The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-02-09
THE PULPIT.
SCHOLARLY SUNDAY SERMON Fly
THE REV. c. B.. ETSLGR.
Theme: Seeking Gods Kingdom.

the Good Tidings the pastor, the Rev.
Clarence Bartlett Etsler, preached
Sunday on Seeking Gods Kingdom"
He said:
In bygone years, when people went
upon the theory that nan is inherent
ly depraved and that his natural al
legiance while on earth Is to the SOW
ereignty of the devil, in those days,
when one talked about seeking Gods
kingdom, it meant that a man should
shut out the sunshine and enjoyment
from his days; that he should cruelty
his nature upon the cross of self-de-
NAL and that through a sad and dole
full earthly life he should look for
ward with patient longing for the
kingdom that he must seek in some
future world.
When man complained Of earthly
hardship and sought religions help,
the church said, in substance to him.
Eyes, we know it's hard living in this
world, but what can you expect; man
is naturally a fallen, degenerate crea-
ture, the devil is his spiritual adviser
and his man of business; but
mind, grin and bear it, for you will
find Gods kingdom when you die and
there the devil will be shut out"
Such a philosophy and such a re-
ligion was but a cowardly subterfuge
whereby an easy escape vas afforded
from the necessity for working out a
solution for the hard problems Of this
life.
Thank God, the liberal church has
cut loose from dogmatic tradition and
&C. taoohjnu O ro1ioinn nnt nf mvSti-
cism and of theory, but a religion OF
present h%elpfulness and of common
sense.
We do not believe in a fallen race.
We believe in a rising race. We do
not believe in original and inherent
sin, nor that every man that's born
is born first into the kingdom Of the
devil.
And this we believe is the first step
in seeking Gods good kingdom; the
recognition that every child that's
born is Gods and not the DEVILS; the
good tidings that every soul has with
in itself the spark of divinity and not
the flame of hell.
It's true that some of US are born
with heritage Of sin and with birth
marks of imperfection, but the good
tidings of great JOY is this: That
whatsoever sins of the fathers may
have set the children's teeth on edge,
those children have another heritage
from their perfect heavenly Father
a heritage that can overcome the In
bred sin; that can round out in per-
feet growth all human im%perfection.
He who would seek Gods kingdom
talks not of original sin; he publish
eth good tidings of ultimate perfec-
ton.
What does it mean for US. this
seeking for Gods kingdom? We rise
with the new day and the sun shines
brightly through the windows. "Oh."
says one, 1.-The harsh light hurts my
eyes," or, if it's a woman of one
kind, she says, 1T will fade my car
pet" and the shades are quickly
drawn and the gloom of a sepulchre
ensues.
Is that seeking of Gods kingdom?
Another throws wide the windows of
his house and soul and drinks in the
life sustaining oxygen, basks in the
blessed warmth of natures medicine,
and sings an unconscious song Of
praise to his maker and his life keep
er.
He is seeking Gods kingdom. And
then at the breakfast table n takes
his place with no word Of greeting
and devours his food in silence, save
for a muffled complaint that the toast
is scorched or the coffee cold. The
other, the sunshine fellow, comes in
with the glow of the suns radiance
still upon him, and the room seems
brighter for his coming. He has a
joke and a smile for all, even for the
fellow with the chronic crouch.
Which one, think you, is getting near
er to the kingdom?
And then they are out upon the
way to business. The car is crowded,
and when the conductor gets to our
friend, the crouch, he looks straight
at the conductor, but makes no move
to get a nickel, and then through all
the remainder of the trip he shrinks
and starts whenever he's spoken to
and wonders if he has been spotted.
Finally, he slips into a seat, and al
though a woman stands beside him
with a child in her arms, he feigns
Intense interest in the paper he has
afted from the seat.
Is he getting very near to Gods
Kingdom? The other traveller helps
En- old man board the car and cheers
the withered. friendless heart with a
goodwill smile. He hears with un-
Outstanding ear the conductors gruff,
"Step lively" and sees with under
standing eye the same conductor very
gently shove into the car an over
hurdened daughter of poverty, as she
N turn supports her feeble mother.
lie hears with understanding ear, as
che conductor comes down hard upon
The ignorance of some poor foreigner
rs he asks directions, and he sees
with understanding eye as that same
conductor sneaks up a little later and
gives the bewildered foreigner gruff,
though kindly, instructions how to
find his way. He hears and sees I'M
derstandingly. I say, for he is an OPP
timist, and he is seeking for Gods
kingdom, although he may know it
not. He Is looking for the good in
men because he knows it is there.
"As a man thinketh in his heart
so is he," and whether we shall be
seekers for Gods Kingdom Of truth
or servants of the kingdom of the
devil depends upon our purity of
heart.
The kingdom within determines the
kingdom without; if the kingdom
within be the kingdom of truth, of
purity, of unselish kindness, then we