The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-07
LESSONS FROM THE DEAD SEA.
Rev. DIR. Fairs Sermon at the INDIE
pendent Church.

pendent Church.
Rev. Dr. Fair. pastor of the Independent
Presbyterian Church. in his sermon last
night drew some lessons from the Dead
Sea. After describing the physical con-
formation ana general desolation of this
singular body OF water, which lies on
the boundary line between the Holy land
and the desert, he said: ut might be well
to linger awhile on the shore of this strange
sea, and ask, what do its wild waves say?'
Written by the finger of God upon its
gloomy strand, mirrored on its CLASSY
page, we decipher some useful and prac-
teal truths.
THE Dead sea presents an image Of
uselessness: So far as we know, the
world has never derived the least benefit
from its existence. No populous cities line
its shores; no. boat navigates its surface;
its peculiar ingredients would corrode and
soon destroy The strongest vessel man could
build; no flag of victory, no glad song
floats over it, No vegetation exists there,
except the asher tree or apple OF Sodom,
whose fruit is beautiful to the eye but
hollow, yielding to the hungry lips noth-
ing but bitter seed and puffs Of smoke.
Dead in the midst of life, barren in the
midst of fertility; useless in the midst OF
activity, il does not cause one blade OF
grass 10 grow OF IOIIn OilC hCW MP ~
crown flower Is it not an image Of
many a life, absolutely useless in this
great and busy world? Not only useless
bur dangerous emitting a poisonous ana
deadly influence Is il not an accurate pic
ture of many a professor of religion, nv
ing on the boundary line, just wedged IN
between the church and the world, half in
and half out a dead weight, an incu-
bus?' -
The Dead sea presents again an image
| Of selfshness. 1t has no visible outlet.
An the streams of the rich adjacent ter
ritory are tributary to it. The Jordan Is
ceaselessly pouring its mighty volume IN
| TO its BOSOM But, though fed so bounu-
fully. it gives nothing back; everything 60
| ing into It, nothing coming out. Only
| one idea seems to be written on Its mar
| row. shallow face, re-echoed in the muir
| muir of its sluggish waves: Take ali
you can; keep all you get" Have you
| not seen men just like that whose greed
! was not only voracious, but absolutely
| Unsuitable; whose incomes are Increasing
every wear, but no corresponding increase
| of Hberaiity; streams of wealth pouring
/ into their bosoms, but no outlet toward
| God, no outlet toward the church, no out
| let toward the poor?
! But, though the Dead sea reaches out its
| avaricious hands and appropriates every
| offering to its own SelnSn use, YET IL IL
gradually contracting and growing small
| err II is the doom which a just and mex
| orable law of nature imposes upon all
parasites, to perish by their own selfish
ness, to decay in their own greed and te
die of their own hunger.
The Dead sea presents lastly an image
| of irreligion. 1t has no connection with
any other body of water. All other seas
however widely separated, are interlinked
Rolling under the foundations of the
mountains are deep, invisible currents
which bind them together; a mystic tie sc
strong that what affects one affects an
other; they feel the magnetic drawing OF
heavenly influence. rise and fall to the
same level. Not so the Dead sea- Isolated
| in its uselessness and selfshness, il
stands alone. At night when swept by
storms it's phosphorescent waves emit q
dull red, sulphurous CLEAN and brean
in lurid, sepulchral light on the gloomy
shores, an apt image of the wrecked anC
blasted life. Does God enter into your
life? Are you connected with Him By
the golden links of faith and prayer? Dc
you feel the magnetic drawing of His be
ing and a His touch do mighty tides ebt
and flow? If not, open your heart nov
ard let Him enter into your life, tina
deep may call unto deep at the noise O.
His waterspouts. 1t is a dangerous thinf
to stand alone and be without God in tn,
world. 1t makes a Dead sea of lifer
In the afternoon DIR. Fair officiated a
the funeral of Chinamen who died Sat
urday at the City Hospital The servic,
was held IN Coroner Goettes office an,
the interment was in Laurel Grove,
----s-e-S