Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-05-08
A VERY STRONG SERMON
PARTY AND SUPPLIES DISCUSSED
By THE POOR TRUSTEES.
The Professor of Religion Who Does
Not walk i'm tho Light Roughly
Hsndl ed - self-sacrifice in Home
Life.

| MOI WAIA IN tno 11lk Bt 1NouknIy
HsndI ed - -self.sacrthce in Home
Life.
At the desire Of Joan J. Cornell, min.
lister OF the Society Of Friends, residing
near Rochester, Hew York, meeting was
held at the Friends meeting house,
Fourth and West streets, last night week.
There WAS very large gathering all the
| seating capacity in the meeting house
being occupied. The meeting WAS an
nounoed for 7.30 O'Clock, but 1t WAS
nearly half an hour later before the gath
ing was all seated. John ]. Cornell,
who WAS seated In the gallery,
facing the meeting, arose, and announced
his text from the First Epistle Of John,
l., s, B: "And this Is the message which
we heard from him, and announce unto
you, that God Is light, and In Him is no
fellowship with Him and walk In the
darkness, we lie, and do not the truth ;
but II we walk In the light, as he is in
the light, we have fellowship one with
another, and the blood Of His Son Jesus
cleanseth us from all sin."
4 The speaker opened his. discourse by
stating that the teachings Of the
scriptures are designed to instruct in
spiritual things and the inspired writers
have referred to natural things to llus-
trate the teachings they convey. We
must look deeper Into them and under
stand by the aid Of human understand
ing. They are written by inspired
writer's and are interpreted by inspired
understanding. No man has a right
to force his Interpretation on another
as alone correct; truths will
be opened to each individual
mind in accordance with it's needs. God
is light, without which there would be
no plant food upon which we subsist, and
is, therefore, necessary for the oontinnsne
Of life. Light, with it's oonoomitant heat,
pervsdes everything in cur nature. In
mans nature and spiritual being God is
the source Of all by which spiritual
nature is maintained, and makes its
light. Without 1t there can be no progress
In mans spiritual nature. There
never was any of Gods light withheld
He 10 the same forever; the organizer
and sustainer Of all laws material or
spiritual. Inspiration has not ceased
never since GOD created man. II there is
darkness 1t ia due TO the human mind
and not because God withholds light.
"Any man who says he loves God aud
walks in darkness is 4 liar" This
illustrates that God is not lover Of
mere professor OF religion. Professions
simply are Of no value in the sight of
Cod not single solace In the hour
of sillotion without power to console or
sooths. The duties of walking in the
light, are the necessities OF a proper and
moral lite, in all conditions that the
human family can or may be placed. 1t
is necessary TO this advancement of every
community that its members shall walk
in the light. We must rise above the
policy OF the world, and the influences OF
education, aud then morality becomes
step in advancement to the posi-
,ion man Ia assigned to occupy.
Obsdie ce to light Is expressed
in mans love to man, drst In his own
home. II the love of those at home ia not
supported by any principle stronger than
that which draw people together, the home
is not a happy one. The whole interest Of
home lie should be to sacrifice self for
the interests Of all. In home life we act
what W. really are; outside, out Of pride,
We act upon policy, and shut out the
selfishness manifested at home. In the
world if walking In the light, we act
| justly, uprightly in trade, and
| make DO false representations
for gain ; and are honest not because it is
the best policy, but the best prin, ipls to
act from. We keep our hands free from
pollution aud from gambling, whether 1t
be at the faro table or in gold, or grain or
| stocks. II We take our brothers. property
without just equivalent, we are not in
the light. Ii we find these men in the
church there is nesd of testimony Of their
character before you.
All ambition should be directed In
proper courses to serve man unselfishly.
In religion, Jealousy arises, and religion
is put under foot and lost sight of. In
stead, ambition should be directed to
serve the best interests OF the whole.
| The position we hold Is that sister
should be recognized in all the land /;
although differing in views, doc
trines, torms Of worship, there
is 10 difference in feeling in
those walking in the light. There
should be no building up OF aeotarian
partition walls, sect against scot, brother
against brother. 1t Is not necessary for
unity to observe the same form Of
worship and have precisely uniform
views. A diversity of views, oiroum.
stances aud operations, are necessary to
make up the whole human development.
What ia the blood Of Christ that
oleanseth the soul from siu ? Let us turn
to the language of Jesus, where he says
at is my meat to do the will OF my
Father which is in heaven.' Now we
know that 1t is physiological fact that
it ia from the meat or solid food we eat
that the blood ia formed by the chemical
changes going on with the man by which
the physical man is nourished and sus-
tanned, the waste places built up and
man enabled to perform all the
functions of life. Jesus therefore used
this as a figure to represent the manner
and means by which the spiritual life is
nurtured, nourished and maintained.
The doing OF the will of God as each in
dividual soul understands that will, as
revealed in itself, or in other words
walking in the light ss God is in the
light becomes to that soul its meat, its
life, its support, and is in it or to it the
spiritual blood of Christ. 1t re-
quires no argument to convince an
intelligent and unprejudioed mind
that II any man shall thus walk in the
light or should in all things to do what
he understands to be the will Of God tina,
his soul will be oleansed from all pollu
tion OF sin, and thus he will find that
the blood which thus oleanses Is not ma
terial but spiritual, aud that the cleans.
ing operation Ia carried on within him
The same obedience to the Divine will
which WAS the meat or blood OF Jesus in
its spiritual application becomes to hin
the same meat or blood, not only cleans
lug from ain but supporting and sustain
ing his spiritual life.
illustrating his Interpretation of til.
sacrificiai atonement the speaker said
soul leaves the body with full faith in
the sacrincial atonement. 1t comes befor'
God, the righteous judge, with Jesus- sit
ting at his right hand and the recording
angel at the left with his book Of lite
with all the darkness and brightness o
the soul recorded. The soul hal
been a sinner all Its life, ye
hopes by Divine interoession to no
be cast into outer darkness. 1t receiver
the sentence from the Divine Judge, ant
} enters into Heaven. 1t does not deserv,
1t, though 1t enters through another
suffering. 1t has the consciousness ths
it entered because of the suffering o
another. Can we enjoy the pleasures VI,
do not deservef have full belief IL
Jesus as an fnteroessor, but not will
God for man, but with man for God
Picture soul living here bound In unity
or love, no condemnation felt while here
!, done all It could in good works and goe