The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-06-05

Original suggestions.
At the Grace Evangelical Lutheran
church, corner of Madison avenue and
Mulberry street, the Rev. Luther Hess
Waring, who succeeds the Rev. Foster
l.. Gift as pastor of the above church,
yesterday began his pastoral duties.
He preached at both the regular ser
vices. The new pastor is an able
speaker, clear and concise in his eN-
pressions. The attendance at each SER
vice was large.
In the morning his text was: Master
/ win follow thee whithersoever thou
gocst" Matt, viii:10. In the evening
his discourse was based upon Christs
words as given in Matt, vi:4: mo
man can serve two masters; for either
he will hate the one and love the other.
or else he will hold to the one and de-
spisc the other. Ye cannot serve God
and Mammon." He said, in part:
MANS affections and obedience, at
the last test. cannot be divided. 1t is
law of human nature that supreme
affection or allegiance can be fixed on
only one object. A man cannot follow
the law of God and the suggestions of
Satan at the same time. 'Mammon' is
a Syriac word a name given to an idol
worshiped as the god of riches. Mar
tin Luther said: TO have money and
property is not sinful, provided it be-
come not thy master, but remain thy
servant and thou its master Wealth,
honestly acquired and honOrably and
rightly used for God and man is a boon
and blessing: but it is to be a means
rather than an end.
But ONE MASTER.
"We can serve one master, or act ac-
cording to one principle for time and
then change to another. We can serve
one master or rule in reality and an
other in pretense. Judas probably was
never a true disciple at heart. In
human nature there is So much sham
and delusion, hypocrisy and pretense
In prosperity, friends are many AMI
near: i'm adversely, few and far away.
I'VE can serve two masters who are
on the same side and who differ only in
degree; but here no principle is al
stake, no fidelity involved that is not
common to both. 1t is plain that no
man can serve two masters at the
| same time who represent opposite in
| terests and kingdoms. One of the two
services must be necessarily merely
| outward; or what is worse one of the
masters must be hated and despiscd
| because true service presupposes love
and attachment.
I'm attempting a double service, {
man can only be a hypocrite. a traitor
| an Aaron Burr. God requires the whole
man and will not share the heart witt
| the world. God is all, or nothing.
| "If this word of God be true, and il
| is, then it is Of more importance to us
| than everything else in this world. You
! cannot be, and are not faithful and
| true to your trust as a Christian if you
! deny your Lord. We want the deter
| mination and fearlessness of a Regulu,
| for Rome. a Luther for Worms and
Bishop Latimer for King Henry VIII.
NOT FOR CHRIST.
He that is not for Christ is against
Him. He that gathercth not, scatter.
| eth. Light and darkness cannot exist
| together. A boat cannot he long Sc.
| cure. when water is pouring in through
a hole i'm it's side. Ananias told a wicked
| selfish lie, and was punished with the
lie on his lips Satan knocked: AnaniaS
| opened his heart. Satan whispered
Ananias listened. Satan suggested the
| thought and aroused the desire; Ana,
Mas could and should have refused, but
| did not. He wanted to make an ap
| pearanCe of serving Christ, but he wa!
serving his own selfish Mammon.
"A man cannot be loyal to two Op
posing armies, or two flags, at the same
time. \ divided service makes a di
| vided life. The world comes into YOU
religion ana a little religion is miXet
| with a worldly life. When the water
of the sea gets into the ship the shiI
| goes down into the sea.
The text does not say, 'Yc must not,
nor 'ye should not but we canno
serve God and Mammon.' The servic,
of God should he, must he, an undivide,
service, faithful, sincere and single
| hearted.
IF a kingdom he divided against it.
self, that kingdom cannot stand. If
house be divided against itself tha
| house is sure to fall. If the soul bt
divided between God and Mammon
that soul will surely be lost.
I'VE can serve but one master faith
fully ana affectiOnatcly, and that ON,
should be the Lord Choose yc thi,
day whom ye will serve"
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.