"THE SKIRTS OF HIS WAYS"

"THESE ARE BUT THE SKIRTS OF HIS WAYS. 11 JOB 26:14 11 SHE TOUCHED THE HEM 0 F HLS GARMENT 11

• LUKE 8: 44

ROBERT FROST'S LATEST POEM WAS PUBLISHED 0~ MARCH 26, BEING THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF BIRTHDAY. ENTITLED 11 A MASQUE OF REASON". CALLS I.T A MASQUE FOR THE SIMPLE REASON THAT IT ISlf' T ONE. AND AS JUR REASON, WELL IT SEEMS TO BE A FLEA FOR REASON OVER AGAINST FAITH. THE POEM IS BASED ON THE BOOK OF JOB.

USES GREAT IMAGINATION. PICTURES DEVIL AS A SAPPHIRE WASP WITH MICA WINGS. {SO WON'T RUN RISK OF SINGEING). IMPIOUSLY HE PICTURES GOD EMERGING FROM BURNING BUSH AND PITCHING A COLLAPSIBLE FLY­WOOD THRONE. HE HAS JOB, JOB 1 S WIFE, THE DEVIL AND GOD, QUOTING SHAKESPERE, EMERSON AND BROWNING AT EACH OTHER. AN LNTRIGUING AND INTERESTING SITUA­TION TO SAY THE LEAST.

WHEN GOD IS ASKED THE REASON FOR HIS TREAT­MENT OF JOB, HE GIVES A COMPLEX THEOLOGICAL ANSWER BUT EVEN'llUALLY GOD CONFESSES THAT WHAT REALLY MOT­IVATED HIM WAS HIS DESIRE TO SHOW OFF BEFORE SATAN GOES BACK TO 'l'HAT DIALOGUE LN FIRST CHAPTER. JOB:' WIFE IS THE OUTSTANDING CHARACTER IN THE FLAY. WE HAVE NEVER DONE JUSTICE TO HER. IN THE END SHE HAS THIS TO SAY - "YOU WON'T GET ANY ANSWERS OUT OF GOm". AND A'l? THE CLOSE OF THE PLAY SHE IS ENGAGED IN POSING GOD, JOB AND THE DEVIL FOR A c:ANDI D CAM­ERA SHOT. SHE REALIZES THESE THREE" ARE RELATED -GOD THE CREATOR, JOB THE CREATURE, AND FAC:T OF SU FERI.NG AND EVIL .• THERE IS NO REASON - MYSTERY.

THE MYSTERY O.i' GOD OF COURSE, SHE IS SAYING 'FHE AND OF LIFE SAME THING AS JOB SAID. "WHY

HAW THESE T·HINGS COME TO BE? HOME IN RUINS. FAMI.LY GONE~

HEALTH BROKEN. FIELDS PAROHED. BONES OF CATTLE. ON HILLSIDE. WHY ALL THIS? AND WHY ALL. THIS TO ME". IN THE FACE OF THESE HARD AND MYSTERIOUS FACTS HE CRIES, "THESE ARE BUT THE SKIRTS OF HIS WAYS.

11

IN THESE WORDS BY JOB IS AN EVIDENT FACT. GOD IS A MYSTERY - GOD TO A LARGE DEGREE IS UNKNOWN.

~ "AS WIDER SKIES BROKE ON HIS VIEW, GOD GREATENED TO HIS GROWING MIND; EACH YEAR HE DREAMED HIS GOD ANEW, AND LEFT HIS OLDER GOD BEHIND.

HE SAW THE BOUNDLESS SCHEME DILATE, IN STAR AND BLOSSOM, SKY AND CLOD; AND AS THE UNIVERSE GREW GREAT, HE DREAMED FOR IT A . GRE.I\TER GOD • "

Union Service and Sacred Concert Under the auspices of the Gloversville Council of Churches

FREMONT STREET METHODIST CHURCH GLOVERSVILLE, NEW YORK

Sunaay, January 21, 1945 seven o'clock

UNION COLLEGE GLEE CLUB DR. ELMER A. TIDMARSH, Director

ORGAN PRELUDE- "Priere a Notre Dame" ------··-·-------------·---·------·--· -----------·--Boellmann

CALL TO WORSHIP- By the Minister

HYMN 496- "God of Our Fathers, Whose Almighty Hand " ----·-------·-····-··----··--···Warren

