The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-05-23

This verse, the seventh in the nine
teenth Psalm, was the text of the ser
mon by the Rev J. A. Cruzan, the well
known visitor who supplied the Cen
trail Union Pulpit for the Rev. D. P
| Birnie, the pastor, on Sunday morn
| ing. There has seldom been so large
| a congregation in the big church. AL
| the seating capacity of the spacious
main auditorium and of the wide gal
lery was used. Besides this, number
of people stood. 1t was delightful
day outside and it was not uncomfort-
ably warm inside The Sabbath morn
ing gatherings at Central Union are
always large, without the special pro-
mise of such treat as sermon from
an old friend like Rev. Mr. Cruzan. In
the congregation were all the people
here now who were in the flock of
Rev Mr. Cruzan when he was eleven
years ago pastor of the Fort street
church. Then there came to hear a
good many who are not in the haDiE
of attending church excepting perhaps
at Easter tide.
There was an unusually good choir
and Professor Yarndley had arranged
a fine musical program. Mrs. Wood
ward was the soprano and for the
offertory there was a solo by Mr.. Wich-
man.
Rev Mr. Cruzan spoke for about
thirty-five minutes and had the clos
est attention. Those who remember
the divine in years agone and who
were in church yesterday morning, de-
clare he is even more interesting and
refreshing and impressive than in the
old days The visitor has a most at
tractive pulpit manner. He keeps the
Bible in his hand, uses the gesture
much, but gracefully, has we'll rounded
sentences and apt illustrations. The
voice is pleasing. The whole air, the
entire manner, is of meaning what is
said, of having the deepest faith, the
most abiding conviction.
The discourse was a most eloquent
and sound glorifcation of the Holy
Writ From almost every mind pres
ent there must have been a response
to the intelligent and logical treat
ment of the doctrine of the survival
of the fittest as presented from the
pulpit in the light of religious thought
and the treatment of such men as
Drummond This practical and al
most cruel assertion was beautifully
qualified by the presentation OF the
Biblical belief and conclusion that aft
er all love must control and does con-
troll Let all books of all PHILOSOPHERS
and all ages, said the speaker, be COM
pressed skilfully into one volume, and
if that great work equals the Bible,
the Bible must be put aside. The
strength and power and lasting quail
ties and adaptability of the Word Of
God are firmly set in the words
Blessed, blessed, blessed" as uttered
in the sermon on the Mount. The Holy
Writ contains the enduring, the COM
forting, the personal, the appealing,
the applicable message. It's truth goes
tothe hearts of all nations and all men.
1t is the one grand wearing and sur
viving work available to all, adaptable
to all, all-suffiCient to all. It's glOries
shine on and on, undimmed by mo-
mentOus discoveries. by vaunted hu-
man progress. Its teaching awakens
latent good in the bowels of the mis-
cradle, it grows and become more stall
wart and stronger and more useful.
Instead of being placed in the back
ground by advancement of civilization,
it maintains its position, its usefulness.
its divinity. its inspiration far and
away beyond the nose cultured. the
most useful, the most erudite and the
most substantial civilization. Rev.
Mr.. Cru7an closed with a brilliant per-
Grafton. te was assisted in the ser
vice by the Rev D. P. Birnie. In the
sermon Rev Mr. CrIZan evidenced a