National Republican., 1883-04-16
WE HAVE DONE OUR DUTY.
PRACTICAL SERMON OF REV. ALEX. KENT, OF
THE UNIvERsALIsr CHURCH.

THE UNIvERsALIsT CHURCH.
Rev. Alex. Kent, of the Murray Univer-
salist church, yesterday morning preached
from the following words : $50 likewise ye,
when ye shall have done all those things
which are commanded you, say we are un-
profitable servants, we have done that which
was our duty to do" Luke, xviii TO- He
said that the text implied that the disciples
had been placing too high an estimate upon
their labors, and were chershing the hope
of reward, and 1t was doubtless to this spirit
that Jesus addressed these words. Judging
by their words and actions they were
hirelings working for pay. Their motives
might not have been purely selfish; there
might have been something of religious de-
votion in them, but it was evident that they
kept their eyes "open to the main chance"
and were seeking the honor which comes
from political preferment and power; and
Jesus met them, as He most always met men,
on their own plane. Mr.. Kent continued,
though Christianity had been in the world
two thousand years, there was great need that
we should bring home to our hearts the les
son of the text. All were too apt to overrate
the services for truth and righteousness, and
to asst rs though there was danger of getting
the Lord too largely in our debt The
for funds with which to build our
church (now so nearly completely, nothing
was more common than for men who were
known to have too much money to plead
poverty to mention the liberality with which
they were supporting a church somewhere,
and they seemed to feel that the whole invest
ment was very poor one, and in many cases
they spoke as if they did great deal more
for the kingdom of God than the kingdom of
God did for them. Supporters Of the church,
instead of asking themselves how much they
can do and maintain the power of doing, ask
how little they can do and not incur the
charge of stinginess 1t behooves us TO know
that after all we can do we are still debtors to
God for the countless benefits coming to us
on every hand. If the Lord were running
this universe for His own benefit, as selfish
men run factories, and for daily wages we
were aiding Him, could we look into the
homes of those gathered here to-day and not
feel that we are all literally dealt with ?
But when we consider that God governs this
universe not for His own aggrandizement, but
in the interest of His children, and that we
are not servants but members of His house,
hold, working with Him in the interest of
all, then the attitude of halfheartedness to-
ward the educating agency Of His kingdom
becomes pitiable, and reveals misconception
Of the real aim of being, and puts false,
low estimate upon the real things that 90 TO
give life its value, and shows a spirit of
sordidness utterly unworthy of the children
Ol uOu' Inc Ol OuTloU u speak oil
it in the light of what il ought and what il is
meant to be) is the organized kingdom of God
upon earth, and its claims are the first and
highest claims upon every one of us. This
statement does not rest upon my authority
alone, either. The great Head of the
Church said: HE that loveth father
or mother more than Nc is not worthy
of Me-" Who would have fought
the battles Of our country If home, father,
or mother had been placed above the inter
ests of the country? Who would have
braved the fires of persecution in behalf of
truth and righteousness had they not had
paramount claimsP My deep conviction is
that this truth is not realized. Young peo-
pie are growing up without any enthusiasm
for humanity. Parents are to blame. What
you really love and will sacrifice for you can
easily interest the children in, as they readily
detect where the heart is Not all religious
giving is to the church. Money spent in the
market may be as religiously spent. But
| remember that the church is tho organized
effort against wrong ofeyery form. You can
not leave your children better inheritance
than deep interest in the work of Gods
kingdom 1t will strengthen them SO that no
| form Of temptation can bring them wholly
down. We have almost accomplished the
work of getting our church, with all its fur
niture, free of debt, But after that has been
done the work has only just began We shall
| then be in the position of man who has
built factory and filled it with machinery
ready for the purpose for which il was built.
We must be equal to all emergencies and
march boldly forward, hand in hand and
shoulder TO shoulder.