, 1876-01-31

bo dtaetp1od 70 Chftakt continually raw that ait
tho tma thn sraY boat OF what They thought
thoy woro taking to instead waa really learnt
from Him Tho fact Is, tho mind Of sooiety has
got aatutated with tho notion that Chtist!ant-
y consists tn Following In tho Trinity. and tho
stonoment. and total dopravtty, and otarnal
away they 700 ofton forget to ask vhether
Jeana oTct really taught anything of tho kind,
and so thcy think shey arc loaying Him whom
perhaps they arc coming actually nearer 10 Him
thoy thraes away Ia tue Christianity Of Angus
ttno and A1ao1n, and Calvin, but they cannot
tarust away tho chsintlanlty Of tho Sermon on
the Mount, and the ptodigAl Son, and the Good
Samaritan. And when thoy have put oGt what
Chriatlaafty, there ia spirit of lte which holds
them still. and that spirit Of life is Chrss. They
90 not discern Him; perhaps they actually try
70 look away from Him; and yet what IIe waa,
hearte and u.akeB tLom what thoy arc.
And whtlo thus saw no Hign Of
Christianity being really. out9ro~n.
was continually impressed by tho sense Of
With al my admiration Of this strong, enter-
pricing Western life, tho thought Kept con1iu-
ua!ly pressing upon mo OF hoH much It still
lnoka 70 mako It Fule and swoot, and noblo aa
%ans ~ tts ousa. TO- b. However mna4 . might
and desperato soEldliueBs. that 1oras and atrsvos
and specuiates aud falls and rises, and Is
knocked clear ovcr by heavy blowa Of fortune.
aud still gets nD again aH men never did think
anywhere olao in tho world-yot could not holp
soainR that this lifo docs not satisfy! It leaves
the heart still reetsosa man ca1uot live by
bread Alone" and He who mado that a living
word to man is the ono wantod to supply thnt
watched tho oager spirit Of competition, moro
eager, moro unchecked than huywhofo ofao In
tho world, aud always tho thought Kept rising
OF how she ono thing Which might sot+ou u INTO
tair and generous " rlyalry is chEiats hprit q
fine aoif.relihut equality which, avery stop from
New York 10 Now Mexico, gtvoB character to
yonr pocplo, young and old; and alNayn 1t
soemod to me Is It tho one thing needed to keep
tcndor uplooking In humility, and trust and
prayer. And 30 went back With my faith only
doepor tfau ever before that this old 0ospo1.-
cleared indeed Of superasiton, and set torth
a ss The presesa s%a''t s n @ H''A .sd eh1s :, h IA;
as can see, Is to be, the ono 5ivlucat
foundation for mans religion, tho only Burc,
uneIh,an,tElng ,t rest for the worlds worry aud un-
Beoshrcn, you may or may not ag1oo with mo
az to that religion l have already tried for q
while to preach among YOU. Eesting 80 much
mo1e strongly OF tic Gospel Of Jesus Christ
than IN nuything eIse; but tllink you would
not have sent for mo to como and preach 1t per-
vhorovos iind il. Il is about tho kind Of relig.
ion that you neod. And thAt lB tho moot I'm.
portant, the thing itself, not tho soI.ling or
ActlY whence II cotuoe. want To sco tho world
helped by happy, loving sense Of tho arost
earnest brotl1erly feeling Of right and
duty, by bright, hopeful ouiooktug to thu
Hoaven!y home. Whoever has any holplul
thought about these, nny strong faith In thon,
am brother with him. even though ho docs not
fool o. do about whonco these thoughts come.
and whore they may bost be confirmed. No I
foei 10 BorEowf1liy sthe lwoakneas mud dtmness
OF our faith, oven with all tho help think wc
have In Christ, that love to como cloao to any
man who can holp mo Catholic or Methodist,
b1nhtno or Theist,-ayc, whntover they may
call themselves, Y ts all ono to mel long for
wdos Fellowship Il was Joy to mo that ono
York Was jewish Rabbi thore, M old friend of
my Manchester life who porhaps moro than my
othor haa tanGht mo to recoguize that what
bare leasned from Christ othafs may find clse-
where. 80 while my position ls ttat Of Chris-
tian, put no lars Or gates about that postson
draw no lines OF definition OF exclusion about
It. long Tor bIosher!y fellowship with oil who
love tho light. Yet still think tlnd IL bright
est at the Masters asdo-yes. sitting at His
feet so there l Try to have my place, md, tho
faith uuickoned In mo there, tt ia my happy
work from this day forth TO try and make bright
and real and holptul to sou .-..,
Ye8. Passing now to speak OF my work litt9o
less nbstract!y, frat OF a!t my work IL 10 you,
dear friends, who havo called me hero. To you.
and here Here In this ffoa pulpit, already COLI
secrated by tue faithful ministry Of ottlers. you
ask mo to Btand Sunday By Sunday to bclp you
duty, tho grand and solemn hopes Of Immortal
itY! uoso you will cone after all tho carns and
worries Of tho world; from its yanlties, and
pleesurea aud disappointmonst, apd suocsssoB -
from ail that aeems 30 10 hon in human Roula
and hinder tho grace Of Gol.-And sou ask mo
to try TO help you TO realize that other Hida OF
lit0--tho inner biaot You Aek me to set tbs koy-
note Of your rtaiso And will do it. Only re-
Ing up Of Sour hearts and yoIcea ia chorus Of
Thanksgiving 10 our gtcaa aod1 You ask mo to
load your pTayerh aud there Is no privilege I
count moro b!osaod, only. friends don't LOT 1t
b my prayer onlyl don't sit there watching i!ow
do ft-pray with ma, otherwise IFS forinnlity
and sha,nl You look to mo TO read you soma
! bclpful, suggestive lessons out Of tblA old
Diblo; we'll aud good-and know no dtvines
Scriptutos-only totnomber had better rea1
you = good word out Of tho newspaper and have
you listening eagerly, than be readiug the very
words of Christ Himself ard you be merelY
sitting tn respectful allcnce thinking Of sotno-
thing elscl And then you ask me 70 speak e
you the'yo!ty best thought I know, to speak il in
friends i'''ssnu eoun. ~a this s'A1' such g,ana @
work. tho very oniainssaon Of my life
md yet put It TO you that eyen this mustn't be
|
Of listening ID there arc OF speaking. think IL
Is Montaigne who says that good speech III half
made by tho audience. Yoa know there hal
bceo great doal Of late yslre about "dullneHs
tn tho pulpit" don's know that those has beer
too much said, for suppose ve arc dull some
times, only l think tho other hida wanta putting
also; have IN idea that service going Hlowly
and duly often has as much 10 do with dultnosl
In the pows as with dullnese liz tho pulpit 20
do you help mo BY the very way ID which yot
| como here aud listen, aud YOU will Spur mo OF
to even betsez shings,-snd We will journey Joy
fully together toward tho light!
Aud 70 1t must be al through! You said Ii
the call you sont me TINT l might count Of
-FOUR helping mo ID my work do conut upos
1t, must ! want your hotp all tllrought n,
primary work among yourselves must bo you
work too. but that III not all our work. W,
hayo work to tic world outside. III these days
when so many arc unsettled in faith. and a.
many arc dritted away from all religious associa
slonH, no church that has Any word OF good 10 J.
con do ita duty and fultiil ita purpose Ia III
rnrld mnrol4 hY iellinR II nYas md oYet nrhi1