The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-04-16
"DOING THE WILL OF GOD'
Sunday Sermon By tie Rev. Joiir
Erskne Adams.
Explains The Profound Purpose Whieh Ami
mated the Life and Labors OF our Lord
Dangers OF Spirit Of MaterlaIism

New YoRK CfTY.-"Doing the viii of
God" was the subject OF the sermon
preached Sunday morning by the Rev.
John Erskinc Adams, pastor OF the Ross
Street Presbyterian Church. He took as
his text John 4; 81 NV meat is to do
the will OF Him that sent Ne, and to finish
His work" Mr.. Adams said:
These words express the profound pur-
pose which animated the life and labors of
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 up 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
deriul truths that Jesus uttered were to
sinners; some OF the most gracious prom.
Iscs to those who, like Himself, were de-
spiscd and rejected OF men. TO this out
cast woman whose life was branded with
shame, lie not only reveals HIS willingness
to impart the giit OF God, the living water,
sprlng.ng up into everlasting life" but He
reveals so her His divine nature and Mes.
sianlc character. "'l that speak unto thee
am He
The woman has gone from Ills presence
win new hope IN her heart and n new
light upon her lace, aud the disciples an.
prolch their Master. lie must be hungry,
Tor the fast. like the way, has been long,
and they offer Him meat. He replies: II
nave meat to ca. that We know not of; Ny
meat IS TO do the will oi Him that sent Me
and to finish His work" Again does our
Lord declare that man shall not live By
bread alone. There is a deeper satisfac-
ton than tina. which comes from gratifi.
cation oi the carnal nature: the satisfac-
ton oi outreach toward lost souls; men
and women in famine. wayward children
ot the Father, and in that outreach: doiny
the Fathers will, who desires that not
one OF these little ones shall perish. That
phlosophy, which proved too profound for
those disciple Is, we fear, Just as incom.
prehcasibie to the commercial and mater.
iaIistiS spirit OF this hitter age. The ques.
ton: What shall we eat and what shall we
drink! Is more lmperious to-day than ever.
EpicurnS has his disciples still, and Nam.
mon Its shrine before which countless mul.
titudeS bow To cat, drink and be merry.
thnt Is the worlds definition Of life.
nave said that the words OF the text
express the purpose Of Christs life Thev
by which HIS every action is judged. In
thc volume OF the book il ia written az Ne.
10! | come to do Thy will, o, Nv God"
The VIII OF the Father was the actuating
power OF HIS incarnation. He knew no
other rmpelng force. 1t was this which
turned HIS face toward Jerusalem for His
hnal trial and triumph; it was this which
gave TO Him the victory in the garden OF
Gethsemane and enabled Him to NUT the
cup % His lips and drain it to the dregs
In its gov NJ lesser lights paled: to its an.
thorIty al His powers were brought sub.
lect' ana through its power all temptations
were beaten down, all personal ambitions
were destroyed, earthly distinctions and
emolcinents rejected His responsibility
to the Father pressed upon Him when onlv
Doy OF twelve years, and deeDened in His
consciousness I'LL i became the overmas.
fRrInU pf L,
to Almighty God was Webster's definition
OF the proioundcst thought that could
come TO man; the Fathers business1
was the supreme business of Jesus life:
he knew no other mission or message.
and we are speaking truly when we say
tHIt II was TINS supreme purpose which
gave power and dignity to our Saviour's
character and work. Without it, His life.
however beautiful, would have been at hest
an aimess one. Without that purpose of
DONG the Fathers will and manifestine
his glory there would have been no coher.
the viii OF God we find all that He was
and did brought to the focus; to do that
VIII was His meat and His drink.
wow what was true OF Christ is in like
Ineasare true OF every one of us. What
purpose was and gave to the life of our
Lord, 1t must be and give to us. We can
no more live lives of strength without the
ueep impulses OF noble purpose stirring
within them, than can the vessel reacb
her destined haven without the compass
or the pole star. Behind all things arc the
lnhnite purposes, Tennyson gives US the
thought:
Yet l doubt not thro' the ages one in.
creasng purpose runs,
And the thoughts of men are widened
with the process OF the suns"
God takes no delight in chaos or confu.
sion. Ills works are ordered according to
diyine purpose. Not only His works of
creation, which move in the harmony of a
pets perfect plan but those Of redemption and
wisdom is declared according to the ter.
nal purpose which He Durposed in Christ
Jesns our Lord And if God manifests
ms CORY IN the accomplishment of His
purpose IN nature and in grace, and If
Shrlsts lie was lived in the light of no.
Die purpose, how essential is il for us TO
move onward'i accordance with we'll de,
hnen plans, under the inspiration. aye,
cohpuIsion OF some aim in life, that shall
give to life derniteness and Conference
SAINT Bernard had over his study table
IA n!nminated letters these words "Ber-
made; Gd guid vsnistiD BERNARD. why are
you hereE' The references was m not n3 t3 The The,
routine tasks Of his life. These were de.
termlned Tor him. Bat il was: What i,
tne an!matins purpose Of your life? What
the meaning Of your existence? l.
WY pressure ana every task made sub
sefvient TO The one purpole; the one su.
preme motive OF your being! Aniel in his
JohThAi records, Life l. a mass of begin.
hings and ending5." We have all expe.
TIenced his meaning. We have begun to
bul!d, bat did not finish. We have laid our
pans and found them broken in uDon and
DESTROYED; We have SKINNED over the sur.
Iace OF thing5, but not gotten ut their hid.
den InetRlng. And ii we ask the reason it
"a evident. We have failed because no
presiding purpose has woven the tangled
skein INTO harmony and beauty. We have
peen dallying with purpose, we have been
nan Wiling, we have been hanging forever
IN the ba,ance, and so we have been losing
our grip on life.
AS man purposeth in his heart so is
ne, ,lhe difference between aimlessness
and decision is the difference between the
AtaSnant pool. lying mOtionless, thick and
shmy, breathing malaria and breeding
venom, and the cataract, which rushes on.
Mard, hying, moving, punging thing,
something destructive in its energy, but a
aning oi beauty because a thing OF life
better an ignoble purpose even" saws Dr.
Pierson, than none at all" Better TO be
saul OF Iarsus, breathing out threaten.
ings and slaughter, but breathing, than
srrh a man az Robert Dale Owen, who con.
fesses; Il committed one fatal error in nv
youth, and dearly have | bewailed il; /
started in life without an object, even
without an ambition. Nv tenneyament
disposed me to ease, and TO the full / in.
duIged the disposition. | said 10 mvself.
Il have all that l see Others contending for
why should | struggley / know moi the
curse that lights on those who have never
10 struggle for ANYTHING Had I craata1 a..