THE INVOCATION

* GROUP I.- The Glee Club

1. "Trust In the Lord" ··------·-·····-·····-····-----···········---··········-·------········--···-······.Handel 2. ''Where'er You Walk' ' --- ··············--------·-···-·····-··----··-······-·--·---······---------···---Handel 3. ''Hallelujah Amen'' ·······-·--·-···--·······-----·--···--······--·-··-·········--·-··-·····----·····-·-·.Handel

* SCRIPTURE LESSON- Psalm 150

* GROUP II. -The Glee Club

1. ··o Holy Night'' ·-·----···········------··· ·-·----·---········-··-·--·-·······-·-··--·····---·--·········--AdamJ Soloist- William L. Lasser

2. "Grant Us to Do With Zeal" -·-····-·--------·-······-----·········-·------···-·· -·------·-·········--Bach

3. "While By My Sheep" ·········---------·· ·····-·--·--······· -·---··-· ··-·· -··----··-·······17th Century

OFFERTORY- "Meditation" from "Thais'' ·-----········-···---·-··-·····-·---------·····-··---·······Massanet Violin Soloist- Richard McAlpine

HYMN 480- "0 Master of the Waking World" ·-·-····-····------·-··-···--·····-·······-----····-·-·Dykes

GROUP III. The Glee Club

1. "Morning'' ··-----·--·-······----··-···-····--··-····-····-·-----·-····-··------·-·······-----·-······----·-·····Speaks 2. ''Secrets'' ··· ····-------··---··-···-------··· ·······------···· · ··-------·········----·-······-~----·--·······-------Smith 3. "0 Fount of Love Eternal" ···-···----·······-·-------········---···-········-·-········----·-·····Wagner 4. "On Great Lone Hills" ·---··-----·-·· ··-------········---·--··--··-···-----·-·-······-·--·-·········· .Sibelius 5. "Battle Hymn of the Republic" ··--·--·-······-··-------········--·---·······---------·-······-·---Steffe

HYMN 54- "The Day Thou Gavest, Lord Is Ended" ·-----· ··· ···------·- · ····-~-------·---.Scholefield

BENEDICTION

ORGAN POSTLUDE- "A Sweeter Song" --·-·····-·---·--·· ·-·····--··-----.V anD enman T hompsotl

* Interval for Ushering

Rev. Fred Clarke, Presiding Minister

Miss Dorothy E. Mellick, Organist

~D

PRESENCE NEAR. I ALMOST HEARD A VOICE SAYING "TAKE THY SHOES FROM OFF THY FEET FOR THE PLACE WHEREON THOU STANDEST IS HOLY GROUND", l SHALL NEVER FOR-GET. GOD WAS THERE. {!.;e gy~/w- ~A4-uf .

SAME THING dAN HAPPEN TO US IN CHURCH. WE ARE PERMITTED TO FEEL RIM VERY NEAR. NOT ABLE TO FEEL GOD'S PRESENCE IN EVERY MEAL BUT HAVE SENSED HIM IN THE BREAKING OF BREAD AND THE POURING OF WINE AT THE TA-BLE OF THE LORD. WE WERE PERMITTED TO TOUCH ·THE HEM OF THE GARMENT - AND WE FOUND HEALING.

THE TOTAL LIFE OF JESUS OF COURSE IS A COMMENT ARY UPON ALL THIS - IT WAS GOD REVEALING HIMSELF IN SUCH A WAY THAT MEN COULD VERILY TOUOH THE HEM OF HIS GARMEN'l? • SO JOHN SAYS IN HIS PROLOGUE; 11THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US AND WE BE-HELD HIS GLORY". THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH. TO BE SEEN AND TOUCHED! AND IN THE TOUCHING WE TOUCH GOD.

FACED BY ALL THE MYSTERY OF LIFE, AND ALL THE SUFFERING, AND ALL THE QUESTIONS, IT IS IN CHRIST THAT WE HAVE THE ANSWER. WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO FIND GOD EVERYWHERE - THAT IS NOT ALWAY-s EASY. THERE ARE SOME ROOMS OF LIFE WHERE I:T IS HARD TO FIND GOD -SOME EXPERIENCES IN WHICH WE FIND IT HARD TO .o.~:J.&o~J.J:J IN GOD AT ALL. BUT, THERE IS ONE PLACE WHERE WE CAN ALWAYS FIND HIM - AT THE PLACE WHERE THEY CRUCIFIED HIM. GOD WAS THERE - IN A VERY REAL SENSE, GOD SUFFERED THERE • THERE , WE MAY TAKE HOLD OF THE MENT OF GOP.

