The Portland daily press., 1873-04-15

a. ~ Is impossible to defend Christendom at
of ef's point against the impassioned invective
~ ~ aui Here is an observance of days''
demra a.is clearly within the scope of his con-
ed tbe no.;, an observance that has foster
+ accentabIe ~ .nat there is something more
nessp oiJ ar ~, 70 God than personal riehteous-
nt US an observance that reverses thee aan;nc
TSsus anu makes man subject 20 cnndae
oorda,,o oSnei way OF observing Sunday IL in ~.
in reIat;o,' WIN tne principle declared bv iesn,
equally applicable to all DAYS Fra,nw ,a which 10
made Tor man, and not man for anu aay uay was
one should faithfully adopt this nry,,o;.S, II
would nave, not one sacred day In the weaie Io
but seven for he would earnestly strive ~ :,
employ the hours of every day as to msts L.
them in the highest degree seryiceable to
himself and to society. That Observance 81
Sunday by which one becomes better eon,n.
ped to meet the tolls and temptations of lfe
is the true observance. And it may happen.
under rare pressure Of circumstances that 10
spend the day in resting and sleeping will be
a truer observance than to sperd 1t In attend
ance at church.
There are two ways of believing in Jesus,
! According to one way belief in Jesus is mere
| ly a religious observance, and, as such, a
special ground of merit, or even substitute
for merit. According to the other way 1t is a
| genuine and hearty assent 10 the obvious su-
premacy of his righteousness. The formal
believer, who places his trust in Jesus simply
| as the appointed way of salvation, believes as
! 1t were under duress, constrained thereto by
what may happen otherwise and what sort
OF behef IS that? The sincere believer believes
IN Jesus without other constraint than pure
natural appreciation of the divineness
| which characterized his life and teachings
AS mere observance belief in Jesus is a se-
rious obstacle to the triumphs of Christ: as a
sincere faith in the highest type of riol teous-
ness the world has known it is mighty inspi-
ration, and its effect upon personal Character
is Immediate, potent, irrepressibIe.
Wnen there Is but one meaning to the OBJ
servance OF day, or of q religions custom.
and that meaning is discovered 10 be eronnd.
less the observance tends naturally to become
obsolete. Of this kind our annual Fast Day
observance is an example. Its original mean
ing IS fading out, and no properly religious
significance can be infused into it to recover
it from its present dying state. s.L
For there is no good reason for fasting az
cept poverty or charity or sickness. A man
may very reasonably go without his dinner.
H. when he is unable to procure it, or (2.l in
order that he may give his dinner to one who
needs it more than he, or (3 when he has
| no appetite and cannot eat; but to fast re-
llgiously, to fast ceremonially, under the no.
tion that the prayers of the hungry are more
acceptable to God than the prayers of the
well-ied, that is to perpetuate one Of the su-
| perstitions OF antiquity.
Ihls Is vaguely perceived by the people
The community recognizes the anachronism
OF the annual proclamation, and by general
consent neglects and refuses to antiquate
itself in that way. 1t tacitly declines to fast.
1t feasts rather. 1t makes holiday It inau-
gurates the national game'' Of baseball.
The time is not distant when some wide
awake Governor will set apart the day for the
mi nrroao sx.0I ~
Day on which no one is expected to fast, not
as Sunday i'll the middle of the week, when
Sunday at each end OF the week is already
provided, bnt as spring holiday, for which,
as is shown by Fast-Day practices there 10
genuine and abundant occasion.
In short, the observance of days and months
and times and years is custom to be depre-
Gated in so far as it tends to promote the
ritualistic idea of religion in so far as it puts
the ''tithing of mint above the fittings OF
charity, and ultimates religion in conventional
| itles, instead OF in personal character; in so
far as it congeals into institutions the hearts
fervent aspirations. 1t was such observance
that received PauPs condemnation In the
words of the text. aes
We give some observance here to Easter
Sunday, because by historic association it Is
related to our most comforting consultations
and our dearest hopes. 1t breathes the word
which gives relief to sorrow, which draws
from eternity remedy for the apparent injus.
tices that fall to human experience, and in
the solitude of bereavement gives heavenly
fellowship. 1t speaks of immortality.
