The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1880-09-08


ZION. hy the Rev. Frederick W. Farrar, D. d, Canon
Of WESTMINSTER.
only let year conversation be becometh the Gos
pei Of Christ (o-. as Il should rather be rendered
"only play the oitirens-worthiy Of the Gospel Of
Chrfst-~-PEIriTTIkRs I, 2.
Whatever else the pulpit is, my brethren, it
ought surely to be real; TO have, that is, di-
rect bearing on the thoughts and lives of men.
If it cease to have such bearing, if it never
touch on the subjects in which the common
homes and interests of mankind are centered.
there will always be danger lest religion
should be degraded into an unreal supersti-
ton, incapable Of that supreme control over
mankind which can alone insure the triumph
Of Righteousness for when religion becomes
isolated and impractical morris rapidly be-
come artificial and corrupt Epoehs Of inf
delitv have always teen epochs Of wickedness.
II ever, through fault or feebleness of ours,
Englishmen begin TO regard religion as a sort
OF conventional theory, as a set of abstract
dogmas. as q mixture of party watchwords and
decent observances; if ever we drive them 10
the disastrous conclusion that religious exhor-
tations have little concern with political or
social life: that they may do for churches, but
have no connection with the shop or the office:
that they may do for Sundays, but are unwork-
able in the ordinary world: that they may
concern the clergy and their adherents, but
have little TO say 10 the city or the nation /;
whenever, in fact, the religious and the secular
are regarded as two distinct and separate
spheres, aud the truths of religion as a set Of
phrases among the elect but meaningless
to the vast masses OF unregenerate mankind,
then farewell 10 the true power and glory of
the Christian Faith.
Nv brethren, religion is not thing which
J -, -
proper place. If it is 10 he anything, it must
be everything. If it is not suffered to be SUI
preme and absolute, it might as well not exist.
1t claims an empire not only over the spirit,
but also over the body and the mind.
Nor did the Apostles differ from these grand,
high-minded. bruA6-visioned, patriot Prophets.
Saint Paul was proud Of being Roman citizen.
"our citizenship, I" he wrote to the Philippians.
"is in Heaven" See that We walk rather,
"See that We play the citizens worthily Of the
Gospel Of Christ" Brethren he said to the
assembled Sanhedriu, - in all good conscience
l have played the citizen before God till this
6ay." And in the Revelation of ST. John the
city is something more than a holy city: it is
q holy state. 1t is that City Of God which IS
the perfected ideal Of all holy craftsmanship
that CiriiGs Del which was pictUeed by the
master hand Of Saint Augustine. in contrast
with the torn states OF corrupted world.
You Will see then, that if a modern clergy
man is 70 be something more than the small
one sided, tinid, conventional thing which he
is too often tempted 10 be: if he is TO be some
thing more than a priest; if he is TO have
something Of the duties Of the prophet, toe, he
must learn to speak out, and speak Of the
things that men speak Of, and care for the
things for which nations care. BE Is not only
justified in sometimes speaking 10 them OF
matters political and social, but he IS bound tC
Go so. Bound to urge all Christian men &c
make religion prominent in every word they
speak, every act they dc. every measure they
support, every vote they give. You have seer
the question debated in the newspaper:
whether OF not the clergy ought 10 INTRODUCES
! politics into their sermons. Is some greai
statesmen have hidden them DO. Here yoJ
have an answer TO THAI question. II by polite:
! he meant purely party politics, on which tn,
I clergy know just as muuh-oT, more often
/ Just as iiitle-as other people: on which
/ they could only speak after 4 study necessarily
Z imperfect and with a knowledge necessaril,
/ limited On which men Of the most earnest ana
! conscientious religious feelings draw differin.
! conclusions-on such uncertain questions | sa,
I that Il would be an intoleTable arrogance FOL
( the clergy to thrust on their congregations
crude and Ignorant infallibility The pulpit !,
/ hot the husilngs, and simple and earnest wor-
shippers would be justly Indignant if the,
we've liable TO hear in churches the rancorou
4 personalities, the one-sided arguments, or tie
/ infammatory failzc;es OF election addresses
I As rule, il is not the duty of the clergy I,
I descend into the dusty arena Of party sirug,
! giles, but 10 deal with political questions will
Z wider view and with less enbittered spirit
I do not say that DAYS never come in whicl
/ kings ard states tend 10 err so flsgTanil,
against the clear laws Of God that It become:
+ the bounden duty Of preachers 10 uplift, sgains
/ the madness and greed OF nations, in hand
1 however feeble, tie eternal standard OF right
! eousness, ana to speak out like prophets q
/ burning questions, without meanly "stesrin,
( between the Scylla and CbaTybdi of Yes am
I No Such day came, for instance, on Ma,
{ 10Th, 1855, when James II, N the covert at
4 tempt 10 introduce pope-y INTO England, OF
{ dered the clergy 10 read in their churches III
I Declaration Of Indulgence; and, in spite Of ia
most imminent peril Of losing their very bread
I the London clergy almost 70 a man refused
and Samuel Wesley, the father OF Charles AT
4 John Wesley, then . curate n London
preached on the text Be il known INTO thee
I Q, King, that we VIII not serve thy gods no
worship the molten usage that thou hast Sc
! up" On that day, IN this Abbey, the the
( Dean, Thomas Spraii, Bishop Of Rochester
was one Of the very few who, TO his disgrace
did read the Declaration: and the Westmins.e
boys saw the paper TeRble in his hands, 3
his voice was drowned IN The noise and mur
nuns Of the indignant congregation rising 5
once 10 crowd out. Then, TOO, It was thai II
seven bishops protested and were imprisoue.
and on their soeuiiial thousands burst int
acclamations; and, in spite Of our stern, col
English nature, thousands sobbed aloud fC
very JOY. On that day, says the historian
the love Of the Church and the love of FIRE,
dom, so often enemies to each other, were ont
and never in the long course Of our histor
has the Church been so popular as she was 0
tlsE summer day TWO hundred years ago.