Morning journal and courier., 1883-07-02
Dwight Place Church.

Rev. IT. R. Bacon the Simplicity of
 the Gospel and on EIaterialism and 1t
 Tendencies and Results.
 At Dwight Place church yesterday morn ing Rev. T. R. Bacon preached g discourse from John 6, 60, "This is hard saying :; who can hear it ?" The sermon was relative to the celebration of the Lords Supper, which took place at the close.
 MT. Bacon said this saying is a sample of the sayings of Christ. In it's practical sim plicity it is like all the rest. The inner work ings of the spirit may be mysterious and un- explainable, but it's results are clear as the light of day. A man may know no assrono- my, nothing of the practical bearings of the moons revolution or how it reflects the efful- gence of the sun yet, when he is crossing | lonely plain at night, he must fully appreci- ate the fact that the moon does give light that helps him on his way. What cares he whence and how comes, the light The practical results are sufficient to his needs and he goes on his way rejoicing. So with the light of the gospel It makes the course of life simple and lights the traveller through the wilderness of this earth. Yet the work ings and purposes of Gods spirit are mys- tery to us. Who can deny the light of the gospel even though we cannot comprehend it's philosophy? What to us upon this side of life is how God made the light to shine upon provided only that he has made it to shine?
 The simplicity of the gospel is sufficient, for it teaches common everyday life. Down from above light shines upon us and lights us on our way. If we turn our eyes from It we are blinded so that we can scarcely see whence it streams. For such things theol- ogy is of little moment, but the gospel is of value. Yet I would not speak lightly of Christian doctrine. The mind of man cannot be satisfied without reaching ont to grasp the mysteries of life and of God and we should reach out to find all we can of his teaching and counsel. The more we try to reach out after them the more truly will we get at the best there is in-them.
 MT. Bacon's remarks at the communion service were especially strong and forcible pointing to faith in Christ and the observance of his teachings as necessary to salvation from the evil of this world.
 The afternoon sermon was from Cor. A. IS. ''While we look not at the things which are seen but at things which are not seen." The subject of the discourse was materialism, which the preacher defined as an exclusive regard to things material. Material things receive our attention through our physical senses. It is not so with spiritual things We suffer physically whether we will or not, but it is not so with spiritual things. All suffering in itself is not 8 good but an evil. It is only when it develops our spiritual nature and the soul reaches forth for divine help and comfort. resulting in 8 greater love for and dependence on God, tha suffering is produetine of good. A man who regards home merely as house, and family relations only as 8 means of perpetuating the species, IS an extreme example of 8 material ist. 4 certain school of philosophers argue that we can know nothing of spiritual things and therefore it is presumption to pretend to know anything above actual physical demon stration, but poetry, patriotism and love we know something about, therefore, patriotism and love are material. This is a logical con- clusion and the one at which this philosophy aims. Take out of the world all we know of higher life and it would be poor place in which to exist.
 MT. Bacon spoke of divorce and suicide as An outgrowth of materialism and condemned the iberality with which the former were granted in strong terms. Suicide is the pain full but natural result of life whose guide is materialism. The materialist's idea is to en- joy this life and die. Many men of fine or ganisms are bred to, but ca mot find satisfac ton in such philosophy. and concluding that life is not worth the living end it by their own hand. Such is the gospel and such the outcome of materialisn. The discourse was one of great power and scope.