The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-28
GOD THE DEPOS|TOR
 MAN THE TRUSTEE
Richest Treasures on Deposit
 Subject to Withdrawal
HUMAN NATURE RESPONDS
Life Is Given as a Sacred Trust, and All That We Possess is a Sacred Gift-Strone Sermon Preached
 By the Rev. Dr. Foster.

The Rev. Dr. Sterling J. Foster preach ed at the South Highlands Presbyterian church yesterday morning on "The Trust of God" taking his text from the 20th verse of the 9th chapter of Timothy, as
 follows. 70, Timothy keep that which is committed to thy trust"
 A brief resume of pr. Fosters sermon follows:
 It is the distinctive teaching of the
 Bible that we are trustees No other religion or philosophy, so far as l am informed has ever made this truth a distinguishing mark of its system or laid' any particular emphasis upon it. Yet when we have grasped it's significance and realized it's far reaching power, we wonder that it could so long have es- capped the wise men of ancient times It solves many problems. resolves many
 doubts, and gives a rational answer to
 many perplexing questions of faith and l practice.
 Human nature is so constituted that it | will respond to trust and no other means have been found so potent for developing l the latent spark of nobility within us. | Weak and tlmid children, who have never felt anything but their helpless depend ence, have surprised their parents or | friends when, in other surroundings and with added responsibilities, they I.4ge de- veloped traits of courage and manliness none ever dreamed they possessed. Even in the schools of reform, where we would
 least expect to find any response to an
 appeal of this kind. the universal ex- l ba.
 more effective than all the other means
 combined. and this is the divine method of appeal to the human heart throughout
 the Scriptures. Man is trustee God
 is the depositor; and ~his richest treasures are on deposit:
 1. Life Is given as a sacred trust and all the wealth of human speech is ex-
 hausted throughout the Bible in the ef fort to impress upon us it's infinite value.
 What shall 1t profit a man if he gains the whole world and lose hinself?' is only one of a multitude of passages teach ing in explicit terms the worth and dig nity of human life, and it's pages are full of the records of the brave deeds and lofty achievements of good men and
 women. With these pages open before | around us, who have learned taeir pre- cepts and formed their lives upon them this depreciation of life, so popular in
 our literature, seems cheap and vapid, and Is a travesty unworthy of our race God would not entrust us with a worth- less treasure nor lend it. with an un- worthy purpose, and we have every in- centive of earth and heaven to keep it and guard it. with the utmost caution and care
 2. All that we possess is a sacred de- posit, and subject to withdrawal. When this shall be realized and ackno wledged by men and nations the age-long war fare between the rich and poor will cease and the two camps broken up. There Is no question of political economy or civil government that would not then be solved, for dishonesty and envy and pride
 woul die out of the human heart How could one hold dishonest gains In trust for God? How could one envy the honest gains of others if he, too. held his smaller possessions as a trust, and how could there be pride in the temporary use of that which belonged to God?
 Though this seems visionary and far off, yet it is the picture of the golden age of God and is held up before us in the Gospel as the good of our aspra-
 ton, and 1t was of this gospel that the text speaks as the most sacred deposit Of all: Keep the sacred deposit. com nitted to thy trust" are the words of the old apostle: guard il. for it will seem visionary and Impractical, and the temp tation will ever be to adulterate it, to i'll 1t with the alloy of human expediency and make lt of no effect by tradition This has been the earnest task of be- llevers throughout the ages. 10 hold fast to the faith in the gospel. which teaches the high doctrines of the worth and value of human. life and conduct. amid sensualty and good. and covetousness and envy and pride. And now in the progress of tho ages. and the providence of God, we of our time have the sacred treasure, and the future is dependent on our fidelity to our trust. But more than the future Of earth. the future of our own souls, for by this shall We stand or
 fall at last. low have we administered the trust?
 8uclrs Home Destroyed.
 Ia oil Ind f..Fg