is a BILE to
Solve the Problems of
human ifa 4"
A SERMON At NsaHr o@,c>E
human Life >


Sunday morning.
The text of the sermon was the second
chapter of Daniel, which describes
Nebuchadnezzars dream of the great
image whose head was of fine gold, his
breast and arms silver, his belly and
Thighs of brass, legs OF iron and feet of
iron and clay--and then the stone without
hands which smote the image and broke
it in pieces. This was the dream of the
Kingdom of heaven which Nebuchad
nezzar dreamed and then forgot and sent
for Daniel to interpret.
In the beginning of his discourse DIR.
Simms explained that this image repre-
sented a succession of great world powers:
ID The Babylonian--the golden head;
| (2.) The Medes and Persians-the breast
and arms of silver; 3D. the Greek-the
belly and thighs of BRASS and a. the
Romantic feet and legs of iron and
clay. These powers have all fallen, he
explained, in the succession named-the
gold before the silver; silver before the
brass; then the brass gave way to the
iron and clay; and the iron and clay has
been broken by the stone.
Two thoughts, said the preacher, are
suggested by this vision of the Baby
lonian King:
/. The utter hopelessness that human
government can ever solve the problems
of human life.
Government, the preacher argued, is
raised up for the purpose of adjusting
social and economic differences, that all
may have their full rights and none may
imfrdnge upon the other. They have
failed in this and down they have gone
one after the other. The Babylonian
government failed and gave place to the
Medes and Persians that Jared the
fate of its predecessor and the Greek
Empire arose. Greece fell before Rome.
But Rome failed too and could not stand
even with her iron government, her
eagles, her legions, her learning and her
Caesars.
Human government can never solve
the fundamental principles and problems
of human life. 1t is a banquo's ghost
that will now down at legislative bid
ding. Man, as he is, cannot govern him.
self and how can he govern others? The
only reason any government ever lost its
place was its failure to solve these prob
lems. And yet there are those who believe
that government will yet be able to solve
these problems. But there is no solution
The Republican form of government,
some say, will do it, but ] tell you none
will ever accomplish it.
I'm a republic men turn from party
TO party and say this thing or that thing
will do it. But / tell you no party, no
government ruled by human passions
and prejudices can ever accomplish the
task. 1t is the everlasting riddle of the
Sphinx These sad words, After thee
another" shall ever be their doom.
2. The enduring power must not be
a power that is in hand.
That is it must be a handless power,
not influenced by human power and pas
sions. A stone cold and formless shall
come and sweep all other powers from
the face of the earth.
"A handless ministry is the greatest
of all. The sun is not in hand and yet
it warns the earth and gives life. The
flower is not in hand and yet it per-
fumes the air. and the artist with palette
in hand cannot rival its beauty. The
rivers sweeping on to the ocean and the
rains coming down soft and cooling upon
the earth are handless ministries. Yet
these things transform the universe.
Hands die but hearts never do. The
Kingdom of heaven is a handless power
a stone cut without form or comeliness-
stone that the builders have refused.
The only force that can ever grapple
with and solve the problems Of this
earth is that handless power that must
come down from heaven-that power
that makes the lamb and the lion lie
down together and causes enemies to
kiss each other 1t must be he who makes
the rains fall and the sun shine, he who
balances the planets and directs the sun.
Man has been tried. Governments have
been tested. From gold he has gone
4 Il. l.. L. ..e.A
turn to the stone-the great handless
power. That power not influenced by
worldly prejudices, that power that God
himself has set up-Jesus Christ-and
this us the Kingdom of heaven. The
stone must grow till it will fill the
earth"
The first work in a Kingdom, the
preacher went on 20 say, is the selection
of King. This is my beloved son in
whom / am well pleased, hear ye him."
God himself has selected the King.
The next thing is to point him out and
cali upon the people to recognize him.
This John the Baptist did. The King
dom of heaven was set up on earth by
these two acts. Many imagine that this
was done on the day Of Pentecost. This,
said DR. Simms is not so. 1t was set
up by John. The Kingdom of heaven
| is at hand. 1t is on earth to-day.
Others imagine that it will not be on
earth until the second coming of Christ.
| This is still further from the truth. The
| first coming of Christ was to set up and
organize his Kingdom ON earth. The
Kingdom of God was set up when Jesus
| Christ came and began to teach it.
IF any man believe in Christ Jesus
| fhe is a new man. When he is trans
| formed a new Kingdom is set up within
| him. This work Of transformation will
| go on till all things become new.
"'The Kingdom come'-come in its
| fullness and completeness-come and
| reign over the whole earth-come and
| rule in every heart. Until then there can
| be no solution of the problems of human
| life and human government.
| A SERMON ON LOVE.