The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-06
REV. DIR. TEvIs's SERMON.
Services Yesterday Morning at Broad
way NJ. L. Church.


way NJ. L. Church.
AT the Broadway Methodist Church yes
terday morning the pastor, DR.. Tevis, took
his text from Rom. viii, q, and preached
substantially as follows:
I'm a recent lecture in this city MIR. IDger-
soil said: If Spain had whipped us, preach
ers would have said, That is because of
unbelef,'' and, continuing, made the state
ment that the President should have thanked
GCd for sending yellow fever, as well as
Deweys victory. This statement from the
champion of skepticism implies that God
has no hand in the affairs Of men. Indeed,
one Of the perplexing questions which agi-
tate even some believers is to harmonize
apparently conflicting providences. Some
times the wicked flourish and the righteous
apparently fail. A cyclone will leap over a
saloon and destroy a church. An epidemic
does not discriminate between individuals;
it attacks trr good and the evil alike. Be
canse of these things men argue that God
does not interpOse and help those who love
Him, and that the laws of nature are all
the laws we have. Over against this idea
we place the text.
In the analyzation of the theme it is Of
prime Importance to understand what is
meant by good Almost all the estimates
that Worldly-minded men make are in the
realm of the temporal and the material.
They forget the ultimate destiny of men.
If this life were all and death an endless
sleep, even then would the text be true,
though it would require a spiritual inter-
probation. When Christ was upon earth He
eI1DldSlZGQ TINS inner lie anu DeEIOIIlSu
miracles only to call attention to vital spir-
itual principles. But we are not going to
an endless sleep. We are getting ready for
another country, a better one, an enlarged
existence. So that this life becomes a vast
training school. It's diverse experiences are
both corrective and educational. 1t is q
place of discipline. Its furnace fires Of trou-
BILE burn out the dross and refine the gold
of cur Spiritua natures. Every believer
takes the experiences Of life as part of the
refining process. Each event is clothed with
meaning.
'aThe true estimate of good is to be made
from the basis Of mans nature, rather than
from his desires. That which IS conducive
TO his moral being is good. Yet the world
looks upon temporal luxury as the great
desideratum of life. God has been good,
apparently, to that man who has accumu-
lated great wealth or attained a high stand
ing among his fellows. We fail TO look into
the lives of men. rather than their posses
sions. 1t IS what a man Is within himself
not what he possesses. that counts. Any
thing that locks up the SecretIonS of hber-
ality or stagnates the activities of his moral
nature is not good. Sometimes a little sue
cess will do this. Anything that develops
the moral nature is good. Sometimes a
wave of trouble, like a sea billow. viii cast
us in utter dependence upon the Father. and
we ind our spiritual nature responding 10
His touch.
Now, it is distinctly stated that all things
work together to produce TINS effect. We
are surrounded by innumerable influences.
All these Influences. events impressions and
experiences tend in this direction 10 the
cody man. 1t may take scores OF forces
working upon us TO produce this one result.
God may permit US to taste success TO learn
its bitter as we'll as its sweet: to taste fall
ure to learn its sweet as well as its bitter.
As 1t takes all the wheels OF a watch "a
make it keep correct time. SO it takes al
the experiences of life to develop our mora
natures as God would have them. We are
not to murmur at a cross of to-day that
may produce a crown of JOY in days to come.
1t is a cross to the young man to be com
PEELED to work hard in his youth in order
that he may be enabled 10 obtain an educa-
ton. but the result is an independent man
hood and a vigOr of brain and Drawn 10 lee
coveted bv all. Commodore Vanderbilt
placed William under the care Of the head
gardener for a term Of months, and wher
the son had learned TO be a practice.
farmer his father made him Il present Of the
farm, God has given each OF us a work &c
do, and While sometimes the experiences
connected with II are hard, we are TO re-
member that continually we are developing
our better NATURES. and that after a while
! the proclamation viii be made. Inasmucl