"THE TR IL TO TH.;:; F rt TH7R"

"He t hu.t h t h seen Me hu.t h seen t he F...1. t her' J hn 14:9

Gilbert K. Chesterton tells a story. Is a detective story. ~uite famous people re d them. ~sc~pe mechanism; compens · tory device. There is enjoyment ritting one ' s brains against those of author.

"The Blue Cross". Central ch racter is the · ateur detective, F~ther Brmvn. ~ucharistic Con­gress to be held in London. Flambeau as expect­ed in capital - notorious criminal from Fr· nee. V · lentin, renowned detective, fails to detect him at ~ny entrance of L ndon. Valentin roams city lookinf for some clue , some oddity th· t ~ight be beginning of a tr il leading to capture Flambeau.

v~lentin has lunch in ruther noor restaurant e:md finds salt in sugar bowl. ';Taitress explains, "It must have been those two clergymen". One was tall, Flambeau; the other rather short, F~ther Brown. Tnat was first clue - on the trail.

Other clues. Evidently F ther Brown delib­er· tely leaving clues. ·:r.J.y of communication to V lentin. Signs ridiculously arranged. Br ken window in tearoom. A mysterious package. Other obvious clues. Tr il leads to Hampstead Heath -by bus and by foot, until they find two clergy­men hiding behind shrubbery. Flambeau arrested. The Blue Cross - silver with sapphire stones is safe. Says l!~ct ther Brown;

Just a story . But reminds us of greatest mystery of all: the mystery of life itself; the mystery of man; the mystery of God. I want to suggest th t a trail has been left that should lead us to God. There are clues along the trail. Just ds F ther Brown left clues along trail, so our Father, God has left clues along the trail.

- In t he In Berlin Observ tory in 1846 astronomer G· lle peering very intently through telescope. In

front of him sheet of paper on which re figured some c· lculations of French mathematician, Lev-

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errier. ~~:dthem tician had predicted on basis of observed discrepancies in orbit of Uranus, that there was an undiscovered planet farther out in solar system. Further calculated exact spot where dnd time it would appear. And there it w· s just where Leverriere said it would be.

ie live a universe of nrecision and design. Jarth traveling now at rate of 750 miles hour on own axis. Tioving also around the sun at rate of 20 miles ~e r second. Sun with all its plan­ets traveling through space at 13 miles per sec­ond. ,illd whole star system of which r-ve are a part is travelling across Milky iay at rate of 200 niles pe r second.

That wrist w tch is m~de up of billions of atoms. Universe inside watch is as complic ted and as great as star system is vast. And lJ in perfect balance; held together by 1 w and order.

1herever we touch the universe we sense a design, a pl n - there is design and order of cosmic magnitude. Dr. Cressy l~Iorrison in his book, "Man Does Not Stand Alonett, speaks of the clue of order and design in following words:

Behind creation is a trail le ding to mind and design and purpose - we call it God.

Clue G - 1. Skelet on .Lillother clue and picture . t t ne Fects t Lonely herder of sheep in

\lilderne ss of Tekoa. He journeys to Bethel in the

r,:orthern Kingdom of Israel. Golden calf set up Jeroboam still standing. Israel rich and pagan. Carefree and i~~or 1. Indicts the nation:

Tha Lord houed r .. e -Iir. self st nding beside a w..1ll ..:~. nlu.. - line in His hu.nd . .::t ern 1 said, ' runos , 1vhat do ou see? ' .\. nlurr.b - line I replied" .

Amos speak ing for a stern morality; for a moral universe; for an eternal groundwork; for justice, truth, kindness. Declaring this is a moral universe bound by mo ral law which man or nation breaks at their peril. God is a God of moral law; a God of history who has left trail in moral life of man.

