The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-11-24

Said.
Rev. Joseph II. Odell. pastor of the
Iecond Presbyterian church, delivered
. sermon last night before a particu-
,arly large congregation on "The Trag-
edy of Success" basing his remarks on
a text taken from the psalm, He gave
them their own desires" He spoke, in
part, as follows:
| am afraid of the generosity OF God.
our fathers We're afraid OF the narrownesS
OF God but 1 am afraid of the broadness
of God because lie is so lavish, SO ll-
most recklessly lavish. 1t seems as If 1t
would be better If God were not so sener-
Nus and IL He would not fuliili our de-
sires. 1t seems to me sometimes as IL IL
would be better if God would take away
our desires entirely. Life would then be
SO much simpler.
How much better 1t would be If lie
would treat us as the mother treats the
child and not place everything within
our reach. How much better if lie treat
ed us as the doctor treats his patients
telling them what things are bad and
harmful. God is too generous for our
good. ss If lie were only less kind;
if He restricted His gifts and narrowed
the opportunities for evil life would be
much simpler but that is not Gods way.
Gave Us a Mind.
God has given us q mind and placed
within it every power for good, but we
may line the chambers of its imagery
with pictures of lust and corruption and
we may use 1t to plan to rob the help
less and to crush the weak. Why has
lie been SO lavish? Why has lie not
given us mind capable of thinking only
good thoughts and of planning only acts
of henevolence anl love?
God has given us bodies which are per-
feet organisms. sensitive to the weakest
touch and vet strong enough to bear the
burden of years. These bodies are capable
of prodiges of vrtuous labor and yet
they can be perverted into arenas of SEN
suous sensation and of satisfaction of tho
most evil desires
God has given us souls that can hold
,ip to us visions of the Almighty; souls
that may become the homes of visiting
angels; souls that may be the cradles of
immortal glory or morgles in which dead
virtues lie almost past Identification,
Yea veritable prisons in which noble pow
ers have settled into ruin and decay:
souls like sacked cities in which gems and
art treasures arc trampled in the mud.
why has not God given us a door to our
souls TO keep out all evil?
God will fulfill my desire. My widest
dream may come true. All the roads in
this vast universe are open to me to
walk upon. I may pluck any flower or
any fruit that grows along the waysido
hut some are poisonous and killing. I
may live in any place in any home l
wish but some are haunted and when once
in there is no way out
We May Reach Our Ideal.
DO YOU not fear, then. Gods generosity:
Tie gives us all our desires. 1t is true
IS a general proposition that everything
within the limit of possibility which we
may strive for is attainabe and that we
nay. if We will reach our ideal. There
are few things that mon have sought
for and not found because they do not
exist. Men have sought the philosophers
stone and the elixir of life and the land
,f Utopia and have not found them be-
.ause these things are not, but as a gem
aral rule men may find what they seek
and may satisfy their desires. Where
they do not it is either because they do
rot strive or because they do not use
properly the means at their disposal.
Rev. Mr.. Odell at this point cited at
length examples from history to prove
this general rule showing how penni-
less waits have risen to be men of
wealth and power and how peasants
have become emperors and laborers
popes. Continuing he said:
mere fact that men may attain their de-
sires has nothing TO do with the value of
the things attained. 1t is as easy to at
tain the success which is valueless as TO
attain the success which is valuable.
We may succeed but our success
may be the most pitiful failure we coulu
ever possibly realize
Judas succeeded He wanted his thirty
pieces of silver and he obtained them
but he counted not the consequences of
his act He obtained his thirty pieces of
silver but he betrayed Christ and turned
his conscience into a hell He won sue
cess but men hate and scorn and revile
him.
Are Our Desires Right.
We may realize our ideals but are our
desires right. VIII their attainment pay?
God is terribly generous in giving us the
lower to attain our every desire that We
should examine ourselves and purge from
our minds all unholy desires. Success is
easy ii we bend all our energies towards
it's attainment but is it worth while 10
gain success without love and it's trans
mutinG power?
We can get wealth if we pay the price.
] feel confident that 1 could go out into
the world tomorrow and obtain riches hut
what would they be worth If in getting
them paid no attention to character II
! sought not to obtain that character
against which the tides of public opinion
might beat and leave unharmed: that
character which the fortunes of war can
not depreciate and which even the sable
wing of death cannot shadow
1t behooves us, then, TO scrutnize care
fully with view TO our best interests
everything that bids for our attention as
desire to be attained if we would win
success and to test and measure it for
It may contain the germ of the very deep
est and darkest failure.
When we have made this examination
I Is for us to make up our minds as to
What ideals are worth following and what
goals are worth striving for and when we
have found the desires which will be
crowns of glory for us we should work
body and soul to attain them and thus
realize the best, highest and trlest sue
cess
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