South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-02-20
MANS QUEST AFTER
GOD Is THE M E OF
GARDINER SERMON
Pastor Bases Talk on Word of
Job, 20 That Knew Where
/ Might Find Him.

At the 81. PauTs Methodist Epis-
copal church last evening DR.. James
l.. Gardiner spoke on tho subject.
Mans Quest After God" the ser
mon being based on the words OF
Job. 30 that I knew where 7 might
find Him" The Mems chorus rend-
cred special music and Mrs. r. NJ.
Hutchinson sang. The Plains Of
Peace"
Dr. Gardiner said IN part. Job
was one or earth's saints. who lived
in the early twilight Of Gods revela-
ton to man. Saints then as now
did not escape afhiction. Job was
soreiy troubled He was wealthy
but he lost his wealth. He had q
( beautiful family but he lost them
one by one. He was strong and ro-
/ bust but he lost his health. lie had
wife and friends but he lost their
sympathy ard love.
The heart Of the great Job Is
broken To whom can he now fee
for comfort? Who can now heal his
broken heart? who now can satisfy
his soul and bring peace TO his
alone. Job, Gods saint grasped
this truth Hence turning away
from human help he raised the cry
which through all ages. has been
the cry OF man, @ that I knew
where L might find Him?
This then is the cry Of man
everywhere. There is no one who
can satisfy the warnings of man at
his highest and best but God There
is no one but the Divine who can
bring comfort and peace 10 mans
soul There is no substitute for
God. Wealthy, amusement, learn
ing, fame. glory, pleasure-these
will not take the place of Him.
/ Nothing can take the place OF a per-
sonal finding Of God. Sooner or
I later the cry Of every man viii be
( the CRY long ago uttered by Job in
the hour OF his great affiiction. %
that ! knew where I might find
God
And what let me ask is the char
acter OF that God. who alone can
satisfy man? If YOU turn to the
Bible. the greatest book that las
ever been written on the subject OF
religion, you will ind the character
of God clearly set forth.
"The God we are seeking Is a
| personal God. The highest life
known to our consciousness is per-
sonal. How then shall We speak
and think OF God? Shall we when
/ speaking of God, say lie or It?'
The Bible answers that question. II
teaches US that God is not an it or
even some First Cause He is a
/ distinct personality. He is the Gre
ator OF tho world. The opening
words Of this book declare, In the
beginning God created the heaven
and the earth
THE old Hebrew prophet was a
man of great vision He had a vision
of the burning bush and Of n ladder
which reached from earth TO heav-
On but the greatest vision he had
was a vision of God as divine per-
sonality. This truth is al the very
/ heart Of the Bible. Hence L hold
/ that the conception OF the person.
aiity OF God is one of the greatest
| fundamentals Of our holy religion.
The God OF the Bible is a living
Cod Paul said. We trust in a liv-
/ ing God. IL is much easier 20 be-
lieve in an historic God than in a
/ God who is vital i'm the lives Of men
| today. II is much easier to believe
I i'm a God Of the past than a God Of
/ the present. IL is much easier 20
/ believe that God was with Moses
than that He is with US today. But
such a belief. that God IS 6 living
/ factor I'm the world today. is neCes-
sary 20 vital faith.
THE God men need today-the
God that men are crying out for
is God who stands in relation Of
/ Father to this world of men and
women. IL is true that God is the
| creator Of this world Il is true
I that He is the moral governor OF
/ the universe but the greatest fact
about God is this. He is our Father.
+ Ii was Jesus who taught men every
Z where 20 look up into the face OF
+ the Divine and pray, our Father,
who art I'm Heaven.
The great need OF humans every
where Is TO ind the God, who - a
+ living personal being and who is the
/ Father Of us all. God grant that We
may al find and know Him. whom
f 70 know is life eternal