These mo ral compulsions are real. lh.l. tions and empires built uron other foundations surely

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collapse - that is verdict of history. AS men have lived in harmony with the moral and spirit­ual world, they have found harmony and peace. ~: e live in a world where cosmic support is given to all moral und spiritual v~lues . Life works that way - it is the only way it will wo rk. ~le believe there is an eternal "isness" to universe. de live in a wo rld of values - no ints to Giver of Values - we call ~Um God. Second clue.

Clue :5 - On bo'""rd t he ' Dorchas t er'

Come ulong trail so far -we hu.ve God of Purpose and Design; also a God of

Moral Purpose . But are there any mo re clues? One of imperisable ep ics of last 'Var has to

do wi th story of the Four Chaplains. Remember? "Dorchester" on way to Jngland loaded with troops. Torredoed or mined. Great explosion. Ship go ing down. Four chaplains give lifebelts to four men. I knew George Fox. Others here knew Clark Poling. Why did they do it?

Unselfishness.! Sel f-sacrifice. ·~Je rise in admiration. Because we recognise there was some­thing divine in the heroic act. • divine quality linking humanity to God. It was a divine thing to do. In other wo rds, there is something beyond man to which man can give himself in utter self-giving.

It is the magnificent story of men who died that others might live. It dazzles our hed. rts. ·.1e s ee life and humanity at its best in such an act. , e somehow know there is a correspondence between those men and God. ·.:e say, God is like that! For God must at least pos sess those same ualities which inhere in the finest acts of His own creation ·1e say God must be like that - nothing less.

Clue 4 - The Cross Yet another clue to the trail. There is Hampstead Heath the great disclosure and the ult­

imate evidence. In Chesterton's story the trail led to a cross - lue Cross; silver and flashing sapphi res. So our spiritual trail leads to the Cross - rugged, painful, redemptive, on Calv· ry.

Je hdve been climbing. First we came to a clearing where we got a clue of God of Design . \ e

also came to see He was a moral God. Now we come to the end of the trail - there is the last marker - a Cross. Have no time to go into the­ological implications and theories of the Cross - enough to say this: Long ago there lived Han who gave His life freely and willingly upon a Cross, in order that He might reveal God to us - a God of love, redemptive love.

vfhen men a.sk, ' v/hat is God like?' we point to tho.t strange md.ll upon the Cross. '.'le say, He is like thi:it. . e remember th· t Jesus Hinself said, He that h<:ith seen .~e h<:ith seen the Father. God is like thdt -God is like Jesus. Gos w s in Jesus reconciling world unto Himself. ·

Thdt is where the trail ends - at a Cross.

This is the trail thdt lea.ds to God the F· ther. You do not ha.ve to t~e this trail. You may take other tra.ils. ·rhe tra.il of mt1terialism. But if you do go down road of materialism don ' t take something with you tha.t has no right there.

If you ct re going to be honest you must lea.ve many things behind. You must leu.ve the concept of a purposive universe. Lust leave the idea of universe supported by ete.nndl l<:iw. Eust leave prayer behind - for prayer pre-supposes an answering God. r:ust leave Christ behind d11 d <:ill He stdnds for . . or Se i the crowning revel­ation of God the Father.

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fln Untrovlbled Heart '

T HAT we live in a troubled world no one disputes: ·-. _ _ ..

, ~ - , :rhat there is, or can be, such.a thing as an untrouble.d

. heart will be questioned by many. The troubles of

the world have multiplied. They touch the lives of all. And

whose heart can remain at peace when all about us is the

troubled world?

It was Jesus who said, "Let not your heart be troubled."

He said it to His followers during one of the most confusing

and anxious days of their lives. He said it during a peculiarly

troubled period in hist0ry, when His own people were both

oppressed and distressed.

The words of Jesus do not mean that His follower may

expect to escape the hardships, the difficulties, the harshness

and hostility of the world. They do mean that he need

not let himself be unduly disturbed and worried by them.

They do mean that he should live on a higher plane, where

trust in God replaces fear of men and the future, where calm

confidence in a loving Savior brings security and so dispels

anxiety and disquietude.

