The Newtown bee., 1908-03-20
The NeWtoWn Bee.
Nowlown, Friday, March %. lpOs.
SERMON BY REV ROBERT E. CAR.
 TER, uF WASHINGTON.
[Continued from Page Four,l

based on true discerning of true
 Christians faith, whether its historicaI
 foundation be sufficient or not, is that
 of St Phocas, q Christian, who in the
 times of persecution in the third cen.
 tury, lived in Asia Minor, in the city
 of Sinope. It was the age when the
 report of being a Christian was suflic-
 tent to bring the soldiers of the Roman
 emperor to a mans door with an order
 for instant death in their hands. It so
 happened that the report of this mans
 allegiance to the Christian faith was
 brought to the Roman Governor of
 P0ntus, the province in which the city
 of Sinope was situated. The governor
 therefore according to the emperor's
 command sent a band of three or four
 soldiers with a command to kill this
 Christian. The soldiers reached the
 outskirts of Sinope as it fell dark, and
 so stopped at house in the suburbs to
 spend the night; it happened to be the
 very house of Phocas, whom they
 sought. They found him preparing a frugal meal, but they knew not who it
 was; they simply told him that they
 were soldiers of the emperor in search
 for certain Christian. Phocas, and they asked lodging for the night in the emperor's name so that they could go on to their quest in the morning. Phocas made them welcome, gave them a meal such as he had, showed them to his own room and couch. Then he went into the garden behind the house, and there in the midst of the flowers which he loved, he dug grave, and covered its sides with bios ,oms. In the morn- ing when the soldiers woke they asked him to direct them to the house of Phocas. 'I am the man" said the Christian. "I am the Christian whom ye seek" They started back amazed. "Do you know why we have come and what we must do," said they? Sure ly I know" replied the saint "come," and he led them out into the garden, and they saw the prepared grave. Ashamed that they must kill a man who had thus dealt with them they held back. Phocas said to them, Fear not, hesitate not to do your duty which has been commanded you, as for me it is the will of God, and am ready and willing to die for the name of the Lord Jesus." So they killed him and buried him in the grave he himself had dug and covered his grave with the flowers he himself had prepared. Through that story there shines a spirit of calm faith and trust in Gods love which was characteristic of those days of early Let it live in other needs and other dangers, in other burdens and bitterness; let it live in Christian hearts down through every age and day. The Father is with us, what can man, or seasons, or changes or disas- i ters, or fears or summers or winters do unto us. The Father is with us, and wherever we go. we are with the Father.
 Such is the lesson we would bring you to-day for the winter; for the win ter of the outer world, the cold and snow and stormy wind, Gods Provi- dence is our inheritance. Even to-day this earth is turning towards the sun, even to-day the winter is wearing it. self away and while it lasts, the words )f Whittier's "Snowbound'' are as true for us and more so in our latter day comforts than for him when he wrote them.
 What matter how the night behaves, What matter how the North wind raves Blow high, blow low, not all its snow Gan quench our hearth fires ruddy
 glow"
 For the winter of the world we thank Iod who has given us our homes and heir comfort. And for the winter of he soul, when our hearts are disquiet- d within us; and when fears make us ,eel chilly and grown cold; then we lave the word that God is near, that Heavens love lies round us in our spiritual exposure. Courage then! Into this warmth and comfort we may 90 and find peace and shelter. And ust as surely as for this worldly win ,er, yea, far more surely of the soul winter it is written that the Lord in he end shall say unto us, our beloved hall speak and shall say unto us, Rise up my love and come away, for 0 the winter is past, the rain is over md gone, the flowers appear on the 'arth, the time of the singing of birds ; s at hand, my beloved is mine and I 'm his and He feedeth his flock I the lilies" There is an end 0 every winter for the world and for ( he soul of man. Summer comes again