The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-11-19
DISPUTES SCIENTISTS
Rev. Mr.. Cave Holds That They Over
look Spiritual Side


At the West Side Christian Church,
on Bush street, near Devisadero, the
pastor, Rev Robert Lord Cave. de-
livered the second in a series of SER
mons on Choice" last evening. A week
ago he discoursed upon Choice and
Heredity," and last night his special
topic was Choice and Environment"
A large and representative audience
was present. In part. the speaker said:
I'm certain scientific circles, but not
the highest, we believe, there has been
marked a growing tendency to treat
man as other biological specimens and
consider him in organization. func
lions and life as the mere resultant of
intrinsic and extrinsic forces, the logi-
cal compound of heredity and environ
ment We have seen that too much
may easily be claimed for the power
of heredity, and we must learn also
that circumstances can neither make
nor mar the man.
Rightly used, surrounding condi-
lions contribute largely to true culture
and service; misused or abused, they
add sting to defeat and the very gall
of NORWOOD TO the cup of despair.
But man must ever be the architect
of his own fate, in spite of inherited
weaknesses and propensities, in spite
of environmental conditions, good and
bad, degrading or uplifting. Mans
natural inherent, ineradicable power
of choice, of will, of action, makes him
superior to all inheritances and mas
ter of every circumstance. He is not
all of the earth earthly. Nor do body
and intellect make him complete. He
has. nay is, an immortal spirit, whose
province it is to rule both, and to
uplift by this dominion.
Unless above himself he can
Erect himself; how poor a thing is man.
I'VE are willing to admit the unity
of the universe. but its essence, it's
common denomination, its irreducible
minimum. If you will, is not matter. but
spirit. Evolution seems to demand
unity of being. a harmony of the uni
verse Then must 1t find final com
plete expression not in the duaIism
of the skeptic, the agnostic the pes
simist, but in the idealism of the
Christian poets and philosophers,
prophets and apostles, who find all
things, material and spiritual, in God,
from whom they came, in whom they
consist. unto whom they return
God is a spirit; and they that wor-
ship him must worship in spirit and
truth. Wordsworth, poet of nature
and natures God, declared:
The soul that rises with us, our life's star
Hath had elsewhere its setting, and cometh from
Not in entire forgetfulness,
And not in utter nakedness,
But trailing clouds of glory do we come
From God. who is home.
Many conditions, apparently I'M
toward, prove most favorable for men
tai development and soul culture Let
us learn to use the things we have,
to grow by honest service, and we may
make the meanest surroundings
radiant with the beauty of sacrifice
and glorious with heroic endeavor.
Even our failures may be made step
ping stones to higher things. Poverty,
obscurity, lack of friends or power or
influence, these all are often blessings
in disguise He helps himself best
who helps another most Let us strive
to be content with any lot that grants
US time to think and food for thought,
power to love and objects for our
charity, mind to serve and neighbors
we can help"
Mr.. Cave announced two more Sun
day evening sermons in the series.
November 20, Choice and Education.
December p Choice and Eternity"