, 1879-08-18
RELIGIOUS.
The Rev. Mr.. Sweeney on Free
Agency as Developed by
Gospel.
Why Christians Shoula H9lp One An
other---sermon by tho Rev.
q. Burhoe.
An italian Minister Tells Of thc History and Prog.
rtss Of tia Waldtnsian Church.


rnH nHy. oEoAaE W. SWEENEY
prcachcd yesterday morning In tho First Chris.
tian Church, corner vi Indiana avenne md
TwcntY.ffth street, on Tho Do-as-fuu-Ploaso
prtnciple,n taking as his text:
That wc shouId scrvc ii newncss OF spirit, and
not In tho ol1ncsa OF the lettcs
The development Of free agency, said the rev
escni gentlcIpan, was otIc Of tho uEitno objects
OF tue Nospel. Men anl women bccatno free
agents With strong and marked Individuality.
each with work to d. Yet thcro seemed TO
be something In our mcntat and moral disnosL-
ttons that scel1cl to sh!rk this thing. Men and
women everywhere seemed deslrous 0f shFFking
their responsibility und following the do-as-sou-
please principle. Everything must bo arranged
for them, md ltfc must bo as pleasant n,d "a
oasy as moving on d dow,tgratle. without cxor-
tto,l, without troublt. But such was not
GDd's purpose. lie intended TINT crossing tho
plain Of lilo should be the means Of developing
men nnd women, and making them stronger
aud hotter, not wearing them out as the steam
engine wears out IN Its journey from city to
city, from, ono part OF the country to another.
But mon neglected thts blessing Of free agency.
They were morally nnt spiritually lazy. This Il
was TINT nttrnctcd some men 70 ihe tnfuistra-
tsous Of the priesthood, where they need neither
think, talk, nor net for themselves, but have
their religion rnado to tncIr l,aftis, Us It were.
thus losing nlI srllsc OF Individual responsibility
atnl free agency, and living contrary to tie H.
tcnsions Of t'cIr Creator. In The Old Testn.
tncnt the system of development was tnUru fully
mapped out, but whcn Christ eatne tneu Were
told to avail themselves Of this pril.
cfulo Of fFce agency, to think for them.
sssss Sc sttvt:, to h, sS o,4 ef G to .1v
uotl In the ucwncss Of thu spirit, ami not IN Tic
oldness Of the letter. Very few fixed things
wero found In tho New Testament, but Il wns
fuli Of Instructions to tho cultivation Of IN.
vclupncnt, to Tho realization ind TIC enjoyment
Of ,lu nri'lcipln Of free agency.
The reverend gentleman proceeded 10 ex-
milne SOME OF the New 'tcstntnent declaration.
ihu letter nsteal Ut tic newIluss Of Tho splrtt.
One Vi these was thu Serintural injunction to
turn the other check to tic s1I:er. A liturhl
Interpretation Of this doctrnc. said alr.
ut least not at this day. hut Christ
trinr aau the extremes to With
It might 60, and Il was this Insisting
that mAdu men intdc!s. The nun.rcsist!l's
principle, logically carried out, meant tile tie.
strnctloH of society al'l us government. True,
,hu Qnakers lad been men Of urlcc, but III tlts
country ut least thu Fighting had aIl been done
fur thcn, ali they lind enjoyed the results, !u-
Guiding tlsat pcacp that formed ~ large part Of
their Icltcf usld uracttec Not until lines were
very inl1c!l cllaugcd, atd people with them,
would Il do to Interpret Christ's words In this
connection literally. The spirit Of tile words
evidently waa that there wcEc times tnd oecn-
slo.ls when men were to use physical force, A1u
otller times when thuy were to 1lso splsituul
forces. unt how or when was the ono foree tu
bc ,isct1, iAMl huw Or. when tho other! Each
man nlst settlu this for luself, and III the sut
tienGnt OF tho probloM llu would o>au Ills
good md his promotion. III o.icr words, 1noB
would he thrown I'll their own free Agency, aild
there would be Il Development uf t.se!r greater
powcrs. 80, TINT preacher who set his own
hearers to thinking was the most successful
tcacs,cr. General alnla9lvtnE. which would suem
to be taught by tit words uf Christ, Iiad been
tried, and lal been responsible for tho crrIton
of hortl1 III law, sllftless men known rs
tratnE,s. 1t VIII absurd ayait,, to suppose that
Christ wanted lnen ~ he literally like tlu blr.ls
ltld The lilies. The rgat meaning llu sought to
ineuscatc wns that, while 'meu should bo nnl-
should not fret No tlurll, or be III any WY OYER
nuxions. Again, men were hidden not To lay up
tteasures Oh rlrtIl. This wus ll,e letter of
Enrst's teachings, but thu nbsurillty
Of interpreting it tituralty, md acrcpt.
Ing It iu TINT Specification, was appureut.
Civilization wuuIl glyo why 70 bar:
larlsul. Following. however, tllu spirit of
Chslst'B Wortla men Were en3ullcd not to lay ill
treasures for ths world alone. but to liso their
wealth for good, an.l 10 tho iAytng up Of treas-
ures III l1raveu. 'rhe word Ut God, thus 1nter-
prcte would become Il great, breathing soul,
arld not, Us III the Church Ut lsunlc, piecu ol
machincrYi anil In thu light of such tnterprcta-
Lion, HUing aown 1eup Into tic inIlcr meanings
Of the doctrines VI Christ, tho Church was yUt
passing glory FROM Its trAsstcnt obscurIty.