1t is true, indeed, that Easter memories give
no increased assurance OF life to come; Il is
not an argument for immortality that Easter
brings, but thought Of it. Historically, it
commemorates the story OF the resurrection:
in that theme its hymns and its expressions
of worship are centered; and throughout
Christendom the reported resurrection of
Jesus is generally regarded as at once the
proofand the illustration of human immortali-
| ty.. And thus it has come to pass, with reason
or without, that Easter Sunday, speaking by
| lhe tongues of millions, who in all the wears
have hailed its morning light as revealing
anew the Eight of Immortality, may tell us OF
human griefs that have been comforted, and
broken ties that have been reunited, and ruin
/ edhopes that have revived through this faith In
immortality to which the day is consecrated.
refuse to be driven to close scrutiny of
history, to q narrow canvassing of evidence
for and against an alleged historical event, be-
fore permitting my voice to join with others
in celebrating this festival OF the church. For
it is not any past occurrence that gives mean
ing to the celebration; it is rather the senti-
ment, the hope the faith which sprang from
the occurrence, or from which the rumor of
an occurrence sprang. Be the rumor true or
| false-and it requires as much assurance to
deny as to affirm-that which is higher, great
er,deeper than any past event, Iemains,-t
hope of immortality, the Easter hope, the
Easter solemnity Of joy.
! Only let it be admitted that at this recurr-
| ing season the church has, for centuries past
turned its thought to the life and immortality,
somehow brought to light in the gospel: let Al
be admitted that from generation to genera
tion the toiler and the broken-hearted have
hallowed this day with the tears and hopes 4
humanity, and is there any one, sympathizing
at all with mans deepest want and sublimest
expectation, who does not perceive himself
joined in spirit to those sad waiting souls.
himself one among them in the large assem-.
bly,, lifting his eyes with theirs to the promise
of eternity. His faith in immortality, though
perchance otherwise derived, is Identical with
theirs. - iaF 44 -ir O q. 81 lrE-
For the continuity of faith is maintained.
not in sameness, but in development. The
tree that spreads its foliage to the wind was
nurtured in the beginning, from the soil and
nom the'nutriment garnered in its seed. AZ
forwards 1t put forth leaves and was nurtured
also by the air. So faith in immortality was
supplied at first by such small nutriment as
instinct could afford and by belief in certain
alleged earthy phenomena: afterwards 1t was
nurtured through the higher spiritual facul-
ties, through the foliage of the soul trembling
world. One faith still through all develope-
ment, one faith still when supported by belief
that the physical Jesus came forth from a ma
terial sepulchre, and supported by the eternal
Christ risen to consciousness in the individu-
al soul; one faith still whether looking back
ward to a phenomenon, or inward to the
Christ in the soul, deathless forever. =
The best souls in all ages are brought to-
gether in this unity of faith. While progress
ing culture abates the general credulity while
therefore beliefs change. and overworn phrases
are dropped into oblivion, or become revital-
lied by an advanced significance, and events
once earnestly commemorated are suffered to
pass out of consideration, the higher serti-
ments of humanity continue from age to age
unimpaired; they are not broken when beliefs
are broken they are not changed when these
formularies take new meaning; they are NOT
anchored to historic lodges. Adjusting therr.
selves to the varying belief Of successive ACE,
adopting readily the new meaning of the IA
phrase and form, symbolizing themselves In
ever fresh events, the higher sentiments Of hn.
manity where they exist at all remain ~.
same, Yesterday, to-day and forever. 'A'
And therefore as we follow on after tho.s
travellers who have y,lo1JoJ ~ ~~ ssAsso