The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-04-29
A SERMON FOB SUNDAY
AN ELOQUENT DISCOURSE ENTITLED
!:DoINc THE WILL OF COD"

spe ~ 'SSSs
The Rev. John Erskioe Adams Explains
the Profound Purpose Which Animal.
ed the Life and Labor Of Our Lord
Dsugers Of the Spirit OF Nsterialisun.
NEW YORK CITY.-"Doing the Will OF
God" was the subject of the sermon
preached Sunday morning by the Rev.
John Erskine Adams, pastor OF the Ross
Street Presbyterian Church. He took as
the will Of Him that sent Ne, and to finish
His work." Mr.. Adams said:
There words express the profound pur.
pose which animated the life and labors oi
our Lord. He has been engaged in that
wonderful conversation with the sinful
woman Of Samaria, and to her He has un-
folded truths which have in part at least,
been kept mp to this hour even from His
faithful followers. Things which had been
hidden from the wise and prudent are re-
vealed unto babes. Some OF the most won.
derful truths that Jesus uttered were to
,inners; some of the most gracious prom
ises to those who, like Himself, were de.
spised and rejected Of men. To this out
cast woman whose life was branded with
shame, He not only reveals His willingness
to impart the gift Of God, the living water,
springing up into everlasting life" but He
sianic character. ~ that speak unto thee
an He."
The woman has gone from His presence
with o new hope in her heart and q new
light upon her face, and the disciples ap.
proach their Master. He must be hungry,
for the fast. like the way, has been long,
and they offer Him meat. He replies: II
have meat to ca: that ye know not Of; Ny
meat is to do the will of Him that sent Ne
and to finish His work." Again does our
Lord declare that man shall not live by
bread alone. There is q deeper satisfae.
ti0n than that which comes from grati6.
cation of the carnal nature; the satisfac-
tion of outreach toward lost souls; men
and women in famine, wayward children
of the Father, and in that outreach; doing
the Fathers will, who desires that not
ono of these little ones shall perish. That
philosophy, which proved too profound for
those disciples 10. we fear, just as incom.
prehensible to the commercial and mater
ialistic spirit Of this latter age. The ques-
ton: What shall we eat and what shall we
drink? is more imperious to-day than ever.
Epicurus has his disciples still, and Mann
mon its shrine before which countless mul.
titudes bow. To eat, drink and be merry,
that is the worlds definition of life.
] have said that the words of the text
express the purpose Of Christ's life. They
are the motive Of oil His deeds; the norm
by which His every action is judged. In
the volume Of the book it il written of Me:
Lo! ! come to do Thy will, o, My God"
The win Of the Father was the actuating
power of His incarnation. He knew no
other impclling force. 1t was this. which
k,,,- al H.. e.. k.S,.-l Y~....~1.-- f. liz.
final trial and triumph; it was this which
Gethsemane. and enabled Him to put the
cup 70 His lips and drain it to the drcgs
In its glow all lesser lights paled; to its au.
thority all His powers were brought sub.
ject, and through its power all temptations
were beaten down, all personal ambitions
were destroyed, earthly distinctions and
emoluments rejected. His responsibility
to the Father pressed upon Him when only
. boy of twelve years. and deepened in His
Consciousness till It became the overmas.
ter:ng impulse of His life. Responsibility
to Almighty God was Webster's definition
OF .the profoundest thought that could
come to a man; the Fathers business"
was the supreme business Of Jesus life:
He knew no other mission or message.
And we are speaking truly waen we say
that it was this supreme purpose which
gave power and dignity 70 our sayiosE's
however beautiful. would have been at best
an aimless one. Without that purpose Of
doing the Fathers will and manifesting
His glory there would have been no coher.
cnce to Christ deeds or teachings, but in
the will of God we find all that He was
and did brought to the focus; to do that
will was His meat and His drink.
Now what was true of Christ is in like
measure true OF every one OF US. What
purpose was and gave to the life of our
Lord, il must be and give to US. We can
no more live lives OF strength without the
deep impulses of noble purpose stirring
within them, than can the vessel reach
her destined haven without the compass
or the pole star. Behind all things are the
infinite purposes, Tennyson gives US the
thought:
"Yet ! doubt not thro' the ages one in.
creasing purpose runs,
And the thoughts Of men are widened
with the process OF the suns."
God takes no delight in chaos or confu-
sion. His works are ordered according to
Q divine purpose. Not only His works Of
creation, which move in the harmony Of q
perfect plan, but those of redemption and
grace. st. Paul asserts that His manifold
wisdom is declared according to the ter
nal purpose which He purposed in Christ
Jesus our Lord" And II God manifests
His glory in the accomplishment OF His
purpose in nature and in grace, and II
bic purpose, how essential is It for US to
move onward in accordance with well de-
fined plans, under the inspiration, aye,
compuls;on of some aim in life, that shall
give to life definiteness and conference.
Saint Bernard had over his study table
in illuminated letters these words: "Ber.
aade, ad auid venisti" Bernard, why are
you here!" The reference was not to the
routine tasks of his life. These were de.
termined for hin. But it was: What is
the animating purpose of your life? What
Is the meaning Of yonr existence? !s
every pleasure and every task made sub
Eervient to the one purpose; the one su.
preme motive of your being! Amiel in his
ninss and endings" We have all expo
rienced his meaning. We have begun to
build, but did not finish. We have laid our
plans and found them broken in upon and
destroyed; we have skinned over the sur
face OF things, but not gotten at thci: hid.
den meaning. And If we ask the reason it
is evident. We have failed because no
presiding purpose has woven the tangled
skein into harmony and beauty. We have
been dallying with purpose, VIC have been
half willing, we have been hanging forever
in the balance, and so We have been losing
our grip on life.
As a man purposeth in his heart so is
he. Tie difference between aimlessness
and decision 10 the difference between the
stagnant pool, lying motion!ess, thick and
Shiny, breathing malaria and breeding
venom, and the cataract, which rushes on
ward, living, moving, piunging thing.
tr"s.s IN its tbnss sbnsrsy; of put it,
BETTER an ignob.c purpose even" says DR..
Pierson, than none at ALL" Better to be
a Saul of Tarsus, breathing out threaten
ings and slaughter, but breathing, than
such mar as Robert Dale Owen, who con-
f..... UT co,n,,;ttcd ope fatal error in my