The Newtown bee., 1906-05-25
LITTLE SERMONS.
DIVINE GIFTs.-BY 0. o. WRIGHT.

perfect gift is from above coming down fron
the Father OF lights"
( All the good and perfect gifts arr
from above; but we do not even learr
to value them as we should except al
the Holy Spirit, the greatest, best gift
of all, enlightenS our hearts and minds
Our Father in heaven not only give
us all that we are able and willing tt
receive CT His spiritual, eternal riches
but He also schools, and prepares vi
in the varied experiences OF this pres.
ent world that we may desire and hope
for more and more of the eyerlast ting
wealth of His heavenly kingdom.
With what thoughtfulness and care
the kings sons are educated, anG
cultured, and trained that in the
course of time they may succeed to the
| throne of their royal father! With
what painstaking and expense the
father who has large estate fits his
children to understand the values anC
uses of their prospective fortunes, anC
| family Inheritance, that they may be
| wise to possess, manage, and conserve
| the business, and the wealth of which
| they are the heirs!
Even so all our moral and spiritual
good comes to us, and must come to us
from above. 1t is only those who have
that can give. The greater includes
the less. The higher cOndescends tC
the lower. Grace must do for us that
which we cannot do for ourselves.
''The sea enters into the rivers before
the rivers can run into the sea. In
like manner God comes to us before
we go to Him; and heaven enters into
our souls before we can enter into
heaven"
We are born and bred to the highest
privileges the world has ever known.
But how little we realize the divine
significance of our natural Inheritance
in this Twentieth century of our Lord,
in this land of religious liberty with
all it's precious opportunities! How
noble is the ideal of our Christian citi-
in practice the administration of the
social life of the State! knowledge and
wisdom have increased, and the science
Of good living has relieved the world
of much Of it's fear and misery; but
still how Indifferent we are to the best
conditions of the temporal health and
happiness of the community! We are
in the midst Of spiritual ministries of
divine grace, but we do not even per-
ceive that the kingdom is among us
and even within our hearts and minds,
while we are looking for signs and
wonders that simply appeal to our
senses!
The spiritual divine life of the world
is as yet but feeble, and our faith, hope,
and love need constantly to be renewed
from above. We must ever look up
and seek by prayer and watching the
grace we need to overcome the world.
For, as St Paul tells us: Eye hath not
seen, nor ear heard, neither have en-
tered into the heart of man the things
which God hath prepared for them
that love him. But God hath revealed
them unto US by bis Spirit; for the
Spirit Searcheth all things, yea, the
deep things of God. For what man
knoweth the things of a man, save the
spirit of man which is in him? even
SO the things of God knoweth no man,
but the Spirit of God"
Let us reflect that life itself, with
all it's opportunities, privileges, and
blessings is the gift Of the Father OF
| lights; ana that all He does for US, and
all that He enables US to do for our
selves, and for others, that is true and
good, should continually inspire and
| lead us to appreciate and rejoice in
| the true value and dignity and eternal
significance of the common life of hu.
manity. And above all things let us
keep it in our hearts and minds that
the Son of God was the inestinable
gift of the Fathers love; and that He
gave His life for the life of the world
and that as all we have was given tC
US; so, the more truly and completely
we give ourselves for the good of 9th
erS, the more are we like Him.