National Republican., 1883-07-23
TWO SERMONS.
The Lessons Taught by Two ClergymOn to
Their Congregations Yesterday.
Discourscs by Rcvs. Hayward and Herrold
at Epiphany md Holy Cross Churches.
THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
ELOQUENT DISCOURSE OF REV. MR.. HAYwAl

Rev. Mr.. Hayward, assistant rector preached
an interesting sermon, taking his text from
the eighteenth chapter of Matthew and part
of the third verse: Except ye become as
little children, yc shall not ontcr into tho
kingdom of heaven" Tho speaker said
No language could be stronger than this
To enter into the kingdom of heaven there
Is but one way, and that is to become rs little
children. But before we can understand our
blessed Lords words we must make plain of
what it is He speaks when He says the
kingdom of heaven" To do this we shall
have to get out of our minds some
very old misconceptions, aud, as every one
knows, this is no easy task. Our well mean
ing religious teachers have been telling us all
along that the words referred only to the
life beyond the grave, and it is quite certain
that the greater part Of even well-iniormed
church people give no other meaning to
them. Numberless good Christians who daily
use the words in our Lords prayer thy
kingdom come" have a vague shadowy no.
tion that they have to do only with the future
state, and they honestly try to give utter
ance to the unnatural wish that this lovely
world of Gods creation would come to an end
and their life end with it.
shall perhaps surprise some of you when
/ say that only incidentally, occasionally, and
not directly and conspcuously to these much
used expressions have reference to the other
world, 1t is true that Christ's kingdom is
not of this world, but His kingdom is
certainly in it. and His loyal subjects touch
hands with one another every day. 10 use
st. Johns language in the Book of the Reve-
latons, the Kingdoms of this world have
become the Kingdoms of our Lord.
After citing many passages of Scr ripture to
show that the kingdom of God begins here
and continues eternally; that wherever right
eousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost
are met together there is the kingdom OF
God, he said it was desirable under
the present conditions of religious opinion
to emphasize the truth that Jesus
Christ is with us always even unto the end
of the world. Aud since the King is not in
exile His kingdom must be here rs well as
i" far in the spiritual city" Here both as
King and Judge He makes His laws and be-
slows His rewards and punishments. Christ
is imminent in all the affairs Of men, and it
is the duty of His ministers to point out as
we'll as their learning and ability will permit
in what way His spirit ought to manifest
itself.
Some men say religion is we'll enough
for the other world and well enough to
die by, but to live by and for this
WOriu we neeu sOunetnlHp more suUsldnVlui,
whereas the truth is that in this world, as
well as the other, Christ ought to be supreme.
In your politics let the spirit of Jesus-l do
not mean his name Only-dominatc, and
what becomes of the self-soeking, which cares
not il it destroy the state?
Let Christ reign in literature, and what
further need would there be of restrictive
laws and police surveillance?
Acknowledge him in science who said
81 am tho TRUTH" though he knew it
would cost Him His life, and what
anxious solicitude would there be to find out
truth at whatever risk, and what frank con-
fession of his doctrine that all the works OF
creation there is nothing so valuable as one
human soul.
Believe in His right to rule over what glad
dens life in beauty and art, and we shall see
what Mr.. Ruskin observed in many of the
medieval artists "the expression of the JOY
of those who have found the young child
with Mary, His mother" He closed as fol-
lows: ..a
1t is not Of the accidents Of childhood that
our Lord speaks 1t is of its very essence
OF that which makes il childhood. You can
not think, to begin with, of a child but as a
being that grows 1t goes from strength to
strength. Body, mind and soul are acquisi-
tive, instantly taking in new things. EXpan-
sion and development are essential to its
healthy organization, We are reminded ol
the grain of mustered seed-little at first, but
growing into great tree No one is ready
for the kingdom of God unless he possesses
this quality of growth.
Another attribute of childhood is its direct
ness of mental vision. 1t has acquired ne
preiudices and is narrowed by no convention
aities but it looks straight out into the
world and sees things just as they are. Goo
and immortality which men argue arounC
and about until to many they have become
mere distractions are very real to thom
ipls tl,n Gla u
the sky and they believe when they pra,
that our father is within hearing distance o
them.
All said one who felt his loss,
Ills little Joy
To know j further off from heaven
Than when was boy,
One more trait of childhood ipseparabl
from it is its docility-its eagerness to learn
if not ono thing then another and, thanl
God, there is n natural preference whel
it is rightly put for wholesome knowledge
1t is in youth that the characte
is fixed for the child is fathe
TO the man, and all through lif
impressions and influences of our carly day
are coming up which we thought had lon
ago ceased to exist. In one of the most beau
tiful passages of modern French literature
Mr.. Renau has just given expression to hi
own memories of these far days 'One OF tn
most widespread legends of Brittany" h
says, sis that of II supposed city of Is whic
at an unknown period was engullcd by Tn
sea. They show you at different places aon
the coast the situation of this fabuIou
city, and the fishermen tell yO
some strange stories about it. Whe
it storms, they assure you that Oh
may see the church spires in the hollow {
the waves And when it is calm you ma
hear out of the depths the sound of bells ring
ing the hymn Of the day. 1t often seems
me that l have at the bottom of my heart
something where obstinate bells are ringin
10 call to the sacred offices the faithful wh
hear no more. Sometime | pause to give eli
to those trembling vibrations which com
from infinite depths, like voices from anothe
world. AS old aye draws on | have chieil
taken pleasure during the repose OF summe
in gathering up those distant sounds from
lost Atlantis"
DO you not seem to hear in this confessio
of 10, s from the great old skeptic the wore
oil one whom he claims to be alone able
understand in this century " | thank the
Father that thou hast hid these thinl
from the wise and prudent, aud hast reyeal'
them unto babes"
| beg your indulgence, while | give b'
one more essential property of childhood
mean its humility II is easy for the child
submit. 1t knows its weakness. 1t looks U
to- admires and respects that which Is abOV
Like rare orchard, it clings to the iaI
lily tree. and exhacs sweet odOrs under !
shade. Humble yourselves as II little child
saith the Lord. 1t was this most noble of I
virtues which caused the greatest of model
French preachers to say as he drew near q
hour of his departure: / have always tr
TO serve God, the church, and our Lord Jes