The evening times., 1899-09-04
LESSONS OF THE MAMMA
The Miracle Means as Mnch Today
as 1t Did Centuries Ago.
Rev. NJ. l.. Haines In n Sermon at the
Church of the Covenant Points Out
i'm Christ Day by Day-Vital ReifS-
ion as a Present Tense Affair.

IN tnt absence OF tne heV. leuuls -
Hamlin, D. D., pastor of the Church of the
Covenant, the pulpit was filled yesterday
morning by the Rev. NJ. L. Haines, ID. D.,
pastor of the First Presbyterian Church
of Indianapolis, who preached on Living
in Today" He took his text from Exodus,
xvi:4, Gather a days portion every day."
He said:
This miracle of the mama is also a
parable-a picture of great truths-as true
for us here in America today as they were
for those 1sraelites down in the wilds of
Arabia thirty centuries ago. The same sun
that now shines down upon us this beauti-
full Sabbath morning shone down upon the
tents and fiocks of that host in the desert.
The same God who laid upon his covenant
people of old the law of the mama
gather a days portion every day'-lays
upon us that law of living. For we like
the children of Israel, are pilgrims journey
ing through the experiences of this world
10 promised land. And God is educating
US on the journey, as he was educating
them, first, to live by faith in him, the un-
seen Father, and second, to live by the day.
When, through Moses. those Hebrew
slaves had been suddenly transformed into
nation of freed men, Almighty God led
them out into the university of the desert
and there carried on their education as
moral beings. He taught them by precept
and providence and miracle the hard. high
lessons Of faith. He trained them TO de-
psndence upon him. They, had to look 10
heaven for their supply of food, and they
had TO look every day. The constitution
of things in which We live in this world is
such as TO lead a thinking man daily to
pf lancnlaDca ba nm
seen higher Power. Anything that draws
US nearer TO the infinite Father in trust
and obedience is a blessing 10 us. Here,
then, is presented TO US diyinely appointed
method of liying-a day at a time. Some
one may say. That law of the mamma was
given three thousand years ago, under the
Old Testament dispensation. whereas now
We are living under the Christian dispensa-
ton. Christ has superseded Moses as our
supreme lawgiver.' True, and yet Christ
commands us thus to pray, Give US this
day our daily bread Now, prayer is the
very deepest expression Of our lives, and
The prayer Christ teaches US is limited in
its range in the time direction. We are
TO ask for bread, for things necessary for
today, and have faith for tomorrow.
The only time in which We can really
live is today. 1t is now or never with
US. Yesterday is not ours to live in. 1t
has already faded into a memory. To-
morrow never comes. II is a will-o'the-
wisp that We never oyertake, and when We
do seem TO overtake ito, il is another
today We can recall yesterday in memory,
and we can anticipate tomorrow in imagi-
nation; but remembering and anticipating
are not real living; they are but dreaming.
Heart happiness is a flower that blooms
from the stalk of true living, and yet how
widespread is the notion that the conditions
Of true living are not here and now-but
only TO be found in some other place and
at some future time. ! feel that If / could
. only live truly today, then l could live
century. But how easy il is to spoil today.
Yesterday and tomorrow often act the
part of the dog in the manger toward cur
today. You failed in some duty yesterday;
you were betrayed into some word or deed
of which you are ashamed. And now, as
you enter upon this new day, you find
yourself burdened and weakened by regret
over yesterdays course. Shake il off, and
cast ii from you. Don't allow your mind to
feed upon that kind of food. 1t is yes
terday's mama, and is spoiled Have you
repented of ii in sincerity? You ought TO
have done so last night in your evening
prayer; you ought to have unloaded your
self of the days follies and cares and sins
Today is king in disguise. Let rs not
be deceived. Let us unmask the king as
he passes. This law of the mamma means
also that We are 10 perform todays duty
today. One of the most subtle tempta-
tions of the evil one is that of the post
ponement of right action. How wretched
and cowardly are the subterfuges by which
some men deceive themselves going on
leading selfish, goddess lives. making
themselves believe that God will accept
good intention in place OF right action
Gather days portion every day. In
practical living that means eat of the good
food that God places before you now En-
joy today's blessings today. Therefore. do
today's duty today. for in today lies to-
morrow. First, We determine our deeds.
then our deeds determine US. What We do
today We are tomorrow. Vital religion is
/ a present tense affair. and it centres in
today's reliance upon and loyalty to Jesus
Christ, the master of all living. who came
TO US, bringing all that God is that we
might become all that it is possible for
man TO be-"