Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-01-02

| the nature Of evil. We can NO longer re9arl
| it - the curse of God pronounced on q rac'
| because of our disobedience. Man is climb
| ing up from animalism and ignorance ans
brutalism, into brain and heart The prob
lem set before him is to learn hos to live
physically, mentally and morally-to know
and willingly obey the laws Of God, which
are the laws of his own nature.
1t then follows that our conception of sal
walton is changed. There has been NO fall O
man; he was never SO high as to-day. Tota
depravity, incarnation. q dying soul and hell
these all have passed away; there is no place
for and no need of them in the modern knowl
edge of the modern world. The superanuted
machinery of salvation has become outworn.
Our salvation is deliverance now and here
from brutality. famine and ignorance. Our
conception Of Heaven is changed for the old
theology, and believes that salvation comes
through character, through knowledge and
obedience to God. Heaven is simply the
music of life rightly aftuned to the law Of
God.
Our light along the pathway of life is an
eternal faith that God is guiding His world.
We are children a shipboard, and our Father
is the Captain-he will guide US Alright. And
then We have all the light of reason and ex-
perience. which are the great teachers of the
world. Ours IS no partial God. to pet por-
ton of his children and abuse others. As all
natural light comes from the sun, SO all truth,
truth of religion, science, philosophy. comes
from God. 1t is the business of the church to
gather and reflect all this truth. There is
enough of truth already gained and accessible
to save the world. Christianity is the best
religion. not because it il SO called, but be-
cause it has for US the most of inspiration
and truth-the NEST of God.
Our church method must then be free
thought and study. We may fearlessly study
and investigate in all directions. The laws
of nature are the true and complete Word
of God, of this all Bibles and creeds and
faiths are only fragments. They are true
and binding only so far as they are faithful
copies Ofthe true and complete word. knOwl-
edge and obedience to these laws constitute
salvation. We hold that conversion is not
q miraculous change, but the free and ration
al act of our intelligent being. The penalty
of transgression is the hell Of ignorance and
suffering that must cling to every man, in
this world and in all worlds, as long as he is
out of right relations to the laws of his own
nature, which are the laws of God. We are
thus worldly in our religion, and carry no
pocket maps of the next wsrld. God wants
us to do our work right here, in the vineyard
he has called upon us to cultivate. Our
present work is here. And if we can only build
heaven now, and people it with pure and no
BILE men and women, we believe we are full
filling our part.
In performing its true work, the church
becomes indeed ''the light of the world"
The quantity and quality of its light depends
upon the degree in which it approximates the
Divine ideal. To give and dedicate this
church to God. is to give it to the service of
man. God will care nothing for your offer
ings or your prayers. if your work here does
not help humanity onward and upward. In
this spirit he entreated his hearers to dedi-
cate the church to God our Father. and to
humanity his child.
At the close Of the sermon, prayer was
offered BY Rev. Mr.. Ecob. After the bene-
diction many fingered to partake of the hos
pitalities of the church, in supper furnished,
and admire the new edifice and its appoint
mpnts