Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1910-09-29
EXCELLENT ADDRESS
Delivered Sunday, September Is, at
ST. Johns Church
BY REV. J. FRANK JACKSON
Who Took HIS Text From Isaiah, 90 Chapter,
18Th Verse.

The sermon preached Sunday, Sep
tember 18th, at ST. Johns church, by
Rev ]. Frank Jackson, is one which
appealed to all who heard it and is
published in The Record at the re-
quest of those who heard it from the
lips of the reverend gentleman Mr.
Jackson took for his text:
Isaiah 66:l3-
AS one whom his mother COM
forteth, so will comfort you.
The entire world is in Gods keep
ing He has His own methods for car
rying on His work. Some things He
reserves specially for his own activity.
They are beyond the power and skill
and wisdom of His people. Others
He delegates to the men and women
living at the time and enjoying His
bountiful goodness. To all according
to their several ability and fitness.
Some things that must perforce be
done can be done only by men. They
draw upon the strength of body,
steadness of nerve and range of
knowledge. While thus engaged the
man is fulfilling the apostolic injunc-
tion-enduring hardness. But if this
were all every human creature would
tend to become hardened, almost
brutalized. Scorning his own weak
ness and feelings, he would become
Indifferent to, and unaffected by, the
sorrows of others. So a woman is
made OF finer feelings that she may be
more readily responsive 10 need, what
ever form 1t shall take. A ministering
angel, when care and anguish wiring
the brow To her is given to pity, to
sympathize, to console. All that is
finest OF womanly qualities is summed
up in the word mother. The tender
est of all tender names. The synonym
for devotion, long suffering and sac
riice. Ready, if need be, to give her
life an offering for another.
Now, listen to the words of the Al
mighty, speaking as Enthusiastically as
if within this very church, in the hear
ing of everyone present: "As one
whom his mother comforteth, so will
] comfort you"
One of the things that God has kept
in His power apparently is, in the
supreme need of life, in the hour of
bitterest sorrow, when the cup over
flows, to administer the comfort Him
self He will not do it as a father,
but as a mother. \ father takes his
sick child into his arms and with all
his care he cannot help touching a
painful spot \ mother takes him and
her arms so enfold him that he for
gets his pain and falls asleep When
God comforts it is all comfort; no
touch brings forth pain; it is the
anodync OF infinite love; sorrow is
hushed, and the lips of care complain
no more
David wrote: Like as father
pieieth his children, so the Lord
pitieth them that fear Him." That is
very beautiful and very stimulating
thought. Many difficulties have been
borne more easily because we could
say, Our Father" and be conscious
of His pity. With that consciousness
the world has been less dark, and bur-
dens less heavy, and the way less
drear, and fresh courage has been
gained. Vet is is one thing to incite
to activity; to arouse to alertness, the
timid and covering and nerveless. and
quite another to lay cool hand upon
the brow fevered by life's fitful fever.
And God has to do that But who
could tell how it was to be done? 1t
requires very bold man to tell how
much God will do. 1t seems to- be pre-
sumption to tell as much as one be-
lieves He will do. And it seems to be
a derogaton from His glory to tell
less So il is left for God Himself to
tell it: "As one whom his mother
so will ] comfort you" 1t
is spoken through a man; it is con-
veyed in the words of men that il may
be Ineligible but il is the mind of
God and so an authority. Who but I
God Himself could have so spoken of
God! The Fatherhood of Godl Men
had guessed at that. Some had spelled ,
out its meaning, carefully and pain
fully, letter by letter But the Mother
hood of God! That God could be !
womanly. motherly, in His treatment !,
of His people, who could have dreamt
of such thing unless God Himself
had said it?
Men sometimes complain that art
lists have misdrawn the features of
Christ. They assert that more mas
culine strength should have been given
to them. But does not that gentle,
look reveal something of the
Was il, not part of the at
fraetive grace that drew so many.
after Him? Why do men pay adora-
ton TO Mary, the mother Of Jesuss /