The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-09-12

Rev. DR.. c. NJ. Ginln, pastor of Elm
Park church, returned from Europe
last week. and last night preached his
first sermon since his return. At the
morning service holy communion was
administered and no sermon was deliv-
cred.
DR.. Gifin, though thinner than before
he began his vacation, appeared to
have been much benefited by it. His
stay across the water has given him
new vigor and a glow of couptenance
that he did not possess before leaving
Scranton. Last nights congregation
was a large one.
The sermon topic was mo More
Sea" 1t was based upon Revelations
xiii. And there was no more sea-"
DIR. Giffin did rot have to mention the
fact that the text, his subject and it's
matter were suggested by ocean voy-
age. He did admit that he was a poor
sailor. He granted the existence of
certain benefits and beauties of the
deep but reminded his hearers of many
of the oceans drawbacks.
DR.. Giffin confessed to the necessity
of the sea according to the present geo
graphical and physical makeup of the
globe. it's beauty and to the service it
renders bordering countries and conti-
nents. In commenting upon how the
sea had encouraged the development of
the peoples about it and had then been
associated in the shattcring of it's ben
eficiaries, he cited Spain. His hearers
appreciated his humor ir granting
Spain "thc greatest navy on earth, but
IA submarine navy" as he immedi
ately explained.
IT Is A TEMPTER.
The oceans voyage was here shown:
Once it had tempted and still tcmpts
the bravery of mon. Without the dar-
ing required to make use of it Spain
would never have acquired it's once
| great empire. But on the ocean had
come the final undoing of the once
| great power
! In the seas favor it can be said, it
| protects weak nations. This was H.
| lustrated early in the history of the
United States when the republic could
never have been but for it's isolation
from the parent land. The time was
coming, DR.. Giftin said, when the iso-
lation feature would cease to exist.
| here and elsewhere. He asked a ma
/
not sick of his country's massive, SOL
diery. Not with such neighbors." was
the reply. The United States must
learn the same lesson after the trans
Siberian railway is built and before
! Behring Straits are bridged.
The advantages of the sea, he said
had been appreciated by Great Brit.
ain and through this appreciation the
| ha
on the globe.
Its advantages should not. however
obscure the profits that would come
with its abolition. The seer of the tex
had not written mo more water" Be
tween water and sea there was dis
tinction and difference. The speaker
risked his voyages and went aboarl
ship for only the reason that he wen
| abroad.
There was a great variety of inter
pretation placed upon the words of th
text According to the commentarie
there will be no more sea because loco
motion will cease because the eartl
will be consumed by fire, because it vii
be DrOvidentially abolished for TIL
comfort of inland people, because ther
is no sea in paradise and SO will b.
none in the new world here. Whel
doctors disagree the patient can tax
his choice. For the speaker, he was sat
isfed with the biblical authority
simple statement that there will be n
more sea.
SEA IS A BLANK.
The sea is a blank while one is on il
he said, because it interrupts the cours
of ones career during passage. 1t
monotonous, tiresome and has no last
ing charm for those who for any lengtl
of time have to endure the dash an
splash that the poets sing about. Their
is no ennui in the eternal world an
should be none here.
While perpetuity is a part of perfec
tion, the sea is something enclosed an
which comes to an end. 1t suggests
painful sense of dependence for a sup
ply of feathers, plumes. diamonds
fruits, condiments, potatoes and in