The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-09-03
SUMNER s. N \ | Err. SERMON:
Preached Sunday Morning BY Rsv:.
David A. Cunningham, D. D.
LESSONS TAUGHT 81. NATURE
Elaborated by the spesker--1astruc-
ton and Pleasure Derived From the
Sights and Sounds Of ,Nature-we
DO Not go to Nature M c Constantly.
as Earnestly and as Intelligently as
We Should. = Z, ~

Yesterday morning. ut the First Pres
# byter!an church, a large congregation
assembled for the first service since the
return of the pastor, the Rev. D. 4 A.
4 Cunningham. D. D., from his summer
vacation. Very appropriately. DR.. Gun.
bingham preached "a Summer Ser
}fmon,s' which was listened to- With
n great interest. Said Dr. Cunningham:
Veal have the opportunity for OBJ.
K tain!rg instruction and pleasure from
i the sights and sounds of nature, II we
only keep an open eye and car. and
heart! 1t is written, "All Thy works
shall praise Thee. o Lord" Recently
z / heard lecture with stereopticon
views OF the Canyons OF Colorado. 1t
I gave u magnificent display of the
\ works OF God in creation, and suggest
4 ed to my mind the text we are now to
consider. The grandest things in all
the world are at the door of those who
Z will admit them. II we can steal
Z gllmpses for few hours. or days. or
Z weeks, OF green fields and mountain
peaks and clear waters, and ocean ex-
panses. they can be our own forever in
& memory. for
ga thing OF beauty Is Joy forever; s
Its loveliness increases; 1t will never Il
Pass Into nothinsness: but still will keep
"a bower. quiet for US. " 8t
I've are never excluded from the
wide expanse OF sky, from sunsets that
4 stream momentary glory even over
.sdusky cities, from calm moons that
& look so compassionately through the
clouds upon mans vain turmoil: and
; II q; man! be so minded, he can he
more Quieted and @comforted 81 by the
sight OF q little flower In his window, or
4 of q star shining down through Piled
UP roofs. than another may be who
Y has the leisure Of all his days, and the
breadth OF continents to spend them
Z in. The world of nature is like its
God. entire wherever we see touch Of
Els finger, whole In every one Of its
/; parts. .All Thy works shall praise
Thee, o Lord
The microscope cannot find the ami
( malcule which Is less perfect for being
) little. The value Of the universe some
V how contrives to throw itsclf-into ev-
cry point, and II we surrender our
/ selves to this teacher OF God, We shall
often hear lessons OF deep calm In brief
moment, and see wide Views, through
& narrow windows. I'D:
For example, the summer is sent to
minister to u.s. to contribute in some
way or other to our inward help and
! healing. There Is as much n divine
purpose in the recurrence OF summer as
!, in the recurrence OF our daily duties.
burdens, and temptations. God made
the earth for the nurture Z Of mans
IL fn- tkah nrt nj IB
! body The world has not been framed
by mere ut!iItarIan.e on the principle
!, Of feeding and clothing so many mill
Tor consumers, but with regard also to
! soul. to provide for the inner eye scenes
Z OF beauty and sublimity, to train our
Z spirits to thought above dead matter
by the spiritual forms with which mat
Ter Is clothed. to lift US up from the dull
Z content OF animal existence to thoughts
of 5illimitable freedom and range.
We do not go to nature as constantly.
s intelligently, earnestly, rs we should
& do. The poetic and artistic imagina-
tons discern more In her, and appro-
pirate more from her, than does the
unframed Imagination. and for no rea-
z son whntever but want Of culture. We
do not habttually resort to nature as a
/ teacher sent from God, as a great re-
syealer. OF divine truths We need to
open wide our minds and hearts, espe-
I cially to the summer and autumn. when
nature clothes herself In such beauty
and tenderness. and we need to look
swIstfully Into her face, and listen err
nestly for what she has to say. 1t Is n
time to withdraw ourselves from social
MISUNDERSTANDING from that kind OF
Z intercourse called $50
ciety'--even from books, and to submit
ourselves wholly to the power Of ma
ture. Not that we are{Sto turn our
backs on our fellows. in any nissan
throplc fashion. It is but limited
sense in which the poets oft-quoted line
Is true: -.
God made the country. man the town"
God made both. and the latter is az
needful for the souls education as the
former.
The town has It's own uses. its own
sanctities, It's own mighty influences
for good. Among the multitude VIC
are, most of US, called to live, and work,
z to believe and love, TO be exercised with
s conflict and endurance. and,to go out
4 OF ourselves in kindly ministries. But.
us Wordsworth says:
...Thc world Is too much with US: late and
soon, nv eh
Getting and spending. we lay waste our
powers" ~ 81
g5Yet we have come to regard mere
bustln. as go integral an element OF hu-
man life that love OF solitude Is ta-
&