"Peace on earth, good will toward men" sang the angels.

Assured of God's love and active good will, man commits

himself in all things to His fatherly care and controL That

brings peace to His heart. Cares are driven out. His heart

is untroubled, because Christ is there.

A. P. H. No . 8124 L;tho ;n U.S.A .

ear not_JOrbehotJ, 1 bri119 ~ou 9~~6 ti6i~s ~{ <lrr~atJo~~

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FREMONT STREET METHODIST CHURCH Gloversville, New York

December 26, 1948

ORDER OF' MORNING WORSHIP

ORGAN - "Behold, a Rose is Blooming" Brahms CALL TO WOR~HIP - By the minister HYMN 119 - "Brightest and best" Morning Star

Minister: The Lord be with you. People: And with thy spirit.

Minister: Lift up your hearts~ People: We lift them up unto the Lord.

Minister: Let us give thanks unto the Lo-rd, People: It is meet and right so to do.

DOXOLOGY - "Praise God from whom. all blessings flow"

* RESPONSIVE READING - 51st Sunday • page 621 GLORli~ Pl,.TRI : : APOSTLES' CREED SCRIPTURE LESSON - John 14:1-12 JJJTHEM - "Jesus. Jesus. Rest Your Head"

Double Quartet Niles-Worrell

Pl>.STOR.t~L PRAYER :: LORD'S PR;~YER OFFERTORY ANTHEM - "Shepherds' Christmas

Double Quartet PRESENT/.TJO}'f OF TITHES l~.ND OFFERBTGS HYMN 111 - ''Faire.st Lord Jes~s" SERMON - "THE TRAIL TO '!'HE Ff.THER'f HYMN 113 - "We would S·ee Jesus" BENEDICTION :: CHOIU.L :.1...TEN

Song" :neima.nn­Dickinson

Crusaders' Hymn

ORGJ.N - ~~~~rche Romai.ne"

Rev. Fred Clarke, Minister Miss Gloria Iacone, Minister of Music

~~s . Hnrvey Connor, Minister's .J.ssistant Mrs . Keith Gifford, Church Secretary

Mr. Lewis Cunning, Sexton

WE WELC01ffi ALL OUR VISITORS THIS DAY

cushman Danish Gounod

10:30 10:30 11:45 6:00

CALENTJ A.h ,~· t": 'J'ODA Y

Morning Worship - Sur"day a.fte ~ c:,ristmas. Children's Division of the Chur:)h St""\hn0]. Youth and Adult Division s of the Chu!ch School. Methodist Youth Fellowship . Christmas Supper.

Altar flowers are given by the Laure l Band in memory of deceased members.

THROUGH THE WEEK .\.T FHE~101-IT

7:30 Boy Scouts meet in the church. Clyde Robbins is the scoutmaster.

~· ~ Holiday Dinner for college students. Mrs. Roy Berner is the l eader in student work in our W .s .c .s ••

VffiD. 7:30 Mid-week Service with the minister lead­ing. You ar e cordi~lly invited the last mid-week service of the year 1948. Come and seek Godts blessing for the New Year.

THURS.~ Fremont Choir r ehearsal.

S.J.CRhMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION will be observed in this church next Sunday. There will also be r eception of new members. Those desirous of joining our fe llow~hip are requested to sp e:ak to tho minister inuncd].at e ly.

We wish to express thanks to all who helped make our Christmas celebration at Fremont so joyous and so sig­nificdnt. And now we take this opportunity to wish you and yours a Happy and Blessed New Year.

Sto.rt the New Year with the UPPK~ ROOM. This useful devotiono.l booklet for Jo.nuary-Februo.ry :rno.y be found in the upper hallway of the church. Tc.. kc one for o. r ela­tive or friend. The cost is nomina l - five c ents.

We welcome all those who u t· e hom0 for the holiday. We nsk them to r emain for a .few minutes o. ft cr the servic e in ordE;Jr to exohang" gr r;ct~_ngc;.