The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-07-27

Ine iact tnat TO the English imagination
the tghter, the military hero is perhaps
the best foundation for saint. CARLYLE
hit the popular chord in his erection of
hero worship into definite philosophy,
we might also say creed. For while it
may not be down in the articles, no one
can mark the monuments of England
which have been,j jealously guarded from
the ruin of centuries, no one can enter
the cathedrals and read the inscriptions,
without recognizing that the reverence of
physical prowess, of military courage and
heroism, is an important element of Eng
lish religion. True the inscription of an
inventor, or poet, or philosopher, or ora
tor, is to be found here and there in the
great Abbeys, but they are few in COM
parison to the monuments of those who
have distinguished themselves on the field
OF battle. The saints of England to this
hour are her Nelson's, her Wellingtons-
and everywhere in public streets, the
great squares, and in the proud fanes of
religion are the evidences that next to
the worship of God in England, and
closely allied to it, is the worship of the
heroes who waxed valiant in fight and
out to flight the armies of the aliens
With such thoughts in mind we entered
)ur first Sabbath. morning in England
the
Cathedral of Southampton,
md joined in the English worship. IfI
We have found the service of the English |
Church strained and affected apparently !
IN the great cathedrals, such as st. Paul
md Westminster, the reverse has been
he case in our smaller cathedrals and
;hurches. The common people enter with |
IN evident earnestness into the worship |
If God; and, reverently conducted, there
5 something very impressive in the an
;ient ritual of the Established Church,
md in the thought that the humble wo-
nan by my side is repeating the prayers
ind chanting the songs in which father
and mother before her, and fore elders,
generations before them, worshipped the
Most High God. There is a hoary gran
leur about the worship of the Ancient of
Days in an old English church very rest
ul to the soul after coming from the
midst of bustling world with all its in
lovations and mutations. But in my
'oul | despise this nainsc1y of Catholicism
i0hich is fast creeping into tke English
Church, and | feel sensible pain in wit
Messing sturdy Englishmen ducking and
oowing at each recurrence Of the name
of Jesus in the songs. What real rever-
ence there can be in such posturing |
annot imagine. In some respects, this
and other practices only teach too forci-
bly, the fact that in some aspects the Es-
tablished Church is but a cheap imitation
Of the Catholic Church, and is coming to
be all too rapidly the real common school
Tor the education of England for the Pa
pacy. The rector of the Church and the
preacher of the day-the son of the great
statesman Wilberforce-gave the people
a most evangelic discourse. His theme
was
Conscious Pardon the Inspiration of
Ch h;istian Love.
Whether of the twain will love him
most? F" He to whom he forgave most. "
Starting with the brutshness of mana
good vantage ground for an English audi |
ence) )-and the inspiration to rise to spir-
ltual power and purity-he emphasized
the necessity of solid point to rise from
in order to ascend to the kingdom of
l. haO pOluJ--OHdG nTm rOCk Is |
the finished righteousness of Christ. The
IS perfected. 1t included
the race by virtue Of the solidty of hu.
manity. God IS reconcjIed.. Everything
is done. Yet everything remains to be
done. The redemption is to be appropri- |
ated by you and me and all. It is the
dPpreciatio1a-the personal appreciation
OF the forgiveness of Christ which is sal |
vatlon-regeneration, the new birth, &c.
with Christ's death and resurrection
Redemption is sufficient for all. With my
personal appreciation Of it, that redemp-
tlon Is efficient for me. Thenceforward !
the sense Of forgiveness produces and |
feeds the love of the soul to-
ward the Forgiven That love binds the
spirit to Jesus Christ, inspires on a .hu-
man scale his divine sacrifice, and works
in this and the future the similtude of
Christ's 8anctity and glory. Such is the /
dim outline of the simple yet profound |
gospel discourse which fell from the lips |
OF the worthy son Of the great father
More Of an orator than English preachers
are usually found to be, we marvel not
that he is canon of ST. Paul, London, as
well as rector of Southampton. There
was an absence of all convention in the
preacher, and an avoidance of theological 1
terms, an intellectual honesty and manl- |
ness withal which seems to tell that amid
all the pomp of the English ritual there
are many hearts amono her roin;str,, 41,o4