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Show oo METHODIST Rev. Christian R. Garver of tbe Methodist Meth-odist Episcopal church preached Sunri ir morning from the fallowing theme. "On the Threshold." fslng; for his text the following taken from the eiphty-ronrtli Psalm. "For a day In Thy court Is better than a thousand. I lmd rather be :i dcorki.'i per In the hou30 of my God thou to dwell In the tents of wickedness.' Literally Interpreted our text means Just this: "I would rather lie on the three It-hold," It-hold," rather fill the lowest place and execute the meanest office In God'a hoQSS than be the greatest and happiest of those found elsewhere We sometlmcr. say: " t have only a Utile religion, but 1 would not part with it for all the world." Thu Is substantially whnt David says in our text. The doorkeeper represents the least BlOriotlS and lh least powerful member of the congregation but even he Is moie Influential than flio richest and lh greatest of the children of ungodlineij". The Ultimate power In the universe is the power of righteous mind, the power nf j righteous character; and h who posesses ! those In the most modest degree Is mys- i I terioii6ly noble and efficient: Worldly I : men act at thr- outer circle of things. 1 whilst the spiritual man lives at the cen ter where tho ,e-rot springs are found. The mopt Inferior human being possess-la? possess-la? Intelligence and language, is grafiT than the highest animal that has not developed de-veloped hryond the brute force and Instinct. In-stinct. The very doorkeeper belongs to a higher order of things The doorkeeper represents the least rifted of the children of spiritual wisdom. wis-dom. The scribe Is Instructed in the law. the priest's lips Uii-f, knowledge the prophet ha? the light, but the dooriteepr on the threshold catches onh the d!n. gleams of the ultar. the dying whispers of the oracle Yet David holds that Ihe knowledge of the spiritual man, n ! when possessed In an inferior degree, is prerious beyond rubles. Let us put intel-jectual intel-jectual gifts very high- but the greatest Intellectual prince that knows not God and all thnt God means Is Icfs than the least of thlse who know God and loo him t Communion with God. however faint, faith in promises, however feoble. a sense Of infinite truth and love, however dull, and a glimpse of heaven, however dim. gIVei us a satisfaction beyond all gratlft- i cation of time and sense. The most brief life of goodness Is better than the longest life of worldliness "One day In Thy courts la better than a thousand'' elsewhere. else-where. When Llzlo, an Italian was told i of the death of his dissipated son, he replied: It was no news to me; be never was alive." A life" destitute of the splr-Itlial splr-Itlial element is not truly a life t all. ! To live la to feel the spirit In eontaet with God. to be filled with His light, to "lie thrilled with His Joy, to be wui-med with His love and to he satisfied with His likeness. We stand on the threshold of another year. It us truly live this year putting first things first. Men are proud to Ol- I tain high honor In secular life. Let us be proud to serve in the church Anv office In the church of God, ought to be greatly esteemed. "Only to stand on the threshold, Ah, this were heaven to me, After the dreury desert, After the wintry sea; But I hear Hlpi call ma higher. In accents low and sweet I shall not stand on the threshold but sit at the UaSteHa feel." |
