Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-02-10
Calnase
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmaae, d. ID.


ting trouble and sorrow TO continue in
this sermon on the mysteries of life:
text. Genesis xviii, IA. lis anything too
hard for the LordY'
God is spirit. infinite. eternal and
Interchangeable in his being. wisdom,
power holiness. justice. goodness and
truth" This is the definition OF God
found in the Westminster Shorter Cate
chism. No man or body of men could
give a complete definition of all that
God is. His nature transcends all hui
man conception. Language fails in
the attempt to describe his infinite per-
lection. Strive as we may, we realize
that he is far beyond all that we can
think or imagine. Probably no one has
framed an utteranee that comes SO near
TO the truth as this OF the westmin-
ster divines. and. though il is confess
eddy inadequate, II stands unparalleled
In the struggle to reach the unattain-
. able.
IL is a strange story that Is told OF
Its origin. The convocation Of the West
minsterdivines was drawing to its close.
For nearly six long years. since July
j. 1643, they had been meeting almost
daily In the famous hall OF westmin-
ster which now bears their name.
They had organized for the church
directory Of public worship" and had
almost finished the larger and the
shorter catechisms. Their work was
practically finished with bus one excep-
ton. They could not frame a defini-
ton which would clearly, comprehen-
sively and completely answer the ques-
ton, What is God?' At last. in the
midst OF a heated debate, young man
who was comparatively an obscure
member arose and said. Let us pray"
Then he commenced his prayer iR these
simple words: 20 God. thou who art
spirit, infinite, eternal and unchange-
able in thy being, wisdom, power. hoii-
ness, justice goodness and truth. teach
us what thou arty' with that" SO
says tradition, "au the members OF the
Westminster conv6cation leaped to
their feet, crying: THAT is our definition
OF what is God. 1t is IN inspiration
from his throne" So 1t was inserted
In the catechism as the best and fullest
definition that could be made OF the
Being whose attributes are beyond
human knowledge.
Hard 20 Comprehend.
Many profess TO believe that God is
omnipotent omnipresent and 0mnis-
cient, yet It is awfully hard for US 10
truth to comprehend this. We say.
He can do all things" But when
soufe one begins to pin our faith down
10 practical illustration OF Can God
do thisg" we say. like Nicodemus.
"How can these things BET" We need
constantly TO remember that there are
no limitations TO the divine power and
that all that he has promised be is
abundantly able TO perform. When
we see some gigantic evil that needs
10 be removed; when we think OF some
benefit that seems necessary to the
world, our hearts often sink in despair
ms we regard it as impossible. Then
new courage and new hope ought to all
our minds as we reflect on the omnipo-
tence or the God In whom we trust and
30 say with the angel who talked with
Abraham's wife. lis anything too hard
FOR the Lordy' A great flood OF in
spircd light now fills your soul. You
s'nswer: NO. no; nothing is impossible
for God God is a spirit. Infinite. eter-
nal and Interchangeable In his being.
wisdom. power. holiness, justice. good
ness and truth"
God is all powerful, all present and
all seeing. You grant it, Then !
would invite you 20 consider the natu-
raj influences OF your belief. We ask
ourselves why a God or unlimited pow
er does not remove some OF the evils
that cause SO much misery in the
world. We know not
Easy would it be IL God wished @
take all poverty out OF the world. With
mere word he could create for every
man palace In which TO live. With
mere word he could place that palace
In the midst OF n garden. With a mere
word he could have ralnbows playing
hide and seek among the falling. spring
ing. tumbHng waters OF the fountains
OF that garden With a mere word be
could have every mans table grooming
under the richest treasures OF orchards
ard gardens and fields. He could fur
nish to each home the finest OF ward
robes and the most Respondent OF Jew
els and the costliest OF earthly treas
ures- The sheep upon thousand hills
all belong to God. The gold buried in
the darkest or mines is his. The pearls
xiistenfng in the opened shells OF the
oysters lying by the coral reefs amoax
The entnngled gardens OF the seas
are all his. Yet this abundant wealth
is 10 be obtained by men only by hard
labor. 1t is his law that man shall
work for the riches that are provided
Tor him. God practically gives us
nothing unless We are ready to work
FOR 1t. ...
Far Renching Commandment.
The Tar reaching commandment which
Coo spoke to Adam or Old he speaks to
us: Cursed Is the ground for thy sake:
an sorrow shalt thou eat OF 81 all fhe /,
days OF thy life; thorns and tbisties
shall it bring forth 10 thee, and thou
shalt eat the hert OF the field; in the
sweat or thy brow shalt thou eat bread
rili thou return unto the ground. for
out of II vast thou taken. for dust
tncu art. and unto dust ff,osr shalt re.
turn" ~
Cursed be the ground for thy sake
Il remember being struck with a prae-
ucai illustration OF what God meant IN,
That sentence. Some years ago out In
tne country was walking over the
hllisfdes overlooking a beautiful valley
hlied with rich farms / said 10 the |
companion by my side: Look. Did you !
ever see more beautiful country thar |
thats God is certainly rich provider |
'or MS children" Yes" answered NV |
companion. ''but did you ever stop to |
mink that. though Gods wealth is I'M /
hnhted, he gives but few of the neees-
nties 10 man unless man Is ready to
work Tor them? God gives us the soil;
God gives us the seeds. But the essen
tlai rood products which come from
mat soil must be developed by unccas-
ing toi. This fact is emphaticaily true
or all the cereals" Then commenced
10 ponder over the words OF my friend.
and said. .sYaS ..os, ar.o. .IlA. -