The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-08-08
FALL OF PORT ARTHUR
The Reverend nncinf Palmnrc.
GOD THE ONE SUPREME
NEED OF EVERY LIFE.
son Point. Out Importance of Liv-
Ing for the Hereafter.

The Reverend Columbus Polk Goodson.
after an absence az "a month from the
city In tn" mountains of Colorado.
preached in his pulpit yesterday morning
at the Kings Highway Cumberland Pres
bylerian Church.
Ills subjcct was '"Thc one Supreme Need
Of Every Life The texts were.
zone thing So ncedful." O.ukc x. ~
one thing thou Iackcst. " mark K. ~
And this Is the record. that God hath
given to u.s. eternal life and this lie Is In
his Son. He that hath tho son hath life:
and he that hath not the Son hath not
life" u john. '. n. r.
And this rs HE eternal. that they
might know thee the only true God, and
Jesus Christ. whom thou has sent" John
xvii. 81
The struggle Of all creation is FOR life.
The Hover on tho mountain or in the val
ley seeks llfc. Tho insect Of the field. the
beast OF the forest. the fish Of the sea
and tho bird Of Ia" air seck'iiCc. In pro-
portion as each finds It's place-that Is,
comes into perfect correspondence with
Its cnvirpnment-dOog 81 enter upuu the
realization Of its highest function. Spen-
Ger says: Were there 10 changes In the
environment but such az the organism
had adapted changes to meet, and were
IL never to fan in the efficiency with
which II met them, there would he eternal
existence True. Yet not rue applisi to
man. Mere existence Is not the half of
Man goes forth to subduc the earth and
to adapt himself to his environment. He
nulins ms house to project from the cold.
He lives ethlctlly hy studying moral rela-
tionships lie lives acsthetiraUy Nv etIivlr-
adart:ltiuu to the beautiful, he lives intel
l-ctuaily by giving attention to tha high
est development of the mind. But man is
more than these, as he is more than the
insect or the beast Of the forest. He Is q
great personality. with powers spiritual,
s"lt-conscious. self-determining and self
active. llan IS created In the shadow or
image Of God. having attributes. in lim!-
tation. like unto God.
Man ~hunScrs for Cod. His demand is
Back to Cod However much hia intel
lecl may be cloLGed. mis- emotion debascd
and his will degraded. there remain the
cement of the Divine one. and his eter-
nal cry is: % God. thou art my God; early
VIII I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for
thee: my flesh iunGeth for thee in a dry
and thirsty land. where no water is Man
finds the highest possibility Of his real
ton with God. He Is never satisfied till
ne comes INTO personal relationship with
the Father.
NJ s|cientifc secular theory offers an
comes from the lips of the worlds great
teacher: He that hath the Son Faith life
I am come that they might have life. and
them eternal life. and they shall never per-
ish.' Il am the bread of life; | am the liv-
Ing bread which came down from heaven.
II any mar eat of this bread he shall live
forever; and the bread that I viii give IS
my flesh. which / viii give for the life of
the world ! am the resurrection and the
life. he that telieveth in me, though he
were dead. yet shat he I've Flesh and
blood cannot inherit tho kingdom of God
for this mortal must put on Immortality
"Thr9ugh faith in Jesus Christ the rr!n-
ciple of divine life becomes the new pos
session Of the believer. and he stands
forth a new ma In Christ and eternal
life is knowledge of God, which Is i'm
parted In end through Christ. John Xvii.
81 This IS not material substance 20 cor
respond. with organic environment. but
spiritual essence, corresponding with the
been spiritually generated. and his new
relation. is one of sonshlp. Christ has re-
realed the Father. He. Christ. the divine
possible and actual for finite man to know
infinite God. Man now has established an
abiding relation with eternity. Time can
not break it-death but enriches it. Who
Shall separate US from the love Of God?
This new relation finds man in union
with God. and all of his limited faculties
intellect. emotion and wtll-flnd their com
plement in the unlimited God.
This IS the one thing needful-this is
the one thing thou lackest-this newly
formed relation. which links finite with
and makes it worth all the struggle for its
highest expression. Only In this rela-
ton does man learn TO live, love and sac
riiice. Here he learns to know the evil
of sin. and the good of a holy character
and righteous conduct. He becomes q
new creature, and a man of new desires.
new ambitions. Purposes are In harmony
with the will of God. and all activities
are for tho glory of God and the good of
the race.
Mans part in order TO the reception Of
this knowledge Of God. and the personal
relationship. Is III submission to the truth
as presented in the wOrd-that the Spirit
may renew. recreate, the life. He must
needs feel as did the p%rodigal son the need
Of his Fathers cve-his home ami his
comfort. Coming into the new life rela- |
ton he will realize as did Paul: In him
we live. and move AM have cur being |
IF Christ IS only allowed to enter the life
he Will transform It. He will empty its
evils. dethrcne its wicked kings and bring
into 1t a reign Of love, peace and service.
Here. and only here. viii any life know
peace and happiness. Here may every
life. however low in the bottomless pit of
sin and despair, find reieas. and liberty"