The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-07-31

SERMON BY REV. I. M. POYEAT
ADDRESS no EORAER CONGRE-
CATION ATCALVAR BAPTIST.

Speaks of the Omnipresence of God and
Mans Conception of Him-God,s
Spirit within us at Divine Moments
The Cry of the Weary One Answered.
The Rev. z. NJ. Poteat occupied the
pulpit of Cavalry Baptist church yes
terday morning and once more address,
ed strong words of counsel to his for
mer congrega ton. These had assembled
! in unusually large numbers to greet
, him and the church was well filled. Mr..
Poteat is at present pastor of one of the
| large Baptist churches of Philadelphia,
but stopped over at New Haven while
on his way to the place where he is to
spend his vacation. He chose his text
from the 18th psalm and announced as
his subject 1.-The Omnipresence Of God"
In part he spoke as follows: Recently,
my friends, | made a long journey, and
it's chief effect upon me was sense
of the omnipreeence oe God. To see
people united in family worship in the
midst of a great American desert in cars
that sped across the continent was most
beautiful 1t was but recently, too, that
| was called to a far off land and 10,
God was there-the same God that
worshipped on the Atlantic seaboard.
This morning in a far off country An
drew Murray talked with God. DR..
,y.fY Co. off l.;
morning knelt before God. Your friends
in other countries have this morning
bowed before God, and pastors in all
the churches have this morning con-
Quoted Gods services. All betoken the
omnipresence of God. God to-day is,
as he was when Christ, His Son, died
upon the cross for our sins. He is con-
tinually breathing His person into every
living being.
but this morning let us try and con-
ceive of the presence of God. You know
how the pagan sets his idols up in his
temple. He goes to the temple and to
him God is there. You remember how
the Jews thought of the temple as the
abode of God, and the songs they sang
as they journeyed to the feasts. They
felt that in the temple they would see
God. The little ehild locates him IN
the sky. The developed churchnaan 10
Gates Him IN the church. All THESE are
the common conceptlofs'
But our Lord Jesus main nor SAID,
When you pray go TO the temple and
PROSTATE thyself!' He said, Pray to |
thy father in secret. When you
pray go nome ana go apart |
from the rest of the household |
Enter into thy closet NO matter IL thy
family wonder. Shut The door, Pray |
to Thy Father In secret. and Thy "a
Their who seesh in secret, shall crown |
thee with the blessings OF the world.
God Is never far from anyone OF us. |
But God is a spirit and they that Wor- !
ship Him must worship In spirit. Can
you conceive pure spirit? It is diff
cult to do so, and because 1t Is difficult |
we continue to localize God. God seems |
to need person in whom to report |
Himself. And thus it is that those di-
vine moments of consciousness that we |
feel at times Is the spirit OF God within
us. Let me point out few lessons |
that we ought to learn in connection
with Gods omnipresence. There are
many definitions for the word sin Sin |
is PROCLAMATION. Sin is the dissertation of
a sacred earth which Is filled with the
presence of God. There is no place
where you may sin In secret. David saw
a woman in the haths She was young |
and beautiful, and he was at once fired
with the desire TO possess her for him
self. He was king of Israel, but he was
common humanity. He sends her hus-
band to the front of battle, and upon
receiving the news of his death pays
court to his widow. When David saw
the woman he was alone upon the house
top. Nobody knew of the order except |
him to whom he gave 1t. Why should |
not his secret be locked in his heart?
Thus he reasoned, and indeed it seemed
plausible enough. But 10, a stranger |