WELL, THERE SHE WAS - SLOWLY EDGING HER WAY TO CENTER OF CROWD. SOMEONE SAYS "SUPERSTITION!" BUT ALL THE TIME SHE IS GETTING NEARER AND NEARER. A'f. LAST SHE FALLS FORWARD, STRETCHES OUT HER THIN FIN­GERS, TREMBLING FINGERS, AND TOUC.HES THE FRINGE. AND AT THAT MOMENT, THE POWER, VIRTUE AND PEACE OF JESUS FLOWED INTO HER LIFE AND SHE WAS ·HEALED.

11 SHE ONLY TOUCHED THE HEM OF HIS GARMENT AS TO HIS SIDE SHE STOLE; AMIDST THE CROWD THAT GATHERED AROUN» HIM, AND STRAITWAY SHE WAS WHOLE • 0 TOUCH THE HEM 0~ HIS GARMENT, AND THOU TOO SHALT BE FREE, HIS SAVING POWER, THIS VERY HOUR, SHALL oRING NEW LIFE TO THEE."

-3-THE INTIMACY OF GOD AND NOW FOR A VERSE FROM NEW

TESTAMENT - LUKE 8:44. "SHE TOUCHED THE HEM OF HIS SKIRT"

AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF MYSTERY AND AWE I ViOULD PLAC'E THIS INCIDENT Oi' HEALING INTIMACY. THE STORY WELL. KNOWN. POOR WOMAN HEALED BECAUSE SHE HAD COUR­AGE AND FAITH TO PRESS ~ORWARD AND TOUCH FRINGE OF JESUS' .ROBE. AND OF COURSE, HE~ WE HAVE THE OTHER ASPEC:T OF RELIGION. THE .FIRST EXPRESSED BY JOB IS THAT Oil HOLY FEAR; HERE WE HAVE HEALING INT IMAClY. POINT IS, THERE IS A HEM, A FRINGE UPON WHICH WE CAN PLACE OUR FINGERS. NOTWITHSTANDING ALL I HAVE SAID ABOUT THE MYSTERY Oil GOD, AND THERE IS GREAT MYSTERY, WE ARE ABLE TO TOUCH GOD THROUGHT SIMPLE TRUST - JUST LIKE THIS POOR WOMAN THAT DAY.

THROUGH VARIOUS CHANNELS WE MAY STRETCH FORTH A HANU AND TOUCH THE HEM OF THE GARMENT AND FIND HEALING. I THINK OF :PEOPLE TO WHOJ.f PRAYER IS A REAL AND VITAL THING. NOT JUST THE SAYING OF WORDS BUT A TOUCHING OF THE HEM OF GOD'S GARMENT. UNBURDENING THEIR HEARTS TO THE FATHER; LIFTING TEAR-STAINED FACES TO LIGHT OF HIS COUNTENANCE. TAKING HOLD OF GOD 'S GARMENT WITH i'IRM GRIP • NOT THAT CAN SES ALL 017 THAT GARMENT - MUCH OF IT IS VEILED IN MYSTERY: BUT THEY KNOW ENOUGH OF THE BEAUTIFUL GARMENT OF POWER AND MAJESTY TO ~IND HEALING AND REST. TOUCH HilC IN LIFE'S THRONG AND PRESS AND THEY ARE WHOLE AGAIN.

DR. EDGAR BROWN. BROTHER WHEATON ~AS SlllK AND THE PASTOR diLLED AND MADE THIS BRIEF PRAYER. "NOW LORD, THOU KNOWEST WE tRE IN A HURRY. THOU ALSO KNOWEST BROTHER WHEATON. IS A SICK MAN. THOU KNOW-EST ALSO 0 LORD THAT BE 'S A GOOD MAN". HE ' S DONE A LOT OF WORK FOR THEE LORD AND THE CHURCH. IP THOU CANST D.O AUGHT FOR BROTHER WHEATON, LORD, THEN DO IT! AMEN. 11 VERILY HE TOUCHED THE HEM OF GARMENT.

i'LO, GOD IS HERE! 11 THERE ARE PLACES IN OUR EXPERI­ENCE WHERE WE ARE SURE WE HAVE TOUCHED THE SKIRT OF HIS WAYS.

