Worcester morning daily spy. (Worcester, Mass.) 1888-1898, 1898-01-17
GOD STILL REIGNS.
A Timely Sermon by Rev. DR..
Clark at the Old South.
The Founder of the " p. S. C. {. Speaks
on The Outlook for 1885," Before
Large Congregation.

Rev. Francis e. Clark, D. D., founder
of the Y. P. S. c. E., was the speaker
at both services in the Old South
Church Sunday. Large congrega lions
greeted him, and his diseourses. as
usual, were earnest and eloquent. The
morning topic was. THE peace of God
the antidote to fear" and his text was
from Psalms, xxiii:2-S.
The evening sermon was on "The
outlooG for 1885," and the text from
Psalms, lxvi;T, He ruleth by his power
forever; his eyes behold the nations"
Ihe truths in the text" said the
speaker, have been stated thousands Of
times, but yet it is fact that we are
apt to forget them in these days of ma
terial things. AT this, the beginning of
the new year, we need to remind our
serves that God is, that God reigns. So,
tonlght, l present this old thought of
the ages, He ruleth by his power for
ever; his eyes behold the nations" We
are apt to think that any one rules but
GOD We think that Tammany rules
New York, but it is not true. God is
there. We think that Mckinley rules
our nation, but God is everywhere. We
think that Victoria is the reigning mon
afch or Europe, but God is also there
ana ruling. This thought of mortals
rullng has been the fallacy of people of
al ages. They have thought that they
We're the great rulers. l suppose the
people of our age feel that they rule,
put the thought is just as false as it was
IN the old kings. God rules, and there
IN lies our salvation. Let us see how
the power of kings who felt that they
ruled the earth, has passed away.
III we go into the 111I1anI1r11 OF Gai, MO
may see all the old Pharaohs as they lie
In the glass cases and look up at us with
eyeless sockets. We may learn their
names and what made them famous by
reading the inscriptions beneath them.
We may see the Pharaoh of the oppres-
sion, the playmate of Moses. We may
see the crowd pass him, and none are so
poor or so low as to do him reverence.
And yet this man once ruled the world.
He built the pyramids and reared many
magnificent buildings long since in ru-
ms. He doubtless said, and with more
reason than any other monarch ''Be-
hold We the Babylon that I have build
ed"
How true the words of our text seem
as we look back over the ages and we
may even see that hand of God ruling
in events within our own recollection
We may see the signs of the times ev-
erywhere. The one thing that has in
pressed me after a trip into various
parts of the world, is that his word is
moving onward with mighty power, and
largely through the Teutonie and Saxon
races These people have a great re-
sponsibiiity, for the EngIish-speaking
people are the ones that are spreading
Gods word. They should realize this
responsibility and do Gods bidding, and
think on Gods thoughts Everywhere
that We find Gods word we find adj
vancement and where it Is not anarchy
and mis,ule. The English language has
gone everywhere, and no place is now
closed to the missionary.
We find that China is to be dismem-
bered. 1t may not be today or tomor-
row, but it will surely come. This may
be Gods way of opening this country
to Christianity. China has never known
the true God. Years ago the mission
aries went there but China had closed
its ears and its doors to the word.
The outlook was never so hopeful for
the spreading of the kingdom and the
coming of the Lord as in this year of
1885, l do not know how many years it
will be before it will come, but already
the dawn of the great day is breaking.
In our own land there are hopeful
signs; yes, signs that make the heart
leap with gladness. We have thought,
perhaps, that science ruled We have
called it an age of steam, an age of
electricity. But it is not the age
of science. 1t is the age of God, work
ing through man. The pendulum has
swung toward material things in the
past, but now 1t is swinging back to-
ward Christ. The people are coming to
see that there are things beyond the
material. There is a longing for God
throughout the land. My recent trip
convinced me that the psalmist was
right. Goo is in the world. In Germany
India, Africa, Great Britain and Amerl-
ca, I see that this is true.
What are the books that the public
demands most today? You may say the
cheap novel, but 1t is not so. Devotional
literature is finding the largest sale
Nothing else equals it. Everywhere
there is the reaching out of the soul for
the infinite.
What shah the lesson be? Do you lis
ten to the still, small voice? Do you
keep the quiet hour with God? Do you
come face to face with Him? Does He
walk by your side and do you feel His
presence? Such consciousness has made
all men who have been truly great VIII
you not accept this divine protection
and hear the soothing words that com
fort in all material and physical pain,
Peace, be still"
Rev. DR.. Conrad spoke at Vassar Col
lege Sunday.