The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-01-31
REV. P. A. SIMPKIN
ON CELESTIAL FLIGHT
Popular Minister Talks on Topic
Appropriate to AerOnauti-
cal Exhibition.

Finding suggestion OF spiritual truth
in the prevalent aeronautical interest the
pastor of Phillips Congregational church.
the Rev. p. a. Simpkln. preached last
evening on The Flight Celestial" The
text of the hour was Paul's word, III ye
be risen. seek the things which are
above" He said in part:
Man was made for the sky. The very
name he bears is that Of the beast with
the upturned face
Man is OF course not alone In this
upward march. 1t Is fact marvellous
written In the organized life OF the earth
THE animal world moves under an In
development. The plant life OF the globe
is so possessed by the longing for the
sky. that when the cataclysm spade or
plough strikes, turning It's crown beneath
the furrow the upturned roots become
hands reaching for life and heaven.
But man is the climber toward the
sky. His passion is for mastery. Earth
has become his stage almost from pole
to pole. almost the Wild ocean docs his
bidding, but the sky he would reach has
awed him by It's vastness, even as IL has
wooed him toward its stars
Man has sought to wrench Its secrets
with telescope and spectrum, to fathom
the unsounded depths Of the ether sea.
above all TO sail birdlike In the ocean Of
air has been one OF mans most persist
ent dreams.
Long 1t seemed an ignisfatuus call
Ing him. II Is gratifying TO human pride
as II Is valuable TO society to find at last
seeming assurance OF success. One looks
TO see 'rennyson's vision realized, that In
which he sang OF the argosies' OF the
nations flying burdened across the heav-
ems,
Interesting and valuable, however. as
such mastery OF the physical sky may be
In It's practical bearing upon the prob
lens and burdens OF war and peace, 1t Is
after all but part of that material de-
velopment whose fruit and end are but
part OF the passing order The hight
toward the stars Is of import but the
flight celestial, the possession of the
pinions eternal. by which the humblest
soul may sweep the infinite reaches with
God. is lifes highest duty and privilege.
Aspiration within the breast goes far
beyond the mastery OF n physical order.
The soul dreams God-hood, not for far
heaven but present earth. The spirit
discordant passions and make the har-
mony abiding, Above the morass and
the low hill man would soar TO match
the greatness of his dream.
THE guarantee that IL may be. flames
In the uDdlminishcd splendor OF the eter-
nal Christ. the dominating. central star
in times wide sky.
glory. No comet wandering through a
corner OF the sky. 1t rolls steadily
through the llmitless expanse OF It's orbit.
the lesson for all who sit upon the foot
stool TO find the eternal here. to set the
affections on things above. and in their
power follow the eternal law.
There is the guarantee that mans
yearnng Is not a vain quest of the heart.
For I'm that definition which Jesus the
Christ gives in His life and ministry
there Is the secret. The world senses
the flight OF the divine. the mastery eter-
nal. In the speech. work and love-sac
rlfice OF Him OF Nazareth. II finds Him
God. The aspiring heart that feels ike
of the craggy eyrle, the call OF sun and
sky and God may learn in Him the Sc
cret of living the eternal here, and ind
Ing In the tiny circles OF the day the
sweep OF the flight Misunderstanding.