BY THE SIDE OF A LAKE WITH THE EVENING SUN SETTING IN ITS CRIMSON GLORY IN THE WEST - AND GOD FELT . SO NEAR. SO THAT WE ARE ABLE TO SAY, "WELL I !rAY NOT BE ABLE TO SENSE GOD EVERYWHERE IN THE UNIVERSE: BUT AT LEAST I KNOW GOD WAS THERE - I FELT HIS VERY

-2-Jfr--yo 8't.+'I~A/

ALL KNOWLEDGE BUT LEADS TO GREATER IGNORANCE f THE MORE WE PURSUE KNOWLEDGE THE MORE CONSCIOUS WE BE­COME OF OUR OWN IGNORANCE. WE TOUCH BUT THE SKIRT OF HIS WAYS - THE :FRINGE OF HIS GARMENT. CAN SEE ABOUT 7000 STARS WITH NAKED EYE. BUT AS WE LOOK THROUGH TELESCOPE THE NUMBER AND THE WONDER GROWS. BUT BACK OF ALL THAT IS 'l'HE INFINITE AND UNSEEN. WE TRY TO DRAW A CIRCLE AROUND LIFE AND ARE LEFT WITH THE PROBLEM OF WHAT IS BEYOND THE CIRCLE. THE PSALMIST SAYS "THE HEAVEN DECLARE THE GLORY OF 0010 - BUT NOT ALL THE GLORY. THESE ARE BUT THE SKIRTS OF HIS WAYS - THE FRINGE OF HIS GARMENT. if-

AWED NOT ONLY BY SIZE OF TREMENOOUS UNIVERSE, BOT BY FACT OF PERSONALITY. IMMANUEL KANT SPEAKS OF "THE STARRY FIRMAMENT WITHOUT AND THE MORAL LAW WITHIN.". THIS THING WE CALL MORAL LAW - WHERE DID IT COME FROM? THIS THAT SEPARATES US FROM REST OF BRUTE CREATION, THI.S THlNG THAT IS UNIVERSAL WITH MAN - THAT TOO IS VEILED IN MYSTERY. WE MAY KNOW SOME'l'HING OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT MORAL SEN'SE -BUT Of r:rs ORIGIN WE KNOW NOTHING. THE ORIGIN OF THAT STILL SMALL VOICE, THAT OAN FILL US WITH SONG OR DISCORD, IS BEYOND OUR KNOWLEDGE. ORIGINS ARE HIDDEN IN THE THOUGHT OF GOD. WE KNOW MUCH - BUT BEYOND OUR KNOWLEDGE LIES MYSTERY THAT FINITE MIND aANMO~ GRASP. WE TOUCH BUT THE SKIRTS OF HIS WAYS.

THEOLOGIANS AND PREACHERS TRY TO CONFINE GOD WITHIN SOME FORMULA OR CONCEPT BUT NONE IS LARGE ENOUGH TO HOLD HIM. HE REFUSES TO STAY IN OUR CAT­EGORIES - THESE ARE BUT ·THE FRINGE OF HIS GARMENT. GOD lS GREATER THAN WE THINK. DR. ADAM BURNET'S ~ERIENCE. STANDING ONE EVENING NOT FAR FROM ~ALL

SPIRE OF VILLAGE CHURCH. FIRING DIED DOWN. SET SUN. SUDDENL'r LONE SHELL CAME SCREAMING. TOP HALF OF TOWER BLOWN APART. OOVEY OF BIRDS NESTING THERE ROSE SLOWLY !LBOVE THE SMOKE, HOVERED FOR MOMENT AND THEN SETTLED QUIETLY BACK. SEEMED TO HIM LIKE THE GREATNESS OF GOD LIFTING OVER THE RUIN AND THE PAIN AND THEN SETTLING DOWN AFTER MEN HAD DO~~ THEIR WORST, NESTING AGAIN CLOSE TO THE EARTH. GOD IS GREATER THAN WE THOUGHT. ABOVE ALL THHI CLAMOR AND PAnt GOD IS WAITING TO SETTLE DOWN ON THIS BE­WILDERED WORLD WITH HIS PEACE.

- GOD IS A MYSTERY. AND JOB RECOGNIZES THAT TERY AND MAJESTY AND TRANSCENDENT POWER . • LISTEN TO HIS WORDS: "WHEN I FOUNDED THE EARTH, WHERE YOU THEN .••• " JOB 38. BUT THE SKIRTS OF HIS WAYS.

