El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-10-25
BAPTIST CHURCH.
What Can Satisfy the SouI?"

The follo~iug is part Of a sermon
preached at the evening service Sun
day: Text lisa LV. Il. "Ho every one
that thirsteth, come ye to the waters"
This is a hungry and thirsty world.
From a material point of view the So
cial question is the greatest question
before the world todsy. The cry for
bread fills every heart with sadness.
But the @ is q higher life than mater
ial ex steuce. Man is eminently spirit
usl, and his spiri usl needs are by far
his most i'm pOr5snt needs. And so, the
cry heard on every side for spiritual
food and drink is by far the most pierre
ing and most pathetic cry known to the
world today.
'Sir, you are starving yourself TO
death. The first thing you must do is
square meal" These were the words
of a physician to the Presbyterian pas
tor in Kentucky town. This friend
had been sick for a year almost unable
10 work at ell.
"Wny." said he, IL had no idea
that such diet is what l eaded; /
thought L needed medicine. But he
found what the physician said to be
true. And 80, m any people do not un-
derstand the meaning of this cry the
soul is constantly sending up for spirit
usl food and drink, but IL is neverthe-
les true that the soul is starving for
this substantial food. Men have tried
every other remedy. but to no avail.
When young we imagine that great
latitude In pleasure would give relief.
Down goes the bare, and into the fields
of pleasure we 90; some to the saloon,
the gambli house, or the brothel;
some 10 the dance and TO travel. But
none Of these satisfy the soul.
NV han rnH ri
make Us happy. The door Of some Peru
opens up, and we fill our Golfers with its
treasures, only to find ourselves await
ing execution in the prison house Of the
souls unrest. Even knowledge with
its wopdrous powers, IL limited to mat
erial thiogs, cannot satisfy the soul. 1t
makes no difference how far one goes
into any of these pursuits, he can new
er find satisfaction. And not only do
these disappointments wound and tear
our souls, but many OF the very means
we have used In search of satisfaction.
cur sins, turn again and reDd US, inso-
much that many cry out, 20 wretched
man that am, who shall deliver me?"
And sometimes we are ready to say
there Is no deliverance, no food, no
driok that can satisfy the cravings of
hungry soul. Believe it not! Will
nature mock US? Never No beast
o
title but that somewhere nature has
provided a means for satisfaction. Man
alone has this higher craving. And Is
there no satisfaction, no objective
reality on which this inner yearning of
the soul may feast and fiud satisfaction?
/ tell you there must be. Or else ma
ture has belied herself and mocks only
man.
This text brings to us glad tidings
along this line. 1t tells Us of place
where we may find satisfaction for the
soul.
Looking out upon an eastern desert
see q band Of travellers in great dis
tress. There has been q terrific sand
storm. Day by day they have wander
ed out of the way. Their food and
water Is all gone, their beasts are ex-
hausted and in the sunken eyes aud hol-
low cheeks Of every one you can easily
see where death has set up his claim.
1t is noontide. The rays of the sun
are direct and terrific in their heat.
Man and beast have thrown them
selves on the burning sands to die.
But one brave heart has pres
sed bis way to the summit of
an ascent in the distance. And
now his eyes rest on the
blessed sight of an oasis, natures para
dox 10 q desert land. Striking an atti-
tude that Is full OF meaning and sends
a thrill to every heart he lifts up his
voice in words that cool the very sands
and send life and vigor to dying souls,