Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1898-08-04
SATURDAY SERMON.
For Sunday Perusa1 and Every Day
Guidance.

My soul cleaveth unto the dust
Psalms, cxix.
There is one fact which startles
US every time we think of it,
namely, that our soul is merely
a tenant of cur body and will
some time move out of it.. When
that happens the body may be
sorry to part with its companion,
but the soul will be glad to get
beyond all physical limitations.
We are not as enthusiastic over
this fact as we should be, because
we do not fully appreciate 1t.
Neither do we appreciate the sun
shine, for the simple reason that
it comes to us as a matter of
course and it is so abundant. If
we were living on the moon,
where every night is a month
long, we should keenly watch for
the coming of each day, and gather
in multitudes on the hilltops to
catch his first rays and wonder at
the glory of the dawn. AS it is the
sun is SO generous with his gifts that
we neither stop to think of our de-
pendence on him nor consider the
cessary to be grateful because he
fills the broad earth with har-
vests.
We venture to say that for a
like reason God is neglected by us.
If He were not so good we
would look to Him more frequent
ly. His excess of kindness blinds
us to the fact that He is at all
kind. If He were a mere despot,
like the tabled deities of Olympus,
and we were forced to placate Him
to win His favor by sacrifices, we
should keep in mind the value of
His helpfuIness and make it
point before every undertaking
to win His favor. But since He
loves US, even as father loves his
children, and gives His angels
charge concerning US, in constant
solicitude, we appreciate very little
what He has done, and in our pray
ers ask for more.
There is no mystery in creas
ticn which equals the union of a
body and a soul. and yet mines
tenths of our time is given to the
body and the remaining one-tenth
is given to the soul. We could
hardly be more devoted to the
body if it were AL we had and
there were no soul. That is cu>
rious fact; it is puzzle, it is q
marvel. To guard copper penny
with constant vigilance and pay
no attention to coin of gold
would be regarded as unmixed
folly. 1t would indicate ignorance
of comparative values. And yet
an observant visitor from anoth-
er planet who should watch our
daily lives would say that we
have not discovered that there is
such a thing as a soul. In many
cases his conclusion would be
justified.
All the religion that we care
for is contained in the simple in-
junction Remember that you
have soul, and govern yourself
accordingly" We want very lit
tie more than that for the prop-
er conduct of our life. If we obey
we shall be kept busy during the
full term of our mortal life, and
shall have no time to discuss the
illogical details. That injunction
is to US what his crown is to a
king-the symbol of sovereignty.
And as the acceptance of a crown
involves the duty of kingly life,
SO our acknowledgement of the
possession of something that
cannot die involves a RESPONSE
bility which ought to make US
broad shouldered, large hearted
and noble.
| We are immortal! We should
never forget it, but should carry
Yourselves as one who cherished
that truth. No matter what our
conditions in life may be, wheth.
er we be poor or rich, learned or
unlettered, we'll or i'll, struggling
or at leisure, we are immortal.
We shall outlive our body and
our sorrows. our tears and our
lsighs, all hardships and heart
breakings, for God-our God
will help us through it all, and
His Christ has prepared a place
for US where we shall dwell in
peace and be at rest.
! Spain has had long experience