The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-03-26
Bishop George W. Peterkin's Last Sermon

feet and light unto my path" ant
the praise OF the ThesHalonianS wal
that they received the word OF Cod
which st. Paul Dreached-not as thu
word OF mtn. but as 1t was In truth
the word OF God.
Though this word comes through
human lips, 1t does not consist OF hui
man SpeculatiOns on religious sub
JcCtS, hut II Is a distinct revelation Oi
Gods nature and Gods will II car
rIcs authority with 1t. for though a
word OF grace, II Is also Il word oil
command.
Those who hear this word can never
In the matter Of responsibility. he rs
though they had not heard IL. They
are like persons upon whom an officer
Of the court has served process Oi
law, in that 1t must be answered. II
Is not simply admiration and respect
this word demands hui rather ll Il
hearty belief in Its truth. 81 an hum
bio submission 10 Its authority. and
CD glad yielding 10 its influence
and those who come short OF this. fail
To receive It. as II Is indeed. the word
OF the living God. The word OF God
Is meant not only to inform, but to
guido and dircct--It Is the word 0f our
Sovereign and our Father. and how
ever fully we may know 1t, we cannot
he happy unless we do il.
II Is no part OF my intention today TO
culOgi2e the Bible. that everybody is
ready 10 do. but rather to ask you
every one. what use you are making
OF II? Have you any plan by which
you hope 10 mako yourself better ac-
quainted with 1t. and give it greater
influence In your lives Have you ever
thought about this. and desired 1t. and
labOrcd for 1t? DO you hHhitually and
naturally 20 tn IL for guidance and
direction: or Is It practically n sealed
hOOlE-a sealed book because yOH read
II so little nn4 so carelcssIy? M doubt
II enjoys high praise. hut with all this.
after all the praise You give II. does II
not too often command hut mini
mum Of time and thought. and so can
have hui little. IL any. direct Influence
on the conduct Of life. and the for
nation of character.
DO not days and even weeks, and
longer periods OF time pass without
your reading nttentlvely even so much
as one chapter? Follow utthls line
OF thought, and II Is amazing what
little use appears to be made Of Gods
word, even within the circle OF its
acceptance,
1t has always been the desire Of
earnest souis=to= see=God, RHd=yet=nn
man hath seen or can SEE Him. for He
lwells in light unapproachable. But
s0nIe one asks, what Ia the rOmpensa-
lion of Gods sustained and systematic
nvisibllity. and the answer is 'tReve-
Iation." Yes. God has made the Bible
supply the place of open vision. and
1t His representative in a
world where He does not show Him
self by this open vision that men have
so much desired. What then must be
not only the exccllency. hut, what !
am more insisting upon today, the au-
thority nj hook which compensates
for the invIsibIlity Of God?
To this word He has committed the
of His character and
the PRONUNCIATION of His will in this
world. Our blessed Lord tells us that
I is eternal life to know God and His
Son. Jesus Christ. and we are to know
iod through his word. This word is
appointed to do and does do what
could not perform better.
No! not were they to take their stand
nightly upon the nearest star, and
speak down to the listening earth. Just
hlnk of 1t! that God who had an
infinite variety of ways in which to
'eyeal Himself to lis, fixed upon this
simple form of written message as
he best, Certainly then 1t Is our part
With reverence to hear and with glad
less to obey.
am not today so much setting forth
he grace of his word, as insisting
lnon Its authority. 1t Is the revelation
VI Gods will to us. Iawgivers publish
heir acts, that the people may know
heir duty. and SO the very giving of
iod's word imposes upon lis the SOL