Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-01-15
SACRED THEMES.
Sermon by Rev. DR.. Smith at Clinton Ave-
nue. M. +. Church INSTRUMENTATION Ser
vice ut Plymouth Church--Interel ting
Talk for the Young.
clinton Ayenue N. d. church.


Talk for the Young.
Clinton AgenUe IA. u. Church.
The services at this church were begun
at $3.50 a. m. with love feast at 1920
preaching by the presiding elder, Rev. DR..
S. G. Smith, and the administration of the
Lords supper.
The sermon of DR.. Smith was one Of his
usual clear, forcible efforts full of plain
pointed argument. The subject was Mat
thew 18th chapter, 4th, 9Th and 9th verses.
The proposition that in the end to do
right would be found advantageous was
enunciated. How may men always do
right then became a question of great
Importance. There arise supreme mo-
ments in each mans life when the angels.
of God appear to be cemped upon
one side of him and all the hosts of hell
upon the other. How is man to choose
between the right and wrong in such mo-
ment? The Christian religion comes in
this emergency and aids man in this great
crisis. Mankind are swayed in all their
acts by some three Or four primary mo-
tives or impulses, Of which hope, fear and
love are the principal. Unless Christiani-
ty, founded upon the Bible, does help
a man to do right it is worthless. The
Bible may be perfect in literary point of
view, yet if it is no aid to man in his effort
to do right it is valueless. Unless Christi
anity helps d man practically, it is of no
account If it does not help him nothing
can. Hope, the first and chiefest of
all the motives which sway human
ity and which becomes at once
not only mental but a physical help be-
longs entirely to Christianity. In Chris
tianity I am led to hope for a better con-
dition both in this world and the next, to
fear to disobey God whose infinite love
to me inspires my warmest love in return.
1t is not because I fear them because he is
so strong and powerful and could crush
me in moment, but I revere him because
of his goodness and love to me- That
Christianity helps a man practically car
at once be seen. 1t helps him to successes
in life for with it comes morality and with
morality comes good habits and the man
of good habits is more likely to have good
health and good health fits a man for greater
exertion both mental and physical and in
creases his power of production whereby
he accumulates wealth. Thus in a worldly
| point of view Christianity helps a man al
ways. If a man who does not regulate his
business upon the principles of Christian
| ity is prosperous he must violate the laws
| of society as well as of God and is a thief,
for which class the penitentiaries are built,
even such an one becomes more prosper
Gus when he finally submits to the in
fuences of the Christian religion and reg
| LOFT bic hucirocc aco0rdiDor to itS faooh-
ings. In all the history of the world those
nations have achieved the greatest results
and existed the longest who have been
moulded upon the Christian religion, and
| those who have spurned or forsaken
it have miserably persisted. What three
nations rule the larger portion of the
world to-day, and whose flags are floating
respected and triumphant on every water
of the globe-England, Germany and
| Observation-Disclosures nations who recognize
| God and Christianity. 1t becomes the most
powerful force mankind has ever known,
and in the magnifcence of its achievements
exhausts hope, love and fear, the master
passions of humanity. Not long since a
| man appeared before st. Paul audience
and paraded the wonderful love he felt for
his wife and children, walking up and
down the stage and utterirg those VOWS
and sentiments which we love best to
breathe in the ear of our own loved ones
in the quiet and sanctity of our homes.
| This man said "Christianity knows
nothing of love-" What love can
be greater than that which Christianity
does teach. The most perfect symbols Of
human love are cited again and again as
but faint and inadequate measures of the
love the Father feels for mankind, and in
the birth, life and death of the Savior
Christ no degree of human love can ap-
proach it. The whole of Christianity is
summed up by him in the injunction to
''love God with all the heart, soul and
mind, and our neighbor as ourself." The
whole teaching of the Christian religion is
of love so supreme and overpowering that
without it mankind never could have known
the length and breadth and depth of that
most sublime of all human passions. If
the human soul can not be touched by such
love as the Bible teaches it must fail to bs
reached by anything.
Finally all of civilization and enlighten-
ment which the world possesses it has re-
ceiyed through Christianity, and to that
which has done for man more than any
thing else on earth must he turn for help
to do right.