Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-11-16

Boston during the past year, each repre-
sentative and remarkable in its way, anC
differing widely from each other One in
the tabernacle to listen to Mr. Moody, and
one IN the fremont Temple to listen to Mr
Cook. And it is de,racting nothing from
the praise due to either of these men, to say
that neither OF them could have met tho de-
mands oi both audiences. Now these two
audiences are to be found in miniature sit
| ting SIDE by side In all eur congregations.
| Probably every minister in the land has be-
lore him every Sunday one audience that
| has come for instruction, elevation and
| spiritual culture. and another that has come
simply to be entertained And one of the
problems which the pulpit has to solve to-
day, is how to preach the gospel without
sacrificing one Of these audiences to the
other. Every minister will have to solve
the problem for himself But it will be q
fatal solution, if. yielding to mere popular
demand, the ministry shall substitute the
endeavor to amuse for the standard of a
high moral and spiritual education. The
only salvation from either extreme is to be
so hahltually under the influences of the
Divine Spirit, ard 50 infused with His wis
dom and His strength, that we shall be i'm
Ita'Crs OF no man and given up to no hu-
man devices, but shall use the bes. we have
OF thought and feeling and fancy and
speech. for tho good of man and the glory
of God
The revival has been great and blessed
work. And nothing that has been said in
tins paper is to be construed as detracting
IN the least IRON Its unspeakable value.
The Lord hath done great things for US,
whereof We are glad But the work
which has thus been entailed upon US more
than ever vindicates the usefulness of the
churches and the value and wisdom of their
established methods The temple must ever
supplant the tabernacle. A great multi
tnde have been converted, but the idea of
salvation which they have received il ex-
ceedinely narrow and inadequate. It is
with many OF them essentially selfish. Ii is
centripttal and Ptolemaic 1t lies in the
consciousness oia comfortable personal se-
curlty. Its highest expression is to be
iound IN the slng-soDg, 81 am happy Just
now. The sun shines Tor NE. Tne stars
in their courses wheel about me. The grand
idea OF redemption is release from some
future personal torment. Ii is full re-
mission, signed and sealed and put into the
sinners hands, the presentation of which
at the judgmtrt-sGat will pass him unchal-
lenged into felicity. lie has yet to be
taught that his full salvation is only initial
and partial, to be worked out with fear
and irembling."
The Ptolemaic theory is as false in relig-
ion as in astronomy, and inefiably perni-
clouS. The church is to take these new con-
vertS IN hand and educate them into the
tnpernican theory. that not around self can
a true religious life and experience reyolye ;
that the kingdom o! God does not center its
Q eEand movements upon the happiness OF the
individual soul. 1t is said that good man
given To cant, meeting Wllber-
force one day, said to him Brother, how
Is 1t now with your soul?" and was greatly
shocked at the philanthropists reply: Il |
have been so busy about these poor negroes |
that had forgotten that had soul"
Here now lies the function of the church |
The work OF full salvation is no work to be |
accomplished by the spasm of moment,
the agony of q week, the experiences of |
any revival period. The heavenly dawn
has touched the eyslids Of these slumbering
souls, and awakened them to new life. 1t
IS on an awakening. The long days toll
stretches before them. These men are saved
md yet not saved Out Of tkis pernicious
dea that salvation is complete when once
pardon has been accepted. come the sad
'reak- downs. the dismal wrecks Of nominal
christian character which. to-day, are fill
ng the church with lamentations and the
world with sneers. These men are not saved,
Ill salvation has p, netrated to the remOtest
teesses of heart and life. They are not
aycd, till, having built into the structures
II character, gold, silver. precious stones,
hey have wlthstoCd in the evil day, and,
'aving done all, have stood. They are not
aved till they have come to think habituel-
y "whatsoever things are true, whatsoever
hings are honest. whatsoever things are
ust. whatsoever thiLgs are pure, whatso-
yer things are lovely. and whatsoever
hings are of good report " They are not
ayed, till their powers haye been develop
d to broad exercise and their lives ex-
landed To wide ranges OF usefulness They
ne not saved, these new created souls, till
hey are circling IN sharp. clear, steady,
nswerving, blessed and blessing orbits
bout the Sun of righteousness. filled with
is light and rejecting it from tho whole
OF their lives
This is the work which the revival has
1T for the churches to do. May God help
= to be faithful in its accomplishment.