The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1904-06-17
SERMON BY REV. HALL

Sermon delivered last Sunday
morning by Rev. A. S. Hall, pas
tor of the Baptist Church in this
city:
Subject Reading Of l4th Psalm.
Text: The fcol hath said in his
heart, there is no God.
shall put the thought into two
questions. How he said, 'There
is no God" and why he said
"There is no God" 1t might be
better to put the second question
first, but it suits my purpose bet
ter to put the "why" second. ]
shall turn at once to, the first chap
ter of Romans for the reason tnat
the Apostle Paul discussed man
kind from the creation; from the
beginning of mans history in the
world; there learn how the fool
said There is no God" | think
it is clearly brought out in a para
graph Of Scripture beginning at
the Goth verse, so | shall read the
verses and comment on them as |
read, trying to bring out the plain
thoughts that God intended we
should learn. Beginning with the
Goth verse: ''For the invisible
things of Him from the creation of
the world are clearly seen, etc"
The expression ''from the creation
Of the world" being used in tenn
poral sense. Now we want to go
further into this passage of Scrip
ture where the Apostle gives his
description of mankind. Man may
have known God, and here is mans
condition for not knowing. Look
and notice that the Apostle says
''for the invisible things" mean
ing things not perceptible to the
natural eye; that which cannot be
seen. Now he goes on and says
''For the invisible things of him
from the creation of the world are
clearly seem" Howe The answer
is right here. Being understood
Tor may be understood) by the
things that are made. may un-
derstand things invisible or things
not seen with the natural eye.
Like principle in mathematics,
and | take advantage of this illus
tration to give you the thought.
There are people who, by the use
Of lines and angles, number of de-
grees and length of lines, can cal
culs.te to the top of a mountain or
to the moon, or any distance, pro-
vided the object is in view, and the
result may be so accurate that
there will not be the difference of
one half inch within a mile. How
can | calculate the distance from
here to Marting By means of
these same lines and angles COM
pairing one with the other.
The Apostle says ''the invisible
things of God" The fact remains
that Notwithstanding these things
are invisible, still, by means of the
visible the invisible is made known.
This is the argument Paul makes
here and reaches the conclusion
that man is without excuse. APP
plying first, principle, lines and
angles that are known are the Gre.
alton, the world, myself, the stars
and everything about us. By
means of all this that which is un-
known is made known. We know
things that the natural eye cannot
see. What do knowg Even his |
eternal power and Godhead. So
we reach up to the fact, and / may
know by means of the things that
are natural in every possible way
that God has spoken to us.
Nature is only another revealed |
Bible to us. On the very same
principle the Psalmist says, "The
heavens declare the glory of God, J"
etc. Ii they declare the glory OF
God ! can see and know. can
look at myself or at nature and all
this declares his glory. If all
these things declare unto me the
glory of God and l know all these
things, then, by means of these |
can know the invisible God; and
he who says ''there is no God"
reaches the conclusion of a fool.