Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1882-06-01
&ists!Iaacous.
Pleasures.

\ sermon preached at the Unitarian
Church. Ellsworth. MAY 2l. lNS2, by the
pastor, Rev l. h. Macdonald.
EcCLEs.-Chap. Ill. and 1. Ito every
thing there j. a sea>on, and time 70 eyerS
purpose under the heaven. \ time to weep,
aud time 10 laugh time to mourn and a
time TO dance
The perfect religion is that which has
most completely adapted Itself to the nature
Of the human soul the imperfect religion Is
tha, which has sought 10 adapt the human
soul TO as nature. 4 religion IS true and
worthy so far as It has studied oarefully and
cunformed Itself To the conditions, needs and
tendencies Of human nature 4 religion j.
false and unworthy 80 far as Il has scorned
those innate demands Of human nature and
has sought violently 10 conform human ma
ture to the conditions, needs and tendencies
of a system OF hard artificial doctrine and
belief. \ religion Is grand and precious so
far as il sanctions and directs all the various
activities Of NM building up out Of human
life a strong and beautiful symmetry by per
frcting each activity IN It's own sphere a
religion is weak and worthless so far as il
rudely attacks any natural activity, and b,
crushing out It's normal action, destroys the
symmetrv Of human existence. And so.
when ! observe the manner IN which relig-
ion in the past has dealt with that most nat
ural and healthful quality of human nature
which makes for pleasure and enjoyment /;
how il has darkened human life by crushing
out much Of life's natural mlrth and galety /;
how it has sought TO prove human nature ;
depravity by declaring to be Of Satanic or
IGN that tendency 10 enjoyment so strong
and prominent in human nature how II has
made sinful by its oftentimes narrow and
artificial prohibition many pleasures in them
selves healthful and innocent; when | oh
serve how past religions have thus falsely
attacked and stgmatized pleasure, | feel
like urging that the future religion at least
should give TO pleasure all its rightful dig
nifty and power; that the coming religion
should not seek to gain any false grandeur
in the eyes of the world by any forced and
| unnatural austerity that even at the risk Of
| being misunderstood the new religion shall
give its sanction to all possible enjoyment,
| provided only that it is pure and legitimate.
| For, observing the inevitable sorrow and
| gloom of human life, feel that il ought to
take undisputed all the JOY and gladness IL
can rightfuily claim. find that the newt
| able toll and hardship of life are limitations
enough to life's pleasure without any arti-
| fetal limitations from religion, | find that
| the unavoidable sorrow and distress of life
are quite sufficient TO circumscribe and pro-
hibit iife's JOY and sunshine without any
hard and narrow prohibitions from a hard
and narrow religion; | find that the oppor-
tunities for genuine enjoyment are limited
and forbidden quite enough by the very ma
ture of human experience and can Ill afford
to be falsely forbidden and limited by q
man-made institution. And further, find
that the attainment of true enjoyment is
made difficult enough by natural laws and
conditions without being made more difficult
by unnatural and artificial laws and condi-
tions that naturally and inevitably the ac-
| QUESTION of genuine pleasure is governed by
| laws of truth and morality, weighty and in
exorable enough without being reinforced by
any unnatural laws made and enforced by a
| peculiar system of belief; that the necessary
and Unborn restrictions make the possession
| of pure enjoyment rare and inaccessible
enough without any external and unnecessary
restrictions. And still further, find that
the natural opportunities for sin and evil
are quite numerous enough without being
added to by unnatural means that there are
| quite enough of pleasures naturally base
| and evil to lure man TO sin and shame with
out the addition of pleasures in themselves
| pure and good, but made base and evil by
| the artificial prohibition of a church and so
/ am anxious that religion shall remove
| from the field of pleasure all unreaAoning