The evening Republican., 1902-09-18
HID TREASURES.
A Sermon Preached By
the Rev. John Shape,
Sept. IA, 1902.

Text: "ln whom all TIE treasures
OF wisdom and knowledge are hid"
Colossians. 2:3 III we work upon
marble 1t will perish; if on brass
time will efface it; If we rear temples
they will crumble into dust; but II
we work upon immortal minds, and
Undue them with principles, with the
Just fear Of God. and love our fell
low.men we will cngrave on those
tablets something that will brighten
to all eternity" Thus once spoke
Daniel Webster, and his words are
US wise aud weighty as they are true
and beautiful.
This age is the age of the trained
man. 1t Is seen now as never be fore
that it is the man with Ideas who
exce:s. "The man with the hoe
Is Of vital value to the community,
and to the world, but II that same
man were able to make hoe, his
value to the community and to the
world would lmmeas urably incr ease.
The truth the old artist taught Ia
answer to the youths question.
"With what do you mix your paints
sir?' was both picturesque aud pow
erful when he said "With Brains
Sir"
Men everywhere are clam oring
for trained men. Volunteers may
have the dash and spasm of untried
bravery, acc omplish impossible
tasks, and be widely and highly
lauded for their achievements, but
the Regulars can usually be best de-
pended on to win the day. Larger
salaries are paid today than ever
before in the worlds historyin all
vocations Of course, except tho min
istrv)to men who command the po-
sitions they occupy, because they
are qualified by training to hold
them. There are more clerks with
a college course to their credit than
ever before, because business men
are demanding men of that calibre.
Bare ball players Of Philadelphia,
have already been signed fol next
season at salaries exceeding the sal
ary of any minister of any denolni-
nation in Wilmington, not thereby
rellecting on the ministry, but as
an illustration of the fact that even
base ball managers want trained
men. And even this season there
has played on our local grounds in
Wilmington a team called the "All
CollpgiAtes." And this but gives
double force to the remark that the
world is demanding tra!nel men i'll
every vocation.
Lest | should forget to say it
while the morning wears away, let
me say it now: The college course
never makes the man only God
can do that, but it sharpens and
polishes the man already made.
And other things b:ing equal, the
trained man will be more successful
in the world Of art, OF mechanics, Of
literature. OF politics, OF poetry and
even OF religion than the man who
depends entirely on his natura! abl!.
ity.
Jesus Christ was trained man
trained to study the truths OF the
Old Testament, which he was aftor.
ward toapply and teach to the men
Of his day. and the disciples were
trained men. trained under the best
or Teacht.s S and for a period Of full
three years. No one can read the
sermon of Peter at Pentecost with
out wondering at the change wrought
in the man. The Galilean fisherman
has become masterful dialectician
Paul waSa trained man, and this
IN great measure IS the Sc cret OF his
colossal greatness. out.tOwerlng all
others OF the Apostolic age and
since. as Mont Blanc out-Jowers a
nesting crag by its side. Next in
might to his Lord and more i'm.
mediatcly successful. lie cCnld en-.
gage the attention Of the ph'loSo.
piers Of Athens and the wOrd!y-wls c
Of Corinth, aud the powerIoving me n
ui Rene. Nowhere does Paul S ability
shine more clearly than in his eplstle
to The Corinthians. The people of
Corn,h prided themselves on their
knowledge Of hiGdeu things.
They were known and noted for
their philosophic pretensions, and lie
knows them 50 well that he dares to
write that "when the world by wis.
dom knew not God it pleased God by
the foolshness Of preaching to save
them that believe.
In writing to the Ephesans (Eph.
l: lS), to the Romans Q5: l4), to the
Philippians G:y, and to the Coos-
slams (2:D Paul ins lists again and
again on the necessity of knowledge
and understanding aud wisdom in the
things Of God. lie does so with grea
emphasis in the text when he writes
"In whom all the treasures of wis
dom and knowledge are hid"
With all the search for the wisdom
OF this age, and the reach after train.
ed men to day, it must never be for
gotten that Jesus Christ the source
Of truth, Is the fountain head Of wis
dom. and that with all the apDrehen-
ded uEde rstanding OF the world E,id
as tribute at our feet we are yet but
babes in knowledge until wegivc our
selves, our talents. our wills our wis
dom in honest and intelligent sur
render to Christ.