Morning journal and courier., 1883-03-24
Fast Day at North Church.


 At the North church yesterday the congre- gations of that and the Center church united and listened to very interesting discourse by Rev. Dr. Hawes. No text was taken, but the sentiments embodied in the discourse are so far out of the usual rut as to demand the attention of all Christian thinking people. The preacher said
 It may be we'll to ask, first of all, why we are gathered in this house of God to-day. A large number of Christian people of this State observe the day as one designated and set apart by the church of which they are members in order to commemorate the lift ing up of the cross on Calvary. It is their custom to do this, and any suggestion touch ing the matter made by Q civil officer, even the highest in rank, would be regarded by them either as meaningless or impertinent. Many others will take occasion in view of an official proclamation to come together in their houses of worship for religious services, anticipating the presentation of some subject which is not ordinari- ly theme of pulpit discourse.
 The practice has widely prevailed of discuss ing on this day topics which are deemed by some to be not quite suitable on the Sabbath.
 Essays on the sanitary condition of the will lage or the city are in place. Or phillipics
 which have as their basis and procuring cause some specially dreadful example of po litical corruption. As the record of the past abundantly shows, it is a, day for freeing the mind on matters and things in general, pro- vided one has mind that is burdene1 by reason of any of the special features of cur rent events. In some cases it may be thankfully acknowledged the day has served the purpose for which, so
 far as the words by which men have been summoned to observe it were concern ed, it was named. And in the present in- stance we may hope that in some cases it will be what it is called. 8 day of fasting, humiliation and prayer. There are as we know, 1 in the course of years, emergencies of such a nature that the universal feeling is that the appointment of such day is a thing most fitting. When our beloved President the patient and grand sufferer that he was, lay I looking out upon the sea, it was well, when we could not tell whether God would be l gracious unto us and spare his life or not, that the nation should be asked to bow I itself in prayer. There are times when great interests are at stake, when men think of the future with trembling, and then such a call as that to which we have responded to- day secures the evident advantage of 8 simul- taneous approach to him who holds in his hand and shapes all things. The call does not create the feeling, but is the fruit of it. Men do not pray because they are told to, but because they must. Now beyond questi on, it would be Q proper thing for the churches l in this city to make the day one of fasting, humiliation and prayer. The reasons for do I ing that are sufficient. How does the style of their stewardship compare with the stand ard given in the New Testament The work given them to do in the rescue of souls that are continually within their reach. What is I the measure of that, compared with what, aE the result of greater consecration and more loving effort it might be? 'tYe are my, wit. nesses.'' What kind of testimony do some bear to whom that is said The proof that I to the children of God, saved by faith ir his son. @ most sacred trust has been com. mitted, namely that of making all around | know that Christ died for them and that now | is the day of salvation. Is that as positive \ an impression as it ought to be If to be deFelict in duty is to have reason enough fol humbIing ourselves before God, then 8 sea | son of fasting, humiliation and prayer would | be in harmony with the facts in the case But is it true that this service is an expres- | sion of widespread disposition to return tc him who can heal our backsldings, and who | is ready to restore unto us the joy of his t salvation In a word are we here now be | cause we felt the need of being together in | order to confess our sins and make our com mon supplication i? Or is the chief reason ot our being together the fact that certain document has been sent out of the State ! House and we have been reminded that it il customary to do this thing. If this indeed be the reason of our assembling, is not tn. \ whole thing essentially g pretense which does not tend to quicken the moral sense, bR the contrary I must say frankly for one ! that it seams to me there is a danger of 1acl of sincerity, of depth of purpose, in needing an official proclamation of this kind that vii | in various ways work mischief. To set apar
 day of fasting, humiliation and prayer, ant
 to observe it according te the terms of tn. call, is serious business, and it will not bt ! done to order. Plainly it cannot be one oi | the ordinary functions of the State to tell the \ church when to be on her knees. It will b. something else than a proclamation whicl will put men in 8 right attitude before God
 And the more solemn the words whicl are carelessly used the greater vii
 be the harm of becoming accustomed | to the sound of them. And if this injury ii done in the case of some to whom they are particularly addressed, there will be still nor, | in the case of those who have no thought | about any spiritual influence, to whom i does not occur that their personal duty i one of self -abasement and repentance, but
 who spend the day in idleness or in pleasure or practices that are demoralizing. No on'
 who knows how to appreciate the strain tc l which men in every calling in this age ar' ! subjected, who considers the need of relaxa. tion in the case of those who woult
 not think of treating 8 fine anima
 with such severity as they do their owl physical system, will utter word against tn, multiplying of holidays. That is matter quite by itself. The point raised is simply
 this, whether weight of argument would no
 be on one side of making an end of a so
 called day of fasting, humiliation and prayer chiefly because certain time in the yea
 is reached. Let there be such day
 because of the working in the hear
 of the divine spirit. Let them be days O great significance because they are proofs o | 8 clearer recognition of facts, and because
 they are marked by the bestowment of gres gifts by him who reigns above; but let u feel our need of them and not be subject to mere arbitrary appointment. It will be vel if this might be remembered as the last tim,
 that we come together in reference to such proclamation as this which we have needed to-day. The original significance of thes
 reasons, as we know, is gone, and for man,
 reasons it is not the part of intelligen l Christian people to preserve longer th'
 dead form. Having said so much concerning what are known as Fast days, I may sa, further that every true minister of the EOS pei should count it a privilege, as time ana
 strength will permit, to improve every op portunIty or speaking words that may In an.
 way be profitable to his fellow men, ant
 therefore should be glad if I might do st
 to-day.
 The foregoing is the first part of the ser
 mon entire. Dr. Hawes now spoke of tn,
 duty of the clergy to utter what may benef and help men. He allowed that various exi
 gencies might make proclamation for fas
 highly appropriate, such as nationa
 calamity, like the prevalence of wasting
 disease, or the horrors of place besieged by hostile army, or an evil or calamit.
 which stood menacing or threatening thu people; or a sense of sin. Such proclama tion acknowledges Gods power and his dis position to tenderness and mercy. Let uI dwell for moment on the fact that in mani fold ways God does declare his will concern ing men. His chief care for man is man. spiritual improvement. The chief aim O life is character; that alone will last forever Mems estimate of one who has passed ava! is chiefly with regard, mot to what he had 1 what he knew,-but what he as,-in short
 what was his character. Much more must i
 be that God takes special account of charac ter. Character tells in the futur, life. The truth of divine prov idence underlies the theory of tn, evolution of character. The heart of human ity turned willingly to the thought of di