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Show REV. BASSWEILER'S SUNDAY SERMON Two impressive sermons were given giv-en by Rer. G. F. Rassweiler yesterday yester-day in the First Methodist church TUe subject of the morning sermon was "The Spirit of Thanksgiv ing" aud in addition the congregation was given pleasure by Miss Iris Malone, who rendered several colos. Miss Kosamona iatrn was tne soloist solo-ist at the evening meeting and the bubject of Rev. Kassweiler's sermon was "A Foolish Exchange." He took as bis text the linos from Matthew 18:26, "For what Is a man profited if he gain the whole world and lose his own life or lose himself" "Or, what shall a man give in exchange for his life " In part, he said "What Bhall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose himself him-self That Is like siivinp what shall it profit a hungry man if he gather nil the good thlnss to eat possible but lose his digestion1 Or what shall it ptofit r.n artist to gather all the masterpiece into his studio and los-his los-his eyesight' Or what shall it profit a musician to assemble the greatest of orchestras to plaj for him and 'hen lose his hearing'1 "So it is with many men who in the mad race for wealth lose the I ewer to enjoy the use of wealth It is eiJd that many rich men spend half their life earning money and iofin: health and the other half spending their money to regain health. And how many lose the sense Oj the beautiful, the true, the Ideal? Their ronaclences grow- bo hard of heart as to lose the power of trm-iu friendship The larger their purse Ihe smaller ofttimes grows their ImoHn finrl u vm Hil t h ies fhc nsiTf.n.Arl their horizon, the irmiY- impoverished their souls. It need not be so, but It will be so when wealth is won at the cost of principle or brotherhood brother-hood or the time iie'-df-d for the culture cul-ture of the spiritual and intellectual and arUstlc. "How many men sain the pleasures of the world at tho cost of their touls ' A lad at one time saw floating float-ing down the Niagara rapids a gluut eagle which had boon feeding upon a lamh frozen to an ice floe, but as be ate his wings froze fast to the ice to that when he approached the aw- ful leap of the falls he could not disengage dis-engage himself. How many a devotee de-votee of pleasure has los', liberty of soul and has been drawn down and swept along to destruction? What shall it profit a man if he gain all the pleasures of the world and lose him self? "How foolish to exchange eternal values for temporal gain. Of how great value is the 60ul? Bring together to-gether all the gold of the mines and the treasured store of the mints, yes. if all the Himalayas were solid gold, put them into the scales against your foul and they would be aa light as a feather. Think of the eternities be-tore be-tore us. What is the gain of these few years to be compared to it? Yet how many are like the victim that used to be chosen for sacrifice to the gods of the ancient Aztecs the fairest and most promising youth of the realm. For a year he was feasted feast-ed and at last amidst the acclaim of the people and decked in garlands and Jewels he was led to the altar to be slain "Who would exchange his life for that sort ear of feasting "What shall we rive in exchange for our souls0 What things of earthly earth-ly gain will pass current in the realm of the spirit? Gather together your heaps of gold or your galaxy of flaming flam-ing gems, or your machinery of industry, in-dustry, and take them to the gates of life and offer them in exchange for vour soul that yr)u might redeem it, and you will bo told, "Thefie things : are of no value in the realm of the j soul.' Or bring your works of charity, char-ity, your religious tasks and faithful labors, your hospitals built and your orphanages erected and offer them as a ransom for your oul. But these for sin cannot atone Christ must save and He alone." The Epworth league was addressed j in the evening by Professor W L Underwood, hia subject being "The Life of William Taylor" |
