The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-06-07
NEG TAMEN CONSUMEBATUR,"
 SERMON BY DIR. MACSPORRAN

At the First Presbyterian Church Sun day morning. Dr. John A. MacSporran preached from Exodus 3:3 And Moses said, I will turn aside now and see the great sight why the bush is not burnt
 In speaking of the incident of the burn
 ing bush from which the text was taken, Dr. MacSporran said:
 What was the mystery here, the mi- raculous, supernatural thing that made Moses sure that he was looking for a special manifestation of God? It was not that the bush burned. That was nar- ural enough. But the bush burned and was not consumed. Something in that strange vision shot home to the heart O. Moses.
 "In his youth Moses had been aflame with a righteous passion, on fire with noble sympathy and a mighty purpose. But his fire was only temporary blaze, soon extinguished. Not spark remained. Look at him, in the middle age, on a lonely hillside tending sheep There was no harm in that It was an honorable work, but it was a paltry and common place one. It was not the calling for man with extraordinary gifts a man who had it in him to become lawgiver and deliverer of Gods people.
 What a grief it must be to God to see men bury themselves alive, put the di- vine fire out of their souls and content themselves with delving in their own ant hill, or becoming like sheep and raising their sons and daughters to be sheep ask ing them nothing better than to be in green pastures and beside still waters.
 No man is happy or has any right to be happy who is doing less than his best. You allow the fire of your soul to burn out because you are afraid of it. But the divine fire of the living God does not hurt or destroy. It makes men great and strong. The life of God in the soul of man is like the bush burning but never consumed.
 ''So the great message came again to Moses in the middle years. and he heard and needed and dedicated himself to the high calling of God.
 ITO the young men and women upon the altars of whose hearts the wonderful fires are blazing, you are kindled and aglow with strong hopes and tender sympathies In time your love and ambitions will become cold and conventional. for all earthly things fade and decay. But if you give yourselves to God bring the candle of your spirit to be lighted by the eternal flame, you will not burn out. You will not become disillusioned or syn ical; but will shine more and more until the perfect day
 ITO those of the middle years who are standing today where Moses stood, if you have grown cold and indifferent, if the NreS or youth nave burned out, tneI TOT you the miracle of the burning bush is repeated today. Put the shoes off your feet and reverently draw near, and the living God Himself will show you what amazing possibilities lie undeveloped and unknown in that soul of yours.
 ITO the men and women in our midst. old--yet young with youthful ardor, inter- est ,peace-the fires burn but do not burn out For this is the miracle of the Chris tian'S witness to the world. 'nec tamen consumeba tur'-burning but not con. sumed.
 May we be saved from the sin and shame of wasting our lives. May we be such burning lights that others. seeing the undying fire on the altars of our faith, be led to say, I will turn aside and see why; and find God"