Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-10
PREACHER SHOWS
SALVATION 5 WAY
TELLS HOW SOUL IS GREATER
THAN WEALTH
In scrIpturaI Passage Finds Llfe's
object and How It May Be Ac-
compIished by Seeking the
Kingdom Of God

"salvation" was the topic Of Rev.
P. ], McGrath yesterday morning IN
an eloquent sermon at the Cathedral
of st. Vibiana. Father McGrath took
for his text Matt. vi. 39: Seek ye
therefore first the kingdom of God anu
his Justice" He said in part:
"These are the words of our blessed
Lord. our dear and loving Savior VINO
came down into this world to be tne
way, the truth and the life All our
Lords words are full of light, power
and grace because they spring from
the loving heart of God-made man. But
these words seem to have special
meaning and message for us, for they.
sum up briefly and clearly the whole
problem of life. They tell in words
that cannot be explained away why we
have been placed in this world and
what is the great work at which we
must toll from the moment we attain
the use of reason to that most solemn
hour when we lay down the burden OF
life and { -ose our eyes in the sleep OF
DEATH They tell us that we were not
made for ourselves but for God; that
it Is not our bodies which have the
first claim upon us, but our souls, ana
that the world that passes away Is al
together worthless compared with that
world which will never end.
Theory of Salvation
"In these words, dear brethren, our
dear Lord and Master desires that you
should realize the Importance and the
absolute necessity of working out your
salvation and that it depends on you
to accomplish this most necessary and
important work.
"Our Lord wants us to realize lts
Importance. 1t means that all DOUBT,
hesitation and wavering should be put
aside forever; that We should make up
our minds to live, work and die Tor
God. 1t means that we should become
saints And, If we are to become saints
and live forever with Christ in his
kingdom we must realize the import
ance of the woik We must know that
the soul is balanced between eternal
Joys and eternal misery, and 1t Is for
us to say which is to be its fate.
"Think of the value of the soul!
Compare 1t with what you like. Look
at the great universe, what did 1t cost!
He spoke and it was made And what
did our souls cost God? The blood OF
Jesus Christ. Brethren, think of the
value of a soul redeemed by precious
blood; and you, my friends, have such
a soul-a soul created in the likeness
Of God, made to be the friend and
companion of bright angels; soul
which makes you the king of creation.
And above this soul there is heaven
and its songs, unspeakable happiness
and below you there is hell, darkness,
misery and a prison cell. To escape
all this and to gain the other Is saliva
ton.
Soul More Than Wealth
reason and common sense tell us
to work hard for that which is worth
Ia inI
zealously we work for the goods of this
world, and what are they when COM
pared to life? and what is life compared
to honor? Here is something higher
still, seek first the kingdom of God
and his justice Holy scripture has
no more beautiful picture than that
which puts before us our Lord In the
house of Martha and Mary. You re-
member on that occasion that Martha
was busy serving our Lord when she
begged that her sister might be allowed
to help her. Our Lord said: Martha,
thou art troubled about many things,
but one thing is necessary Only one
thing! What is that? Surely to do
Gods will.
"Oue thing, then. is necessary for
our salvation ard we must work at 1t
first and foremost. No matter what
the cost we may not dare to trust 1t
to Others. 1t Is our business and we
must attend 10 ii ourselves. We give
our children to teachers, we intrust our
land to farmers, our affairs to law
yers, cur health to doctors. but our
salvation to TO one.
II intreat you to think well on this
all important question, the salvation
of your immortal soul. Consider what
1t cost our Lord to redeem us. Look
at his hands. end feet pierced with cruel
nails. They We're pierced for you. Look
at his heart, rent and torn asunder.
even after death. 1t was all for you. my
brethren. that you might kneel before
him and give him love for love-"