Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1879-11-06
Vol. XIV. Whole No. 1890. No. as.

1t was not long ago that the Msssachu-
sets Bay Company thought 1t necessary to
Danish Roger Williams, then a minister at
Salem, out OF their jurisdiction, because
his views of church government, and fan
tastic notions about freedom of conscience
and religious liberty, were regarded as un-
scriptural and dangerous. And SO he was
sent out an exile to make his way through
the pathless forest, and to find among saw
ages the protection, friendship and animus
of the gospel precepts which tbs Christian
church denied him.
Now what shall we say OF these Chris.
tian men? Shall we say that they were
hypocrites, or willing enemies 10 the noble
cause which they espoused? No, let US
rather say they were acting in accordance
with the spirit of the age In which they
lived and it is too much to expect of them
that they would get very far ahead OF the
sentiments OF that age.
We see, then. that the church has pro-
gressed, is still progressing; and believe,
it will continue to progress. At present il
says too little about character aud man
hood; bat there are unmistakable signs
that 1t is waking up to the necessity OF this
work
| repeat the church must do more to
build up character. Why not? What is
character2 It is simply Il recognition and
observance OF Gods laws for the govern
m,nt OF man, incorporated into the indiytl-
al life, ~ q very part OF itself. Obedience
to these laws. then, is obedience to God;
for Gods laws extend to the minutest
transactions OF every day life, as well as
to- every moral excellence aud every Chris
tian virtue. Their jurisdiction extends to
character, manhood, temperance, chastity
charity, scii-sacrtIcc, purity, ;ruthfuluess,
talthtulness in labor, and to every other
virtue which God has made to bless man
kiud.
Whoever. then. lives in accordance with
The laws OF his being is serving God; Tor
he Is doing the very work which God, by
His laws, requires OF him. The man who
Is doing business with scrupulous integ-
rlty, the faithful teacher in her school, the
earnest clergyman laboring in and out of
hi, pulpit Tor the elevation Of mankind, the
conscientious smith at his anvil, the honest
husbaudmau following his plow, the nurse
by the side OF he SICK bed the phlanthrup-
ic visitor 10 the prisoners cell, he who Is
trying to make himself aud the world bet
ter, The man WHO saws wood, aud the
woman who wa>hr, dishes faithfully and
Wei. each ln D., way, and a far as he
goes Is ,crS IN God.
lu View cf these facts urge the churches
10 pioeItim from the pulpit the necessity
of character a, q part Of their gospel mes
sage. /. J., Got ,uou1h That It be lightly
atl.a-d .u I. ,"l-. a- 3r.i>.cG 80. The
f..l.- u..-' ..tE. .t..Dr aiou .ir,9. pf,,rpt
4pa. lF..t4 U,r1-1, .i.l...i,ud .Atse - ht-
lie.
Another Nay "a which the Temperance
rAU>c can be promoted IS by ludiyuaI effort
lDr the good OF uthet~. not by blatant har-
an-4c,, iu season aAI out Of season. but
by honest aud earnest words htly spoken:
aud by the powerful influence Of the exam.
pie of a temperate and upright life
Bur there !, stlI a better way than all
tue rest, and that is manly, personal en-
Ienyor to reform one, self This should
bc The uutrlug, uuremittiuZ work OF all
of Us. Let each Of Us set about uprooung
anl destroying our own degrading habits.
and "ron- principles tor they delacc and
d.,honor our lives. Let rs plant in their
places those commeHdabic practices, those
sterling virtues which Will alorn our live,
aud max them useful and when We have
done This, the temperance question sill
10 far aS We are I4dlyidually concerned