The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-11-25
SERMON OF THE
REV. II. A. GRANT
DELIVERED IN THE HOWARD
PLACE M. E. CHURCH.
He Took for His Text the Words I'm
All Thy Ways Acknowledge Him
and He Shall Direct Thy Paths"
He Who Is willing to Have This
Text Fulfilled in His Experience
will Have the Best Life He Can
Live on Earth.

Rev. H. A. Grant, B. D., pastor of
the Howard Place African Methodist
Episcopal church ,disCouraed upon Gods
sure guidance of good man, yesterday
morning, choosing as a text Prov, $50;
In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and
He shall direct thy paths" He said,
in part:
Let us thank God today that here is a
promise with a condition attached. 1t Is
one of the most far-reachirg promises III
the whole range of revelation. If the con-
dition is not fulfilled neither we nor the
nation have any claim whatever upon he
promise. Hut If it is the promise is as
sure as the existence of the Almighty ana
all-holy God who has made it. If We
look, first at the condition, IL Will prepare
us to notice the premise.
|. The condition is, "ln all thy ways
acknowledge Him." And we may sum
marze what this includes in three par
tiCularS.
/. 1t includes the admission that God
has the right to dispose of my life. Lite
is a journey of many experiences, a way
of perpetual change and endless posslbll-
tiles. But 1t is not given to me that l
may do with it what | please. 1t belongs
absolutely to God In the realm of nature
God is master. From the molecue to the
mighty system. and right through, the
universe of matter, His power governs all.
Nowhere is there a lawlCss atom detSing
His control. And God wishes in like man
ncr to be Lord in the life of every man.
Let us thank Him that the only true view
that we can take of our lives is that we
are His stewards, that Is, that we have
the gifts of God to use in the service Of
God.
a steward does not use his own proper
~ to serve his master, nor does he use
his masters property to serve himself.
He uses the masters goods to serve the
master. And our lives, with all their
powers and opportunities, are Gods gifts.
If they were our own possession we might
do with them what we would but being
Gods we have no option but to use them
entirely in His service.
THE TRUE VIEW.
And while this is the true view, it is at
the same time the most exalted; for the
moment that our lives are linked to God
and Ills purposes, there is a dignity i'm
parted to them which nothing else can
give. Now, then on this Thanksgiving
Day, so wisely asked to be observed by
that good man, William Mckinley, the
president of these United States, as We'll
uS by the governor of our state. while we
thank God for chronicled and and un-
ChroniCed mcrcies, whether in peace or
in war. the success of our navy and land
forces, love of home and country, liberia
ton of the down-tr -trodden and victory, let
us be thankful that to be able to write
ourselves down as the Servants of Cod
is the highest diploma that we can ever
possess.
> 1t includes the fulhilment of present
duty. If | am not doing what | know to
he God S Will concerning me just now, so
far from acknowledging Him, | am in a
state of actual rebellion. The language
of man i'm harmony with our text is,
'thc only path my feet shall tread shall
be that of obedience, whether it be
| through smiling meadows or desert
sands"
). And it includes also the committal of
| the future to Gods guidance. While Joy
! fully fulfilling the appointed work of tho
| present, the good man desires the Lord
to arrange all that is to follow. His own
preferences might lie in a certain direc-
tiOn and God may possibly allow them to
| be gratihed by leading him that way. But
| this is quite a secondary matter with MIN.
| He will as definitely trust God to order
| his ways as ask Him to do it. If we Join
| these three particulars we have tOler-
| ably correct idea of what is involved in
| the condition of the text.
IL. The attendant promise is "He shall
| direct thy paths"
| /. When he has been brought into he
| spiritual attitude Just described, God {
way is open to guide him
WILL DO WHAT HE DESIRES.
| .. And there being now no hindranCe IN
the way, God will do that which lie de.
sires to do. guide the whole of his life
And lie will do this by guiding the de-
| tails. This is what we often overlook
but in the nature of things 1t must be so
The whole is made up of its parts and the
whole of life can Cnly be guided by Cos
as lie orders each portion of the way
| But God is the God of details. lie gov.
erns the infinite movements of the mate
rial creation by controlling the action OF
the atom. No other way is possible. His
controlling power into every part of the
life that He is guiding.
8. And this is the portion Of every gooc
man. Amid all the mysteries that may
attach to human freedom, to the inhu
CnCCs of evil spirits, and to the disposition
of events, the will of God shall be don,
in and by the cOnscCrated man. lie VIII
is willing on this national ThanksgiVinl
Day to have this text fulfilled in his eX
pericnce will have the best life that n,
can live on earth, both for himself anC
others, and for the glory Of his heavenl!
guide.
IAN our times are in thy hand
And we thank thee for the whole;
All has waited thy command;
For our joy and for our dole