The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-12-03

Right Rev. Bishop Ethelbert Talbot,
of the Protestant Episcopal diocese of
Central Pennsylvania, visited this
city yesterday and conducted services
at three of the city churches.
In the morning he was at st. Luke $
church. where he administered the rite
Of confirmation to special class of
seven members, afterwards preaching
an eloquent sermon, basing his re-
marks upon the text found in Romans
xiv, 12: 80 that every one of us shalt
give account of himself to God"
In the afternoon he visitel st. Da-
vid's church. in West Scranton, where
q special service was conducted. lie
delivered brief sermon upon the par.
able of the wise and foolish virgins,
afterwards holding an informal recep
tion to the members of the congresa-
tion.
The bishop was in Green Ridge in the
evening as the guest of the congrega-
tion of the Church of the Good Shcp-
herd. He delivered one Of his char
acteristically vigorous and thoughtful,
sermons, taking as his text II Peter.
!ii:4: And saying, where Is the pro-
mise Of his coming? For since the
fathers fell asleep all things continue
as they were from the beginning of the
creation"
BISHOPS SERMON.
The bishop in his opening remarks
stated that the words of the text were
of the unbelievers and the wicked,
Ix,1, <1&o of -.
ing back again to judge the quick ami
the dead, and who demanded that the
apostle give them proof of the promtse
of His coming.
I'm this season Of advent which be-
gins today" said he, 1--WE look forward
rather than backward. During the
rest of the year we look back at the
various phases of Christ's life. We
think of His birth in the lowlv stable
at Bethlehem; we think of His young
boyhood spent in Nazareth; we think
of His glorious manhood when He
astonished men with His wonderful
powers; we think of Him as He hung
upon the cross of shame at Ca,va ~,
and we think of His triumphant. rising
from the grave.
But in advent we look forward to
another day; we are hidden to antici-
pate the great day of judgment: the
day on which the majesty and un-
spcakable power of the Lord of Hosts:
will be visible to all men and when
God will be in the thought and mind
of the whole creation"
The bishop at this point explained
how impatient the early Christians
We're to see Christ again and how
many of them believed when they wen,
to bed at night that before the dawn
of day Gabriels horn might DE heard
calling the wicked to judgment and thu
good to their reward.
WE'RE INPATIENT.
They were impatient to see the
Son of God again." he said.
This is characteristic of Christians in
our own day and generation, who Of
ten became impatient with God be-
cause they found it hard to reconcile
many things with the divine law.
How does Peter answer those scof-
fers who taunted the early Christians
by asking them why Christ did not
come again? He tells them to wait
ard states that the element of human
time does not enter into the Divine
consciousness. He tells them th4. the
uniformity of nature has gone on since
the creation of the world and ast.s
them if they do not ren. .embe" wIHn
God suspended the laws of nature a!
the time of the delugc.
"He tells them that the earth will
not be finally destroyed by water, but
by fire, and who shall say he was NOT
right? Science tells us that the inter-
ior of the earth is a mass Of fire en1
tuat we are but living on II crust
formed on the outside. What is there
incredible in the thought that some
day in the fullness of time Coz shall
let this fire penetrate the crus- and
consume the inhabited part of the
globe?
"He tells them that they make
mistake in measuring Gods intelli-
gence by their own and points out that
one thousand years may oe as one
to him. God lives not in the past or
in the future. He lives in the eternal
present. Another argument which Pc
ter uses Is that God has another mo-
ti,e and that that motive Is love. He
says that God wishes none to perish,
but desires all to be saved and that
He may not come till all the world has
learned to love Him.
God is coming all the time. The
days and hours are Fastening and Pc
ter bids us to be prepared. He says
all must be patient, good and full of
abiding faith. He tells us to beware;
to keep awake: to keep our vision
clear, and to keep our lamps burning.
These arguments which Peter uses
We're inspired by the Holy Spirit
They are grand, unansWerable and
practical.
HE WILL COME AGAIN.
"The absorbing fact that the Son of
God will come again to judge the
world should fill every human heart.
Wherever we shall be laid to sleep,