Morning journal and courier., 1881-03-24
United Lenten Services.

| Christianity i'm Public Life-SermOn by Rev. Joseph Brewster.
 | At united services at Trinity church last | evening Rev. MT. Brewster, rector of Christ church preached before a large audience a discourse from the words
 In those days came John the Baptist preaching in
 the wilderness of Judea and saying repent ye for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
 Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea, and
 all the region round about Judea and were baptized ! of him, confessing their sins
 | The speaker in opening referred to the | high spiritual mission of John the Baptist. His advent was ''in an age that knew neither national liberty nor spiritual religion, just | when the fabric of society seemed tottering to it's ruin under the weight of a foreign despotism, and the ancient law was become a I superstitious creed only tolerated by Rome ? \ The coming of this mar marked new era in | the moral history of mankind. The speaker eloquently reviewed the career of this re- | markable man. Christianity and the duty of | the clergy were next referred to and the evils of the present age. But this was an age too of awakening conscience The speaker most | ably in an eloquent and scholarly treatment of the subject unfolded it's ramifcations, con- | sidering first the true idea and purpose of | Christianity. q claim,' he said, ''that re- | ligion and public life have the same basis in | morals. I know of but one moral code that ought to operate in affairs civil and religious, ! in public and in private life, and that is the
 law of God in Christianity, which in fact
 makes secular duties religious duties. If 1 the State does not take it's law from Chris f tianity where shall it find it ?-in custom, in expediency, in town caucuses, in conven- | tions ? Few are so in love with the ethical superiority of the average American politi-
 clan as to be willing to try the experiment.,
 but yet it must be confessed good many
 of us are very shy of making
 Christianity really effective in public | life A man, however, who holds to Chris
 tian faith in his private business becomes | atheistic when he divides his politics from his religion. See then the Encouragement
 and responsibility before the Christian citi- gen." The speaker next considered ''how
 Christianity acts on public ife, and enforced
 the necessity of high moral standard and
 an earnest, defined stand for the truth, | whether in private life or among public
 men. Powerful words from Gladstone on | this point were cited. The field of national politics offered it's opportunity for men to exercise grand moral influence. Another field was the temperance question, which |
 as never before. ''Let no one say let alone, l-nothing can be done" We who pray for
 a sober life, ought we not to work with God
 In accomplishing it :? And might we not be. | gin here at home with more interest and | sympathy with local effort, say with the So- I ciety for the Prevention of Crime, mindful
 that while legislation may do something, the
 Christian spirit will have the most to do in
 removing stumbling blocks, in lessenine
 temptation and supplanting the evil by | healthier associations, more comfortable
 homes and rational recreations. s'It is 6
 matter of astonishment that little atten- l tion has been paid to the palpable fact that
 drinking comes from being thirsty and hun.
 gering after good fellowship, and neither thirst nor fellowship is adequately provided
 for in our great towns except by the liquor
 shops" Akin to this is that paradox of modern civilization, the polarization of society, depressing it at
 creasing alienation of classes by which one class gets into separate world begins the
 disintegrating of patriotism. Dr. Arnold
 felt this very. keenly in his day, (foresaw
 what came to pass in the easy transition to
 embittered feelings and positive enmity), and
 how earnestly he implored the clergy to come
 to the rescue as they alone could do it by
 preaching brotherhood in Christian ity and brotherhood in the church | of Christ. But will you let us apply the doctrine eHectlvely! Are there no
 relics here of the old barbarism in the feeling
 that the poor are not wanted in the church ?
 * The discourse further treated of woman's
 help and other branches of the topic, in clos
 ing vigorously enforcing the lesson, viz,
 'It is for the Christian citizen, therefore, to | uphold all Christian institutions and in him.
 self to exemplify the Christian spirit as well
 as political virtue. If you let an outspoken Christianity be silenced, or it's benefcent
 energies be paralyzed, you are so far weaken
 ing the bulwarks of social order, you are ar
 resting human progress, and the national
 honor will soon trail in the dust My subject
 is an argument for personal religion thence
 will come the development of truth, honor
 and justice in society. Turn then the reviv-
 ed religion of this Lent to purify and elevate public life. Let there be written on every patriotic heart that declaration of Gods word, while all history abundantly confirms, Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a \ reproach to any people,"
 | A large number of the Episcopal clergy were present in the chancel.