Arizona republican., 1912-07-08
UNION SERVICE
 AT THE PLAZA
Large Crowd Attended the First Outdoor Meeting Which was Addressed by Dr. Ray c. Harker, of the First M. K. Church

A crowd so large that the seating arrangements were not sufficient to accommodate more than a third of it attended the first outdoor religious service of the summer held at the city hall plaza yesterday evening begin ming at seven o'clock The ready re- sponse of the people to the announce ment of this service was extremely gratifying to those in charge and at the close of the sermon, which was delivered by Dr. Ray c Harker, of the First M E. church, B w. Get zinger, who presided at the service, said he hoped a like record would be maintained in the future.
 The discourse by pr. Harkcr Was brief but eloquent and forcible. He spoke on the subject. The Love of God and it is no exaggeratiOn to say he handled his theme in a mas terly manner. There was striking thought on the discourse proper and there were also a number of illus tratiOns that were pertinent and con- vincing
 God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that WhOsOeVer believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life," the minister said But 1 wonder how many of us have tried to realize the actual meaning of that sublime declaration. l wonder il we have tried to think of the love of God as an all encompassng love, love for everybody, a love for all ages of the world "a an nf ba of David and Jonathan, one of the most sublime stories in the old Tes- tament-but have you ever thought that the love of God is as much great CT than that love as the Infinite is greater than the finite?
 T have in mind an incident of a fathers love. The love of father whose only son had gone from home. Day after day the father went to the railroad station to welcome his son home, but the boy did not come. Day after day, without ever losing faith, the father went to the station, and for eleven long years he trod that path. the path from his home to the depot and back again. And then at the end of eleven years, one day the boy did return and the father clasped him in his arms as he alighted from the train.
 That is a sublime illustration of the strength and endurance of human love; but the love of God for human fty is greater and more enduring even than that.
 Has any man ever measured the depth of the love of God? Has any man ever measured it's breadth or it's height.
 Gods love is as deep as the very depths of sin. It is as high as the heavens above; it is as broad as hu- manity itself. Do not forget that for our sins Christ was slain from the foundations of the world. and that Paul said God has made all nations brothers in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
 T would have you remember that every Christian may glory in the love of God. I have stood entranced at the magic of elOquence; I have sat enraptured. thrilled with the power of song divine; I have gazed in awe at the work of the artist as the picture grew beneath the delft strokes of his brush; I have watched the NOIutIo OA ildLdAC ciS N4AC 'GA4 ''"i''> in splcndor behind the western hills. when the crescent moon swept into view and the stars were hung in the infinite abyss of the universe. But greater than the glory of any or all of these is the glory of the love of God
 Tt is a law of nature that man must love something. If that love be misdirected the fires of passion may shrivel his soul. He may sink from his high estate and the finer inn pulses of his being may crumblc in the flame of selfishneSs. But en- nobled by the love of God, by the love that he bears the master of all life and his fellow men he may at tain such heights that it seems to me even the angels may envy his estate.
 And finally. what have you to offer in return for this wonderful love? There is just one thing that God requires, that you give him your heart in return; and when you have done that your soul will be flooded with the love for man and you will thus fulfill the law of life-the law of relationship between the human and the divine