The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-06-20
REV, PEARSON
Sermon to The Oahu COLLEGE Class
Ct 1899.
AN ELOQUENT DISCOURSE
Growth" the TOPIC A STUDY In
Three SEo.iors-SoUnc AoVics
Coco TER All

Only portion OF the sermon by Rev.
!. L. Pearson to the Oahu college grad
latinc class can be given. II was de
Iivered Sunday evening Ut Central IN /
ion church. The large auditorium con |
tatsled congregation that used abso-
lutely all the seating space. Rev. MIR.
Parsons sermon was souusl and eN-
cellent throughout. IN part he said;
Growth-Matt. WIGS. Realizing rs |
do the Importance OF this occasion and
knowing hcv easily might miss IN"
it affords, / appear befor"
you hesita-ingly.
l gladly greet you graduates. stud
ents, and all young people and invite
you TO the consideration OF the i'm
pcrtant subject Of growth. This is a
scriptural subject, yer ike many an
other important truth Il is not stated
in any single sentence. 1t is. how
ever, implied in the life TO which the
Bible leads and IL appeals To us from
symbol and parable. prscept and adage
of this sacred book. II calls Us to- a
higher. nobler and more perfect life.
The growth of the whole man in all
the clements of true and eternal man
hood-this is my theme. To intro
duce il, l call you attention tn the
beautiful parable q tho lilies. Con
slider tbe lilies OF The field. how they
grow,
Passing the thcusht - the necessity
of growth which inherss in plant and
animal life 1 desire 10 emphasize.
/. The growth Of man as 4 duty.
Growth is not a mere privilege; it Is
an obligation. Many think it but .
possibility which may 5s realized or
not at the convenience or pleasure OF
the individnal-that II only concerns
him and is not of so great import as To-
be of commanding interest. But
growth should be considered rs a duty.
God demands il OF US. IN justice TO
ourselves, or feliowmen md cur Max
er, we cannon neglect this important
obligation. To neglect II is TO dwarf our
powers, To beli.tls our lives, 10 deny
the world the hslp end good Nc should
render our fellow man and TO defe.'
the designs OF our Creator in US. II
cannot be neglected without injury.
loss and guilt. Neither God nor man
exonerates the negligent man who fails
TO make progress toward the limit of
his * pacity.
THAI God expects mar 20 develop by
his own thought and conscious effort
the capabilities Of his bsing is empha-
sized in many passages of his word.
Note the parallels Of the talents and
OF the pounds. After the Master had
distributed His goods. His charge was
occupy till come" Reckoning with
these servants on His return. to those
who by patient activity had increased
their gifts he pronounced words of
highest communication, giving to them
rich rewards. But 20 tts indoient one,
who sought 10 return TO the Master
Just what he had received. trying vain
~ 10 justify his course. the Master ut
tered words OF condemnation. Thou
wicked and slothful servant. Thou
oughtest 20 have put my money TO the
exchangers that At my coming l might
have received mine own with usury.
Take therefore. the talent from him:
cast ye the improbable servant into
outer darkness"
Gods great commandment is Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all
thy heart What does this imply but
that our love 10 Him shall be up to the
limit of our capacity OF soul? That by
His grace We shall 50 cultivate our af-
lection for Him that We shall be able
to love Him suPIsmsly with n full.
steadfast. ardent love. Will it suffice
when we shall pusillanimously continue
TO offer Him = sordid, tickle and weak
love. saying 1t Is our best" Jesus
said TO a church that had had time to
develop q warm love for him. Il will
spew you out OF ny mouth. for ye are
neither hot nor cold" God has the
right to demand n love which is lin
tied only by our capacity. when His
grace is all-sufTicisnt 10 that end.
Our common humanity has claims
upon Us. We should love our neighbOr
as we love ourselves. Our lives should
be helpful. inspiring and encouraging
to others. Every man is under obli-
CATION TO present himself in the high
est development possible. in the inter-
est OF society, the state and the race.
The honorable man will see that he
has no right 10 dafraud those ,s.bo