The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-05-18
SERMON TOTEMPLARS
GRAND CHAPLAIN MQUEEN AD- DRESSED BRETHREN.
His Text Was, s'what Doest Thou Here Annual Sermon Was Preached
 in Christ Church at Tus- caIO0aa.

lievered last Wednesday by Rev. Stew art Mcqueen. pastor of the Church of the Holy Comforter of Montgomery.
 The sermon was delivered in Christ Church, Tuscaloosa, from the text. 'What doest thou here?'
 MT. Mcqueen safd: ,.
 God himself spake these words to a certain man (the prophet Elijah), on special occasion. Nevertheless, they suggest truths eternal in their nature, truths which apply to each one of us personally. Upon analysis. they pre- sent two leading tn houghts: first, by Whom the words were spoken; second to whom they were spoken.
 Tt Is God Himself Who says to you, to me. What doest thou here?' It is our Creator Who asks that question. And He does so as God the Father Who hath made us and all the world; as God the Son. Who. hath redeemed us and all mankind; as God the Holy Ghost. Who sanctifieth us and all the people of God. It is God Himself, l repeat. Who asks this question, asks it out of the infinite depths of His fatherly, love for us. His children; ask s 1t. from day to day by means of in huences of all sorts brought to bear upon us; yes, asks 1t among all the changes and chances of this mortal life. What doest thou here?' Thus He is saying, Pause. reflect over your conduct as you journey through this wilderness of life to the promised land of eternal and everlasting light and glory. Realize the tremendous fact that the life of each one of you (what- ever your talents and opportunities may be), is stewardship and moreover. each one of you shall. at the dreadful day of judgment, give account for the use you make of that stewardship. Realize further. God says, that stew ardship is by no means the same thing as ownership Stewardship means. you must answer for that with which you are entrusted. 1t Is yours to use. It Is not yours to abuse. Thus God demands with reference to your talents, to your opportunities, to the means of grace and salvation bought for you at great cost by your Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ. What doest thou here?
 Tn order to get at the full meaning of this demand of God let us consider each of the four words composing it. Take the first, What How profound ly significant and suggestive! It says to you. What Is your aim in life? What is your aspiration. your ideal? What Is 1t that rules you and forms your character, makes you what you are? In q word, what Is your purpose? Re- member, purpose Is the determining factor in life. Without 1t nothing worthy can possibly be accomplished. What doest thou here? That is.
 
 Aeges. You cannot determine what they shall be. But, you can determine they shall be. But, you can deter mine what service. what achieve ment shall be rendered by you on ac- count of possessing those privileges. Again, you cannot control circum- stances but you can prevent circum- stances from controlling you. Further. you cannot choose what your position In the world shall be. but you can choose how you shall meet the obliga- tfons and deal with tine opportunities of that position. You cannot decide where your sphere, your lot in life shall be cast. You. can decide how you shall occupy that sphere, decide how you shall bear yourself In that lot, de- eide what spirit and what purpose S shall actuate you in doing it's work. What doest thou pnereT s
 "Doest-" What doest thou here?" This word says: Realize, although you can accomplish nothing good and lasting without a high ideal, a lofty purpose, nevertheless, as a study of life clearly and strongly teaches. 1t Is equally true you can accomplish little or nothing with it alone. Therefore. the word "Doest" says: Remember there Is a vast field of struggle and strain. victory and defeat. hope and despair, tears and agony. between the ideal, the purpose. and it's realization, in life, in conduct. in character. You may begin with noble purpose, and alas, you may end with 1t: that Is, your purpose may not be transformed into action. Therefore you will be no nearer the Kingdom of God at the end than you were at the beginning. That purpose becomes a power, a blessing, becomes what God intends 1t to be. only as 1t is wrought into life. only as 1t is woven into the moral and spiritual structure of your being. You must not be. content, for instance, with hay ing merely a purpose to be righteous. That purpose must be transmitted, con- verted, into righteousness, Let not the devil delude you and make you his very own through fancying that the purpose alone to be good and to do good is sufficient. Remember, purpose. how ever noble, lofty, pure, can not work itself out. Tn other words, purpose Is not self-operative. Only as you bring to bear upon 1t force of will together with toll, self denial, self-control, and use of the God-given means of grace, can purpose possibly become living. active factor for good, Therefore "what doest thou here?"
 "Thou" What doest thou here?" The word thou makes this question of God intensely direct, personal. There is no vagueness, no uncertainty. It goes straight home. It says. thou" not this one, or that one, or the otner one. but thou" It says: Remember thou hast personality. that is, thou sharest with God alone the power to say "I" in other words. to separate myself in thought from every other being in the universe. Thou alone, out of the myriads of creatures with which earth and air and sea Is teeming, art made in the image of God, thy Cre- ator and thy Father. Yes, and thou alone art endowed with the sense of responsibility, Thou alone dost feel and know that answer must be made for gifts and opportunities; that ac- count must be rendered for the deeds done in the flesh, thy soul being strip ned bare before the all-seeing eye of inc Judge on the last great day. Thou who art made a little lower than the angels, in order to be exalted to more excellent station than they; thou wbo art a son of God; thou who art ioJn+ heir with Christ, who didEt die Cor thee: thou who are endowed with immortality; thou who hast infinite ca pacity for good and evil. what doest thou here?" 1,,.
 "Here." This word says: What are won doing in this world? What are you doing with your life? Are you trying to make merely success Tn llte' or are you trying rather to make sue cess of life? The two are far from be- ing the same, you know. Here that is just where you are, just as you are, and with just what you have. Here