The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-28

farewell sermon yesterday morning to the
congregation CT st. Paul's English Luth-
eran Church. ending passionate of twenty
five years. Or. Domer has been in falling
health for more than year past and the
severance of the pastoral relation has been
brought about from that cause. His sue
cessor has not yet been chosen.
A significant feature of the services was
the reception of Miss Ebers to member
ship in the church, causing DR.. Domer to
recall the fact that twenty-five years ago
the first accession to the church was
lady coming in a similar manner. DR..
Domer said that he was winding up his
labors as they begun a quarter of cen
fury ago. DR.. Domer chose his text from
l Corinthians, xlv:50:
I'VE all come into the world for some
thing" he said, land we shall go out oil
il for something far better than We
achieve here. We are in the world to be
and to become something. and when the
heavenly life shall have removed present
limitations the being and becoming will be
made clear to our discernment. When we
have passed the ascension day and shall
have taken on the heavenly image we
shall see more clearly than We now do the
significance and the hope of human nature.
Paul says that as we live the earthly life
so we shall live that which is heavenly.
Both are ours. and the physical as well as
the spiritual life are included in the plan
of redemption.
I'VE now bear the earthly image. Does
it mean anything to our limited under
standing? We are in an environment
which holds us to the things of this pres
mt 70 Va do AL rlx ha,-n nd
There is need OF spiritual vision to dis
Germ the heavenly things. The earthly
form and habitation is sometimes de-
spised, and men have thought It valueless
as compared with the spiritual being. but
this onesided view leads Us to wrong con-
illusions. If the one is valuable SO is the
other. Life and its significance take in
both realms of being. and Gods plan
of making something out of man takes in
the whole range of human experience and
human possibilities. The life that now is
bears the promise of that which is to
come. and the earthly and the heavenly
are very much like each other. Redemp-
ton shows that both are divine and that
both are the work of God. We bear the
image of the earthly. but the heavenly is
like it, teaching the sacredness of the
earthly. The one is involved in the other.
What is the significance of our birth into
this world but the royalty of being? When
angels touch the mystery of life they
sing and while one star stands over Beth
lehem in testimony of the transcendent
fact of the unfolding of the thought of
God, all the stars sing together of Christ
and his redemption.
What shall We think CT this earthly
life? Heaven is holy, Garth Is vile. and
some have said that the latter was not
worthy of a serious thought. Not 3d.
This world is Gods world. and not that Of
the devil. 1t is wrong to despise i; and
wrong to place poor value upon the
physical life. True, Jesus said My king
dom is not of this world but he did not
teach us TO despise or ignore this world.
The true philosophy of life is to SO live
here and now as that we shall necessarily
live on happily and contented in the
heavenly life. This world is full of terri
Bile sorrow, deceit. and wretchedness; but
II is also full of beauty. brightness and
happiness. and, after all. life is pretty
much what We make il. Religion should
not be SO ethereal as to neglect busin ess
and the laws of health. nor should it soar
always in spiritual realms. There is some
thing OF heaven. goodness. ard glory right
here, and they can only be intensified and
made universal in the heavenly life. We
are to make this world as good as we can.
Spiritual theory says go away: God says
stay here and make the most of present
surroundings. Educational theory nav
prompt us to look after the great things.
but Christ teaches US to enjoy and use
properly the little things. The truly re-
ligious soul enjoys both earth and heaven.
No sphere can be more sanctified than that
in which Jesus suffered, lived. toiled, and
died.
"Yonder is the world of bliss called
heaven. We find its type in the natural
world. The river of life runs here as Il
runs there. 1t may be broader and
grander Fear its mouth but its waters
are cooling and refreshing even here.
The heavenly life starts here, ex-
lists here, and is embodied In the lfe
which now is The two worlds are one,
and death, resurrection, and ascension
so many steps through the thin curtain OF
physical limitation which divides them.
God is with US in Christ. The heavenly
realities and eternal JOY may find resi-
dence in tenement of clay. Heaven iteelf
may come into the human heart Our
progress to the heavenly life will be in
harmony with what Gcd has given and
what he wants us to be.
What is the significance of this past
quarter OF a century or of the century
period unless read in the light of the
heavenly life. From mortal man to the
immortal God We are fastening These
associations OF life are a testimony in
themselves that they shall be supple
mented somewhere and at some time. This
cannot be the end of this long fellowship
of pastor and of people. 1t will find its
full completeness and fruition hereafter"
After his sermon Dr. Domer said he
could not trust himself to make any formal
leavetaking of his flock. He said he
wanted TO thank the church for its pa
thence. its sympathy. and cooperation
extending over period Of twenty-five |
years, and especially he wanted TO thank |
them for their kind words and fidelity to
him during the past trying months As
a final message DR.. Domer thought moth |
ing more appropriate than the words:
And now, brethren, i commend you to |
God and to the word OF his grace, which |
is able to build you up and to give you an |