The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-07-30

Spirit and Shouts "Follow Me!
Fear Not!"-victory Is the Result
Of Gods Presence.
Rev. J. u. Sweet, pastor of the
Simpson Methodist Episcopal church.
preached a sermon yesterday morning
on THE Helpfulness of Gods Pres
ence." The discourse was listened to
with much interest by large congre-
cation and proved helpful to all those
who were privileged to hear It, The
text was taken from Lamentations
Iii: 81, Thou drewest near in the day
that 1 called upon thee: thou saidest
fear not" During the course of his
remarks, Mr.. Sweet said:
We speak OF this work as 1.-THE La
mentations of jeremiah" presuming
that it all has to do with his life and
that he is the author thereof, but tes-
timony appears to point in a differ
ent direction, so far as this third chap
ter is concerned; and yet in these epi-
grammatical statements we find truth
so pertinently asserted that the au-
thorship would be no discredit even to
jeremiah.
Here is the bewailing because of
calamities and the recognition that
they are of God. Here is the humble
confession of sins, said sins being the
cause of stated calamities. Here Is
the revelation of Gods kindness and
the inspiration OF his presence.
GODS JUDGMENT.
The inspired author recognizes the
judgements OF God belives in their
remedial possibilities, understands
them as a part OF the government of
the infinite. end then determines that
to this experience there can come to
every penitent, Individual or nation).
to every beholder of the Divine right
eousness and believer in the same, that
Divine presence which allays anxiety,
counts in helpfulness, inspires to cour-
age and conveys comfort.
These things open before us the
truth that Gods presence Is certain
in every time of true need. Make no
mistake, this is not ioubtfully stated,
or insincerely uttered. 1t has been
demonstrated in the past, the certain
ty of its demonstration in fthe pres
ent is your own experience.
Sojourner Truth cried interrogative-
ly, TO Wendell Phillips, us God dead?'
and Phillips soon discovered that God
had heard the cry of the slave and had
come down to help and was saying
unto the despised colored race, Fear
not" God has promised to be with
every applicant for his presence, and
his promise reveals, first, his anxiety
for his people. Are parents anxious
for the welfare of their children?
Why do they toll and sacrifice; why
early rise and late take rest, If in
these days there is not revealed an
intense desire for the constant good
of their children, absent or present,
environed with dangers or amidst
peaceful surroundings anxiety on the
part of parents Is in evidence.
TRUE CHASTISEMENT.
Chastisement, which to the child ap-
pears calamitous, must oftimes be Wis
tied upon the child for cause, but true
chastisement is always an expression
of anxiety for the present and future
good Of the one chaStised. BY all IL
Illustrative lines Of human parenthood
there are revealed the desires of God,
the anxiety of the Father for the ever
increasing benefits of His children.
The writer OF this epic chapter re-
cognizes the truth of the statement in
the utterance of the text, Thou draw
est near in the day that called upon
thee; thou saidest, Fear not"
Second-God's presence means help
| fulnss. Thou drewest near in the
day that 1 called upon thee. Gods
| L.
rant for helpfulness. What God had
| been and was to Israel was what God
| was ready to be to the individuals
| OF Israel. What God had done for Is
rael was what God had wrought for
the individuals of Israel. Not a pa
triarch of the past but demonstrated
| in his own experience The helpfulness
| of Gods presence.
Whether 1t be Abraham, crossing the
weary miles of the desert, seeking a
| promised land; an Isaac pastorally
pursuing his sheik life; a Jacob strate-
| gic wrestler and believer; a Joseph
the prosecuted dreamer the abused
| lad the honorable, the exalted these
all could say, 1.-THE Lord hath helped
U.S."
ROSTER OF THE PAST.
! Read the roster of the past and the
| helped of God pass In review: Moses,
Joshua, Samuel, David, Daniel the
Hebrew children, the line of prophets,
OF which the man of our text utters
| the assurance of presence and help
| fulness-legion Is the number-summon
them to testify of the truth of help
fulness and presence, and Moses
says: "He spoke to me face 20 face
saying, My presence shall go with
thee He helped me, for see-Israel
from the land of bondage are on the
border line OF their promised inherit
tance."
Joshua says: "He spoke to me and
said, Certainly I will be with thee.
He helped me, for see Israel possesses
| Canaan" Samuel says: "He spoke tC
me; in the darkness of the night IL
called to me, saying, L will be witr
thee in all thy ways He helped me
for see all Israel and their king Tecog.
nize me as the oracle OF God"
David, with poetic fervor, recites o.
His presence and helpfulness. DAME
says that wicked men and lions ar,
but couriers OF His presence. He see!
His servant in need, He draws near