The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-01-16
BIRMINGHAM AGEHERALD, MONDAY, JANUARY Is, 1922
| HIGH IDEALS URGED. BY DR. MACSPORRAN.
In Sermon, "A Difference of 0pinlon," Pastor Urges
 Better Course

Tn his sermon, "A Difference of Opinion" pr. J. A. MacSporran of the First Presbyterian church dealt with some modern problems of general and local character, advising his hearers to follow the highest ideals in life.
 "At times many wish that the birth of Christ had taken place in an age as scientifically advanced as our own" he said.
 "Then we could have caught the facts, with camera and photograph. Then the evidence would have been irresistible. But those are the lazy moments of our souls. Suppose we could see and hear In this fashion, 1t would satisfy our curiosity, but 1t would in no way help our faith, bring forth in darkened minds the fruit of God Where spiritual evil dence would not be received, neither would this. It would penetrate not deeply enough. Such evidence would never picture God. Only our spiritual faculties can perceive Him. What it really means Is we want a labor saving device for believing and con- viction. the substitution of me chanicaily produced thrill for a spir itually produced thought.
 Have you ever looked into the tired. sad, jaded faces coming forth rom a nONle IHTllIeTJ dH dulO bpCcQ contest? Their lives are geared to machines, in their work and in their recreations.
 There are those in our midst who say it will be well on Sunday after moons for those people again to ex pose themselves to these mechanical thrills. I shall always oppose 1t be- cause I love the people, because want them to have more restful lives We are overstimulated. overstrained. There are breakdowns so often in our midst. Some of us must call a halt on this machine produced stir ring and wasting of the nerves of the people.
 'In Christs great hour, when he called, Father, glorify thy namer there was some laundering rever- beration above in answer What 1t was, was the question. Some said 1t thundered'-the naturalistic explana- ton of the sound, in terms of their own dull senses. Today we have them reporting symphonies, the mur- mur of our city streets. To them these things are but noise, without heart or meaning. To them all the turmoil and upset of our world is just thunder-purely natural They miss God speaking through the thun- der and noise of the world. They hear nothing bringing a word of hope and confidence into the soul.
 But at the time of which I speak there were others present, more deli cately attuned. They heard a voice, a message, meaning. In the thun- der, for them, was word from the living God Today they, too, are with us. For them 'an angel speaks- through nature. through life: a voice that is spiritual.
 Voices That Hear
 "Through Christ comes to you the power to hear through the awful overtones, the thunder and the tumult of the universe and of life. the voice of God speaking to you. The multi tude, led by the naturalistic cult, give their own dull Interpretation 1t thun- ders.' But there are those rare souls poets and seers and artists--who penetrate deeper. They hear the voices of angels-still deeper go the Christians. To them comes voice, This Is my beloved Son. Hear Him.
 ''So. when there Is a difference of opinion, as there always will be, you follow the highest ideals-follow 1t always"