The Portland daily press., 1873-04-15
WI III ID PRESS
OEoDAY MORNING, APRIL tx 1874
Sermon for Easter.
I OBSERVANCE OF DAYS


afraid for you, lest have bestowed upon yor nn,
labor in vain. Galatians 4, 10, IL.
In these words, and many Others like them
Paul has placed himself on record as being
opposed most decidedly to observance o
DAYS. On the other hand, the Christian
church is on record as being greatly inclined
to the observance of days. DIR. Pr:estley
wrote, in 1882, "The Church of England
apnropriates thirty-one days to festivals
ninety-five days to fasts and twenty-nine tc
the saints.'' (Priestley's corruptions Of
Christianity That is to say, the Church Of
England, in the year 1872, gave some special
observance to one hundred and fifty-five
days in the year. Christmas and Easter,
Thanksgiving and Fast Days are observed by
many of the churches, and Sunday is OBJ
served each week by all churches. Yet Paul
put himself squarely against the observance
of days."
1t would appear, then, that the Christian
church IS disobedient TO the Pauline instruc-
ton in this matter. Possibly even the little
observance of Easter Sunday which is found
here to-day,-in the church, BY Easter floral
offerings and by the music and the sermon !:
in the Sunday school by singing of Easter
hymns and by recitation OF Easter verses
possibly this may be such observance of a
day as Paul would condemn. want to
show that it is not; and shall try to do so by
exhibiting the very broad line of distinction
between proper and improper observance of
religious customs. This distinction of which
l am to speak cuts all the way through re-
ligon, from its highest to its lowest, from its
SUBMITS of speculation vanishing into the
unknown down to its rules and sanctions for
daily duty.
We say commonly that salvation is not sub
ject to the determinations of arbitrary de-
cree; it is the result, not of compliance with
set rules, but of obedience to spiritual obliga-
tions, obligations that are real and everlast-
ing, not appointed, not made by rule, but ex-
isting etcrnally in the nature of things. The
good man is the sGred man. think that is
the fundamental tenet of this church and ccn-
gregation-rhat goodness in thought and in
life is Of infinitely greater consequence to the
individual and to society, than any most
punctilious conformity to appointed usapes.
This is the elimination of our theology and
the foundation of our ethics.
In accordance with this rule, that goodness
is the main thing, most acceptable to God
and most useful to man, we reject without
scruple whatever conflicts with that rule.
But any religious custom or observance, re-
garded as a distinct ground of merit, does
Importance something other THAN good
ness.
For example, great number of persons are
wont to consider that a ceremonial word, or
sacramental observance in the dying hour,
is endowed with mysterious efficacy to oblit.
crate the record of life and reconstruct the
soul for Paradise. 1t is stated that when the
late James Fiske, Jr., lay at the point of
death, a young man, seiZing anxiously
chance opportunity, obtained few moments
by his bedside. and endeavored to elicit from
him some expression of his s'trust in Jesus"
He succeeded in gaining from the dying man
a nod OF assent to some question having that
end in view. The chaplain at the funeral
announced that "there was some reason to
hope that the deceased had died trusting in
Jesus"
To say that this is bad is not enough to say
of it. The great amount of good that has
been accomplished by Christianity is subject
to considerable Offset for the harm it has
effected by this subyersive teaching, which in
effect places mint anise and cummin'' be-
fore justice, mercy and faith. The heather
mind, the pagan mind, the infidel mind, the
unchristian MUD in short, can quickly see
that goodness is sufficient to ITSELF carries
salvation as part of itself, is not graced and
cannot be pieced out by dying confession.
And the mind that believes in Heavenly
Father is well assured that the divine kind
ness is not conditioned upon phrase or a
form, and that the feeble assent of falling
mind to some theological proposition can
avail Dothing to secure the love of God, Sc
cured already. But Christianity, as COM
monty taught, has been inferior to infdelity
and to theism in this that it separates
moral cause from moral effect, proffers the
rewards of Righteousness for price other
than righteousness, degrades righteousness
by coordinating with it a ceremonial or
form of words, and belittles the grace of God
by making it depend upon an experience so
trivial as what is called "a death-bed re-
pentance."
This illustration is one of many that might
be adduccd. The last utterance of the dy-
ing man avowing his trust in Jesus is sup
posed to avail him as substitute tor personal
righteousness. But also the reading of the
Bible morning and evening, as an act of re-
ligion, che observance of Sunday, belief in
Jesus, partaking of the Lords supper, in fine
all acts and observances connected with re-
ligion may be, and sometimes have been, per-
verted from their true meaning to serve as
substitutes for character, and contrivances
for securing the favor of God. Thus pervert-
ed they are stones of stumbling and rocks of
offence. For as substitutes for righteousness
they supersede and discourage righteous
ness. They encourage moral indiffer-
ence and laxity of conduct. For
as Paul expressed it, to s'agonize, towards
the goal, if the true goal is here, in these fine
ly contrived substitutes, this cross Of Christ,
this worship of the Bible, this forty days. fast,
this Sabbatical service, this rite Of baptism?
No need to struggle after righteousness while
the suficiency Of these remains; and If these
should perchance be neglected till the end,
even at the end word, a pious phrase, sa-
cred ceremony may win the prize.
The very essence of false observance is,
that it is made either substitute for merit,
or an independent ground Of merit. A relig-
ious observance that is in this way false is,
in the manner already indicated, great him
drance to moral attainment; when made a
source ofmerit it becomes the occasion of de-
merit. fPsul was severe against the observ-
ance of days and months and years, it was
doubtless for this reason. He would recoc-
nize no substitute for personal holiness.
These religious s'works'' these formal celebra-
tions of special occasions were odious to him;
he used against these his strongest language;
they were "beggarly elements they were
filthy rags they made his labors all in
vain.
We have, then, the greatest Of all authori-
ties since the time of Jesus for waging uncopi-
promising warfare against institutional piet-
ism, against religion which may be summed
up in catalogue OF special beliefs, acts and
observances. In all we can say or do against
such religion we shall only follow the sayings
and doings Of Jesus and Of the fiery apostle
Paul. To substitute the formal act for the
living act, the show OF worship for the sub
stance of worship, the observance of new
moons and Sabbaths for observance of Gods
law, veneration of Jerusalem or Gerizim for
worship in spirit and in truth, this is to SUBJ
stitute Pharisaism for Christianity; and this
1t is the especial mission of Liberal Christian
ity to oppose and to counteract throughout
the world.
There are, therefore, two kinds of religious
observance, proper and imcroper, true and
false !: and the difference between them is that
the one observance is perfunctory, as if in it.
self meritorious, and the other is sincere and
simple. will apply this distinction to some
of the customs alluded to.
Reading the Bible is of two kinds, To one
reader the Bible is a sort of idol. The read
ing of it is a subdued worship OF it. 1t is
book to swear by in the courts and it is book
whose presence in the family home is con-
tinuous prayer and pledge Of salvation. To
read it. is in some mysterious way,t be good.
A chapter in the holy Book, though it be but
a chapter of genealoges, or chapter OF Sol
omon,s Song, is an abracadabra which, duly
conned in the morning, shall win divine
blessing on the day. ..
To another reader the Bible is OF greater