The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-24
WORDS FROM THE PULPIT.
Rev. MyrOn W. Reeds Discourse on the
Proper Pitch for Human Life.
The Pressing Needs of the Times Considered
by Rev. DR.. Marine-Evidences of q
General Revival of Christianity.
PITCH YOUR LIFE HIGH.
Rev. MyrOn w. Reeds Sermon at the First
Presbyterian Church Last Night.


Rev. Myren W. Reed preached, last night, to
perhaps as large an evening audience as ever as
sembled in the First Presbyterian Church. His
subject was pitch your Life High, his text be-
ing Matthew V. As: 'Be We therefore perfect,
even as your Father which is in heaven, is per
feet" With your conception of the universe,
which is most likely to be true-a faith that
makes life cheerful so that its burdens may be
borne without heart break-so that death can be
met not as an end, a terminus, but as a way
~.tation, IAN inn of a traveller on his way to
Jerusalem"-or a denial of all thisl 1t seems to
me that what we need we ought to have.
What Jesus Christ says of life is what we need,
That is my argument. Either what He says is
true. or the universe is not so interesting as q
vowel in which the characters are disposed of by
a drawn battle, in which all are killed on both
sides.
The God I believe in has genius. He is able
to keep His characters alive, and keep the story
going on. Only lack of genius on His part calls
for a food of water or of fire. With this belief
I rest easily, and am now prepared to listen TO
His command, BE We perfect"
cannot say that | have not the time. Ihave
.il the time that is, and all eternity as q supple
lnent. | am not limited. | am not swift as a
greyhound; | may be as slow as a turtle; that
makes no difference. l have more time than
hao SlNtll u viz Nll4Il " NAC NOAdA ~ VI
to the Colorado in which to cut the awful
canyon.
Aman looks about him and sees the defects,
The faults, the sins Of people; that they are
nany. The child of New England is fond of
talking of the pilgrims and the Puritans of the
'Mayhower." But Matthew Arnold asks us
this: Virgil and Shakespeare have delighted
the world. Suppose, now, that these two had
taken passage on the M~ayfower, would they
have enjoyed the voyage2' Evidently not 1t is
suggested that they would have cast themselves
into the sea. The Puritan did not let
his mind run to any great exs
His opposite may be found in the creole whose
days and works have been so well rendered by
Dir. Cable.
To a man whose conscience is his taste, color out
Of harmony with color shocks him as q crime
would shock a Puritan. If he murders, it is
never with a club. If he commits suicide he
finds a heater instrument than paris green or
powdered glass. He is an artist in love or in
hate He lacks seriousness, He allows a pro-
session or a masquerade to take his mind and
oOdy away from a revolution. But he has his
good side.
He does not run away from flood or fever. He
is at his post in a pestilence. The Puritan mode
of life is wholly q discipline; the creole makes
life almost wholly an opportunity. The Puritan
postponed his pleasure; the creole takes his.
The life of one is in the present; that of the other
III the future. The life of a man who wishes to
be perfect is one life, and it begins now, and it
goes on forever. Life is neither pain nor pleas
gre; life is serious business. to be entered upon
IN a spirit of courage and self-sacrifce.
The ideal life is not that Of the Puritan and not
that of the creole. 1t is not between the two.
1t is something of both.
L have seen the saber of East India-the blade
engraved, the scabbard wrought with gold, the
hilt curiously inlaid with precious stones. /
have seen the broadsword of Bruce and Wal
lace-a plain, heavy weapon of steel. But do
not be quick to say that it is a better sword than
that of India. If the Office of a sword is to cut
aud yiapda fha qua with fhn diamonds &c fha
better. All it needs is skill in the owner. But
tho mighty broadsword needs skill and strength.
The diamonds do not help the steel while it is at
work in the day of battle, but there are a good
many days not of battle. The sword not only
does its work, but lit satisfies the eye" l notice
a fruit-stand in Boston, and | notice one in New
Orleans. Good fruit may be bought at both
stands, but not with the same pleasure. The
creole has the gift of arrangement, and exercises
It with reference to color. His fruit-stand is q
work of art A life of duty may be lived amia-
bly,; A thine, because it is true
aad just, need not be hideous.
A saint ought to be attractive to children;
goodness ought to be interesting; a reformer
ought to be a pleasant neighbor.
Life ought to be made more complete. AS it
is, we go to one man for counsel, and to another
for good company. We like a mans books, and
are sorry that we ever met him. He writes
from one level and lives on another much lower.
1T probably a great mercy that the literary res
urrectionist' was not born until Shakespeare
NADA Il d"A OAA DhNN hO wac "a u 0Ar IL
has diminished my pleasure in Dickens and Car
lyle. This is the dissatisfying thing, that q
man should do high thinking and low living.
That is the defect in all of us-that life is not
lifted to the level of thought. The young peo-
pie that ] know speak very sensibly of the folly
Of the fashions of the time, but l notice that
they conform to them, as we all do. | noticed
in Chicago young ladies with a new appendage-
a long slim bottle. l do dot know what was in
it It is known as the IDIOT" l do not think
that it has taken hold among us. 1t is not a
serious thing, anyhow, certainly not immoral.
Election is coming on, and before the middle
OF November many OF us will. just for this once.
do evil that good may come. The average
thought of the country is high. The average
man accepts the teaching of Christ as true, Just
and amiable, and c~onfesses that the life was
lived level with the teaching, but there is little
deliberate, persistent effort to bring our lives I'D
60 the standard.
There is one thing much to be desired-not
money chiefly. not place, not power, but this is
the MISREPRESENTATION" And here is our dis
content; that we see the truth, approve it. teach
1t, preach it, and then break down in the prac-
tice. That is what makes us sorry. If we had
not known the truth, we should be at peace with
ourselves.
The reason that the young man went away
3Orrowful, was because ne had seen Christ-ad-
mired Him, loved Him, and yet could not follow
Him, for he had great possession"
we are. We have the thoughts
and lives of the selected best men
Of the world-heroes, saints and martyrs. We
know very well they made no mistake. That is
the way to live. We have only this excuse
that We live as well as our neighbors.
But every man must give an account of him
self to God. The Judge of all the earth is not
the neighborhood, nor society, nor the state. nor
She world. I do not dwell much on the iudg-
ment-day, but l say this, that if now. in quiet,
thoughtful moments, we are quite dissatisfied
with the level of our lives, with the color and
direction, is it an Incredible thing that God is also
dissatisfied We see dimly that we are wrong:
He sees plainly that we are wrong.
We are not waiting for the verdict; we sentence
ourselves. l do rot know a man who is salts
fed with the quality of mis- life. What has be
come of the enthusiasm and high purpose with
which we beganl How have we lost itl
There is one hopeful thing in us; it is this:
VIC are conscious of our lack. our deficit. orr sin