, 1874-06-01
THE PULPIT.
2gQQess Of Reform by Displaoo-
ment.
III by Prof. Swing at the Fourth
Presbyterian Church.
Memorial Sermon on Prof. Haven by
tic Rev. Mr.. Thomas.


The Scotch Eyangclists.
REFORM By DISPLACEMENT.
sern.on by Prof. Swing mt the Fourth
Presbyterian Church,
Prof. Swing proaohoa yestorany to tho us,inf
Iarro and interested audieuro. Lis sermon WAS
as follows.
Then ss!th tthe evil spir'tl I will retarn into my
futlcth 1t empty, awept anl gsrnishesl. Then gocl
ho nnt tnBeth with himself soveA other sArits more
wicked illan hinscH.-jfatthese fis, IL.
the great buslnias OF wicked world IL 10 hoek
tho reform Of self and Of ono's noighbors. So
much does society depend upon good morals,
and go much does individual destiny depend upon
character, that how to reform mankind has AZ
why's been tho Rtudy and occupation Of those
who hnyo sought tho highest paths OF honor and
influences. History grows thrilling whom ne
como TO chapter that opoua upon reformation,
be 1t In art, or politics, or religion. For tho
most patt, tho history Of man has boen one Of
struggle, and blood, and sorrow, and when, amid
its long chapters, Yo 300 the word Reformation
placed over aomo part Of tho long dramn, tho
lcart ID chcercd as whom tho traveller finds
spriug in the desert. Tho soul takes courage
whom IL finds that somewhere the human mind
oscapel superstition, and tho heart a
long-bornc sorrow. Dy common usagc, tho ago
which Luther helped bring forward is called
tho Reformation, but 1t vas only one fragment
bf the immense reform shus has been coming al
along, Just rs tho glacier works down into tho
valley from the mountain faatueBses, pushing
its way until IL reaches the ianl Of flowers, and
cheefs the snowdrop aud violet With Its cool
ft,hn An,aricnn 1icnub1ie In A frarmont OF tho
worlds reform. Tho freedom Of Russian serfR,
aud tho education OF RuBun's millions, and tho
dissolying castes Of Iudia, mud tho English GUS
toms in japan, aud tho railway In Bougal, are
branches of ills great intronching progress Of
tho human family. So tnat not over Gormauy
aud Luthor only may wc writo down tho great
word Reformation, but oycr mni,y an age aud
many au empire.
Reform being tho universal blessing and pur-
Buit, it wil bo for us to make tho paths by Which
it is accustomed to advance for if it always
comes in QUO way. and at d fixed speed, aid
from unchGngng Gsusca' theI; to nrlug 1t ABOUT
the roach OF al!. And II ita paths aud ntoaslowa
arc many, this also should be kuowp, that our
forgiveness nlAy DO extended to times that
differed With M and fhs We may naye dsnn
from the methods Of tho great past.
Looking out upon the phenomena or our raco,
VIC aoem to notice ut onco that tic Developments
OF tho human family has como along various
Yerso that analysis Of methods is difficult II not
impossible. And yet 1t permitted uA ail to look
upon simple historic facts just us re may look
upon stars, whose Distance from each other III
unknown, aid whoEe power to pull each othor
from giyon palhs il beyond common arlthme-
OF our times, ut lcast, ono may venture to af-
firm Tint tho reform by riuienco Of oSery form
proerosy by poace--a molding Of opinion by i
gradual emancipation. 1t ID now plainly seen
that the emancipation Of our own s]aTea ahou!d
hayo como gradually-shonld have Het forth in
au educational ana industrial P1oSrsss ~ lTo ~ Ie e
dark storm that bnrst in tho days OF sndasn
accession. Now. NJ result OF emancipation by
VIOLENCE, re have crowd OF freedmen who haye
been robbed Of tho white NUNS guidance before
they wore furnished with guidance in their own
intellect or habits. They arc liko bubcs in tho
woods, or llo wild anlnals that depend net up
on sweet pahturage. but upon prey, letter a;1r
poor, , idle negroes viii do nothing uA day long,
tic troughu whore their half
starved horses haYo begun 10 cat. Their frec-
t1o1n came before any valuable ihoas hntt come.
Of the Republic, hurled upon these Africans the
calamity Of q house swept md gnrnished before
any arrangement Ind been n,alo for d now occu-
pant better thuu tho evil spIrita that had been
cast out. And henre, aftor the bouse had beon
swopt, after tho great strife reaching from Got
tysLurc to the ozark Mountains was oyer, back
wont tho evil spirit into the negro house, taking
yith linn seven other spirits ~ bad IS the origi-
ual bondage.
Tlls Illustration may prepare you to confess
with mo that tho method OF reform most Ill
harmony with jesus Christ, and mort in har-
n,ony With an aHe Of liberty and peace. 10 thc
reform by dsappontment--a reform IL whleh
tito new idea comes and crowds nssdo Tho oid,
and instead of leaYinE an empty house to be-
como illled With evil spirss aud ghosts Of thn
dead, arraugcs it 30 TINT its doorstop ehnii
always bo trodden by happy feet and the WI wn
loving hands to droHH them, and bright eyea to
admire tho roses. Had our negro bondage beo1
gradually crowded out by an oducnt1on OF the
G!ackH, extending over Il half century, we would
mt now 10 suffering tho shame nuu abHpinte
distress TINT como from tho fact that half OF
our freedmen ere wholly incapable oi ANYTHING
good, either III industry OF mDFniB bat IN ING
Tong past, tho Church and tho 0overnment d!d
nothing toward gradual prepalr,nt1oa r. Of tne ae
the Var, the tendency Of both thurch sna state
was to confess the natural infcrolity Of the
black race md tho eturnal nature OF the saryl'
tudo. Tho roforrn Of violence vas tue o. oniy one \,
left to people that hau debpised tho duty OF
educating and Christianizing race.
Now hayo used this ovnnt III politics to lIlns'
trate tho career that eesNa most wise III tue
rsnlm Of rehgion. Reading, the method o.
land % and aso ns / DO, thcrs seems no method Q!
progress 10 promising as that which crowds od
tdcss out Of tho houao gradually BY crowdlne
new ileas in ut homo other door. Many yeaEt
ago the thoughtful Dr.. Cha!mera maintained
tlat The wiacst way to deal With tho amusement
question was to bring in sonao botter Aanp'nes'
that should crowd aside tho inferior article, AMI
Goud 1t quickly but surely to oblivion. What th'
distinguished Clergyman thus dreamed OF ha'
since bccame all event, unfolding each year, 10
tic low form Of tho drans which, onee deligit;et
ii England aud Amorica IL boing displaced ,!
tllo higher forms OF that art, and b.
,ther great entertainments, such as th'
vast lecture system and tho great musical enter
aioments which hayo cou.o to lolp tin up th'
,ubuc demand for rost aud ploaslro. A violence
hat Ind in an instant suppressed tho theatr'
7ouid only havc driven tho multitude 10 tho ale,
1ouso or the baer-gardens, ss sudden enamel
thief hut y gruilua} information carries nles
;entIy from y sensational drama to higher hrt
nd from m alc-houso to roading-rooin, or
lall Of music, or roSiOu.
j1, k}I uYt}4 }.ot