The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-07-02
Sermon
YESTERDAY

The pastor OF the First Lutheran
church spoke to largc audience last
evening ON the theme, "The Worth OF
the Soul" He said in part,
when the Psalmist OF old asked the
Question, What is man that Thou art
mindful OF himr he raised the question
Of the worth of the soul. The answer to
that question is found ON the first pages
OF our Bible, And God created man in
his own image AIoM comprehensive
words than these are not found in the
language of man. They imply infinite
possibilities. Ii these were not true and
Gods own words il would be the great.
est hlasphemy ever written or spoken.
We are often reminded of Longfellow's
words that things are not what they
SEEM We are all conceived and born
in sin. Our hearts are naturally in.
clined to evil. But man is greater than
the sins he commits greater than the
evil within. And in spite OF appear.
arce the image OF God is deeply and inn
perishably imprinted on the human soul.
When man lives life OF sin he does
not reflect this image. But when he
stops in his sinful career to take his
bearings to consider where he is and
what he might have been, when a sigh
leaves his bosom ON its fight to heaven;
when tear of repentent sorrow moist.
ems his eyes; when he pleads for the
mercy OF heaven; and when finally he
arises from that prayer with strength
and courage to turn back and Alright; then
| see faint reflection OF the image OF
God, which shall be more and more re-
fected and revealed in holy life. Thus
the worth of the soul is based upon its
divine engine. The soul is not only the
expression OF divine idea like other
objects in creation. 1t took more than
the almighty fiat Jehi' to create the
soul. The creator breathed man TO life
and being, and he became living soul.
Man has therefore eternity and divinity
within him. Thus the soul j. a gem
imbossomed in clay. A jewel may be
swept away and lost, but It is still a
jewel. A sheep may have gone astray
and become lost to the shepherd and the
fold, and yet it is sheep. So a man
may be an outcast and yet his soul is a |
gem. though it may be lost to heaven
forever. The worth OF the soul is also
based on redemption. The creator knew |
better than man the worth OF his soul. /
Gcd himself stepped down from the
throne Of his glory. not to create as Of
Did. but to redeem. TO pay ransom for
souls lost, robbed, and degraded. We
lEow the story Of redeeming love. Per-
iaps we do not lay enough stress on the
rand theme of redemption in our day.
ian is so great, so ingenious. He may
.ry again TO build a tower that shall
each to heaven. He may forget that
here is only one way to heaven, and
hat way is Christ. Redemption is the
greatest work of God. When divine
owe raised the cross on Calvary it re-
Iuired more love, more labor, and more
wisdom to carry out the plan begun
han to create the heavens above and
he earth beneath. The earth with its
nnumerable forms of life, the heavens
With its myriads of glistening suns are
wonders from the least to the greatest
# them, but to think that sinful man
s redeemed and God the redeemer is
greater. God sought the
ewels that were lost and degraded to
estore them to the crown OF his glory.
Ie went to recall and bring back again
he sheep that had gone astray in life's
wilderness. And for every sheep that
; restored, for every jewel that is found
he heavenly host rejoices. Oh, if men
you'd see the worth of their souls. The
vorth of the soul is lastly based on its