The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-12-11
IN THE CHURCHES
Rev. Alex. Macintosh at
St. Andrews.
The Making of Manhood, Rev Kin
eaid-The Church and the King
dom, Rev. Pearson.

discourse q ne Second Congregation
at St. Andrews Cathedral yesterday
morning. was taken from St. John V.
80. Search the scriptures: for in
them We think We have eternal life.
and they are they which testify OF me-
Our blessed Lord was speaking to
people, who, He knew, did search the
scriptures, and that most critically.
From their earliest childhood they
were trained in the study of their Holy
Writings; every word was counted and
every letter had its significance. The
object OF the search was the promised
Messiah, the Deliverer, who should
come to redeem and restore, and bring
to them that ideal kingdom they so
~passionately longed for, and which
they called Eternal Life. Their search
was at an end, but they did not know
it. Their Messiah stood before them,
fulfilling in his person all the prophe-
cies they knew by heart. There in
their very presence, that they might
have touched him, had they possessed
the faith Of the poor afflicted woman,
stood the Son of God, born of a virgin,
yelling his Godhead, so as not to blind
their eyes, speaking to them the words
of human speech, and doing such
IIliSIly fHOl AS duIOuS 1uCm do uItN
forth THE confession of one of their
most learned Rabbis that no man
can do the miracles which thou doest,
except God be with him." yet because
the handspring was absent from their
thoughts they failed to discern their
OBJECT when it was within their grasp.
Had Jesus spoken the words search
the scriptures" to the people of this
generation, no doubt they would be
imperative, for the study of the scrip
lures in this day, is not so deep and
not so extensive as the word of God
demands. The Church would teach us
today to avoid both these faults, so
that our minute and diligent search of
the scriptures, may lead us ito Christ
and the eternal life which he brings.
For they are they which testify of
me-" Look at that central figure me
an will not the search be profitable
for our salvation. Only those absorb
ed altogether in things of thus present
life, cannot realize the joy, the pleas
ure. the satisfaction, which the
searching of the scriptures infuses in
to the humble believers heart and soul.
That nan who has not a longing for
an ideal of perfection in life, has al
lowed the Image of God, in which he
was 0Gdltu, 10 UCCOIIIS Uddly uSldCcu.
What a world of ecstacy is opened out
to him, whose search has been success
full, and to whom the scriptures have
revealed Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
very God and very man. AS the pet
ais of a beautiful flower unfold and
reveal ito1the world the delights of
form and smell. SO do the pages of
scripture unfold the beauty of holiness
of life, Gods ideal for the life of man,
His highest creation. Many a type
and picture of that ideal did God raise
up IN the prophets of the Old Tesla
ment, but at length He sent His only
begoCten Son, who fulfilled His Faith
! er's will, and showed all mankind how
they might recover all that they had
lost. He left us His own blessed foot
steps to follow. If we walk in them
with faith whole and undefiled, we
shall reach that love which is beyond
all measure, and that place which pass
eth all mans understanding.
Many guide posts are placed in plain
view, the directions on which are so
plain and clear, that he who runs may
read; but there are heights to which
our SOU canno reach without Gods
special grace assisting US, and depths
so mysterious that We must be content
for a time to see through a glass dark
ly. In Gods good time, the darkness
will be Illuminated, and We shall see
Him face ITO face. lit is to prepare us
for this revelation, that Church at this
special season, exhOrts us to adopt all
the means of grace, which have been
so mercifully vouchsafed to U.S.; the
foundation of them all being Gods
holy Word.
Do we wish to know in whom we be-
lieve? Search the scriptures; for they
are they which testify of Him; that He
is the Word made flesh" and that the
| Word was God" The manner in
| which the two natures are united, is I'M
| searchaDle and un~fordable, but if we
had it brought within the reach of our
finite understandings, our growth in
grace would not be one whit increased.
ALI we do know is, that if we only be-
lieve His word, it will be enough to raise
our nature up to Him. We shall know
him as our God, blessed for ever; and
our ways will be directed to please
Him, by our obedience to His COM
manaments, and we shall know him as
our brother, clothed in our flesh, with
all our infrmities, all our trials, all
our disappointments. This seems the
| hardest for some to believe. Though
the cry of the age has been for frater-
nifty, ever more than charity, yet men
are slow to believe in the highest and
noblest brotherhood, headed by Christ
| Himself, and governed by His laws,
all of which are summed up in one
word Love" He calls this brother
hood His Kingdom, and it's members.
His chosen people. His people called
out of the world to serve Him and TIC
| follow Him into a lovely land Of peace
and joy. He calls them His friends,
those bound to Him and TO each other
in veal or in woe The sign by which
all are known to belong to the brother
hood is by this sign all men know
that We are my disciples, if we have
love one to another" and He defines
that love "As | have loved YOU With
an everlasting love, which never
wearies and which Shakespeare has so
beautifully expressed
lis not enough TO help the feeble up
But to support him after.
Our Lord instituted His Church to
heal the wounds of the world. 1t Is