/1rS4-t.-~ IT~- '106/ ~~It; br(f)c-vt~l- A£~ MtP0fw

HE WENT Prominently displayed in the street cars of a large city is a

poster made attractive by the reproduction of a stained glass

window in color. In bold letters the poster bears this legend:

"Go to the church of your choice this Sunday."

Through the week sad people and glad people, old people

and young people, thousands of them, see it and read. No

doubt many of these go to church regularly. Others perhaps

ask with a shrug, "Why should I go to ·church? It means

nothing to me. It has nothing to give me."

One person who read the poster went to church. He lis­

tened to the sermon and the reading of the Holy Scriptures.

He joined in the singing of the hymns, in the prayers. Re­

turning home there ·continued to ring in his ears the reassur­

ing phrases of a hymn sung with fervor and confidence. That

alone had made church attendance very much worth while.

It supplied the answer to the question, "Why should I go to

church?"

The public worship supplies what the soul needs. One soul

found an answer in the hymn referred to.

"Fear not, I am with thee, 0 be not dismayed,

For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;

I'll stre11gthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,

Upheld by my tighteous, omnipotent hand."

_......... ______________________________ _ FREMONT STREET 1ffiTHODIST C~URCH

Gloversville , __ New York Fred Clarke, Minister

June 10, 1945

ORGAN PRELUDE - "Prelude" ............................. .................. ...... .......... Bach

CALL TO WORSHIP

HYMN 72 - 11 Tnis is my Father, s world"

INVOCATION AND LORD'S PRAYER · *

By the minister

RESPONSIVE READING - 23rd Sunday - page 589

GLORIA PATRI

APOSTLES' CREED

* SCRIPTURE LESSON - Luke 8:40-56

To be said by all

SILENT PRAYER FOR THOSE IN THE ARMED FORCES

A PRAYER FOR THE NATION 0 God', our Refuge and Strength our very present he lp in trouble; protect and prosper we bos oech Thee our belov­ed country in this time of war; make of us by Thy grace a people worthy to be trusted with victory. And so use and direct our Armed Forces that they may be Thy chosen instrument in overcoming wrong and establishing liberty and righteousness in the earth . Thes e things we ask in the Name of J e.sus Christ, our Lord. Amon.

* SOLO - "We May Not Climb the Heavenly Steeps" .......... Spross Elaine Raymond Walker

PASTORAL PRAYER

ORGAN OFFERTORY - "Melody in D Flat" ........... ... ... .... Robinson

HYMN 173 - "Holy Spirit', Truth divine"

SERMON - "THE SKIRTS OF HIS WAYS" ............... The minister

HYMN 235 - "Thou my everlasting portion"

BENEDICTION AND DOXOLOGY The people sta~ding

ORGAN POSTLliDE - 11 Ma rche" p .... .................... . .. . ...... . ..................... Guilma.nt * Interval for ushering latecomers

10:30

11:00

11:45 6:00

7:30

MONDJ-..Y

CALENDAR FOR TODAY

Morning N"orship and sermon. Chorus choir with Mrs. Elaine Raymond Wa lker a s soloist. Nursery Hour in charge of Miss Ruth Foster. Primary Church with Mrs . James G. Thompson. Junior Church with Mrs. Earle J. Fonda. Church School; s. W. Fear, superintendent. Youth Fellovship. Discussion topic, "More About Our Community"~ Union Evening Service at Trinity Episcopal Church. Preacher, Rev. Arthur V. Allen.

ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THE WEEK

6:00 Monthly Meeting of the Gloversville Council of Churches at the Y.M.C.A • • 7:00 Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.

T',ZESDAY 6:30 Anna Mosher Class Picnic at the home of MrS: W~nl ~y Williams, 7 East Blvd ••

WEDNESDAY 7:45 The mid-week servic e . 8:45 The June meeting of the official board.

THURSDAY ~ Epworth Workers will meet for a cover ed dish supper at the church. 6:30 Tho Venner Class will meet for a cover ed arsn supper a t the church. 6:30 Tho Boroan Class will covered dish supper at the

Election. hold a picnic and Y~V.C.A. r esidence.

Flowers on the altar today are given by the Venner Cla ss in memory of Nary Venner and other deceased members •

Children 's Day will be obs erved next Sunday. The Sa cra­ment of Infant Baptism will be administered. Will thos e wit h flovrors please cull tho ch':u-ch office this week.