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

stJames IT. Every good gift and every perfect gift is @ from n above coming down from All the good and perfect gifts are from above; but we do not even learn the Holy Spirit, the greatest, best gift of all, enlightens our hearts and minds. Our Father in heaven not only gives us all that we are able and willing to receive Of His spiritual, eternal riches; but He also schools, and prepares us in the varied experiences Of this pres ent world that we may desire and hope for more and more of the everlas ting wealth of His heavenly kingdom.
 With what thoughtfulness and care the kings sons are educated, and course of time they may succeed to the throne of their royal father! With what painstaking and expense tbe father who has large estate its his children to understand the values and uses of their prospective fortunes, and 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 1FOm dUOFo. 1U lo ouly uuOS0 "uO AoNC that can give. The greater includes the less. The higher condescends to the lower. Grace must do for us that which we cannot do for ourselves. s'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 noble is the ideal of our Christian citi- zenship: but how low and unworthy 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,
  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 his Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of 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; and 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 ineStimable 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 to us; so, the more truly and completely we give ourselves for the good of oth- CTS, the more are we like Him.