Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-06-19

Noyot WIZ Iou AOSAilAsS DuI SllCuG ply
from the passersby and kicks and
cuffs from those who should have car
ed for him. now owns that fine man.
sion on the avenue and is leader in
business and society circles. Oppor-
tunities, friends, influence, all that the
world can give is not sufficient to
bring success to some; while adverse
circumstances, wretchedness, flood,
flame and all combined cannot keep
some men down. Explain it satisfac-
torily If you can without agreeing with
him who penned the text.
All Powerful Ruler.
"These things are not true because
Gods word says SO, but Gods word
says so because they are true. We as
Christians believe we have a revela-
ton of God and his government in the
world Mt because it processes to be
one, but because it demands holy liv-
ing, patriotism and love to one anoth-
err. Because it frowns on selfishness,
pronounces doom on the evil and bless
ings upon the righteous. To live in
this world without the belief in divine
government is intolerable. To trust in
an over-ruling God, one who cares for
the life of his creatures, one who plans
for the highest and best that is in
every life. and lifts soul into wor-
shipful attitude. The very highest oc-
cupation of humanity should be that
which brings the greatest revelation
of him. We cannot know him in his
perfection, but we can know more of
his perfection. OF all men in the
world would trust least the one to
whom the name of God is meaningless.
Mans Highest Attainment.
ITO know God is mans highest at
tainment. l want now to call your at
tention to two great dangers of mod
ern life. There is wide spread of
practical atheism, forgetting of God,
living without God in the thought.
care not what you think of this or
that question, but there is God.
There is God as much as there is
law OF gravitation. What is he to
you? Men do not own that there is a
force drawing with irresistible force
to the earth and then throw them
selves from lofty tower and expect
to escape unframed, but many de-
clare their belief in Gods mighty prov
idence and grace and then live on de-
spising that power and fail to see the
spiritual suicide, the death of the soul
life. / plead for God in your life and
for him in your plans, For the sake
of your own happiness, for the sake
of those you can benefit and for the
sake of God himself, take him into CO.
partnership. He has the whole dis
posing of the lot. We may be a small
power in the inner circle, but he has
the power in the whole circle of exist
ence. You may think that you have
a plan for life, but it is his plan. 1t is
the best his wisdom and love can
choose for you. Do not thwart it by
petty plans of your own.
Materialism.
"The second great danger is mater
ialism Living for the almighty dollar
for what it can bring to our physical
being. In current issue of the Sat
urday Evening Post, a writer says,
Money Mad,' drama, has the
boards in the metropolis these days,
in the luxurious hotels and office
buildings, in the theatre, in the tene-
ment of the laborer, the play is going
on morning, noon and night. Men,
women, aye, even children, talk mon
ey, eat money and live money. You
cannot go anywhere without hearing
discussion as to how to make more
This Is the deplorable fact. What
place have such people for God? The
benighted heather bowling down to
gods grotesque and awful, is not so
culpable an offender of God as one in
this Christian land bowling so unre-
cnpun1lu 70 Golf cn1fch int cfc
Who would jeopardize eternal des-
who count God out. The choosing is
ours, the destinies are his.
The mighty men of the ages
modern as well as ancient
testify to the providential leadings of
God, to the sovereignty of his sway, to
the wisdom of his plans, and shall we
despise them?
What Is the Present?
Mature in her varied and shifting
scenes ascribes to God all goodness,
all might and power She ceases not
to sing his praises in storm and sun
shine, in day and night, in heat and
cold. Only man seemeth to forget
God. Seeing God is over all, let him
have his rightful place. enthrone him
in your heart. Young man, young wo-
man, what are you going to do with
your life? Do you feel capable of solv,
ing its mysteries, since all things go to
prove failure on the part of humanity
Will you not give up to God? Give
him full sway in your life and be as
sured If lands and chattles are for
your good you shall have them. Re-
member that while God is able to dc
his will in all things concerning you
that he is too good to do you an in,
jury and metes out only that which
shall work together for your good
The present is simply the space be
tween two heart beats and only Goo
knows when the heart shall cease tt
| throb. The future; what does it hold
| for you? The veil cannot be drawn
The mystery of it all is with him
Surely then, seeing all is uncertainty
with man and none is great but God
with dependence on him and sub
mission to his will we join that much
perplexed and great souled man, Johr
Newman, as he sings these well
known lines:
go ead. kindly light. amid the encirc