Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-07-09
NEW PASTOR SPEAKS
Rev. F. F. stoltz Takes Charge of
the First Presley terian Church.
TEXT: "THE CANDLE OF THE LORD
His Discourse is Full of Advice to
Christian Believers and Encourage.
ment to Weaker christians-Sermon
Gives Satisfaction to Hearers.

ment to Weaker Christians-Sermon
Gives Satisfaction to Hearers.
From Mondays Daily.
A large congregation was present at
the First Presbyterian church yester-
day morning to hear Rev. F. F. Stoltz,
the new pastor, formerly of Streator,
Ill, deliver his first sermon since being
called to the charge in this city. He
had spoken in Ottumwa once before,
and had given satisfaction to those
who heard him, and much interest was
taken yesterday in his sermon.
He spoke from the text found in the
twenty-seventh verse of twentieth
Proverbs: "The spirit of man is the
candle Tor the lamp) of the Lord" He
spoke on the different uses to which
the Lord puts the Christian believer,
and the works Christians can do in the
cause if they let their lights shine in
stead of<hiding them. His sermon was
full of useful and helpful advice and
the principles of Christianity, and was
listened to with much interest by his
hearers. He spoke as follows:
Rev. StoItz' Sermon.
What wonderful, mysterious thing
is this human life of ours! 1t does not
lie open or upon the surface. 1t is the
great unfathomable deep which no man
can explore. | think Emerson is the
author OF the saying that man never
opens his mouth without making him
self known. Another has commented
upon this as follows "A man never
opens his mouth without making all of
himself known"
An Inner Life.
In whatever sense this may be true,
it cannot be true in all senses. For
there is an inner, unapproachable life
which another can never know which
the observer cannot see and which the
observed cannot reveal A writer has
well said: I'VE know each others ap-
pearance, it is true, but there, for the
most, our mutual knowledge ceases.
Some of us unveil nothing of ourselves
to anyone; some of us unveil little
to all, some good deal to few, but
none of us can unveil all, even to the
most intimate friend"
Mathew Arnold wrote:
Eyes, in the sea of life enisled,
With echoing straits between us
thrown,
Dotting the shoreless, watery wild,
We mortal millions dwell alone.
The islands feel the unclasping flow,
And then their endless bounds they
know"
Each Life is Alone.
Each human life may be represented
by an island In the deepest sense it
dwells apart from the rest = dwells
alone Each life is essentially alone.
We can readily see how this is true.
Who tells all the experiences of any
one day to those about him-even to
the dearest ones? Who can do it? We
are conscious that most of our
thoughts and emotions are never ex-
pressed or manifested to others. Just
think of any one day of your life-set
it apart from all the rest and question
it, and how little of it any one else
knows. And this is true, notwithstand-
ing there are those who know our hab-
it's of thought and action, and who on
that account are able to tell what we
will do under the circumstances.
Two Proverbs.
Let us, for illustration, narrow our
view to the joys and sorrows of life.
Here are couple of proverbs: "The
desire accomplished is sweet to the
SOUL "The heart knoweth it's own
bitterness"
'The desire accomplished is sweet
to the SOUL" That is true, but it can,
not be sweet to another soul. A faith.
err, the head of a family, has toiled long
years to obtain an abundant support
for his loved ones and he has succeed.
ed. He sees the members of his fam
lily about him, well and having the
means of comfort and usefulness. Can
any other enter into the fullness of his
joy? No one can so fully, because nc
one but himself knows the trying diff.
cult way over which he has passed to
his present experience.
Desire Accomplished.
heard a teacher tell of the joy of a
student who had found out how to
study. He said the student came to
him and said Professor, have just
found out how to study. never knew
before" The face of the student was
beaming with joy. The teacher knew
something of what it meant to the
young man, and his words were ear
nest IN praise OF him, but he no more
saw all of what the young man felt
than one outside can enter into the
great joy of the artist, who, after long
waiting and patient effort, is given tc
see hand and brush execute the
thoughts of his mind.
The Hearts Bitterness.
Take the second proverb: 1.-THE
heart knoweth its own bitterness" Il
must be so. How well we know this
when we would speak words of conso
.lation. We are told to rejoice with
them that do rejoice, and weep will
them that weep. Human sympathy is
indeed helpful thing. 1t is helpful tc
extend loving handgrasp, and to say
the kind word. And yet, have you no.
felt as you stood in the presence o.
those experiencing great sorrows, that
your words seem empty, almost cold
and that all you could do fell far shor
OF meeting the great deep of theil
need?
Comforting Advice.
AS a minister, called upon to stant