The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-03-10


material forces, a growth from below,
the offspring of the powers of chaos.
demands that we shall conceive of man
as the last and highest creature in the
scale of being, solitary creature with
no spirit to which he can appeal in
the dust from which he sprung, with
none above him in the void into which
| he is thrust. To this demand Of intel
lectual anarchy, the Christian makes
answering refusal. He sees above
him the Infinite Life, intelligent and
loving, sending light to his soul and
comfort to his heart. He accepts the
scripture which declares that ''holy
men of God spoke as they were moved
by the Holy Ghost" He reads life,
and nature, and time, and space, in the
light of a revelation from heaven.
Let that faith grow in your hearts
as you sit here under this slight from
above" 1t is the visible testimony to
the vital doctrine of the Christian re-
ligion, that the gospel is light from
on high, and not the feeble flicker of
mere human lamps that only make
life's darkness visible.
".
1t is only in the truth of this doc
trine of the gospel that the pulpit has
any standing. For there is symbol
ism about this part of the church edi-
flee, both significant and important.
1t is characteristic of Christianity that
1t has called into existence a class of
men as teachers and spiritual leaders.
The minister, and before him the
priest, is set as an exponent of the word
OF God, to instruct and to inspire
men to righteousness, so that the
pulpit, in the house Of God stands for
instruction. And in all Protestant
Chrlstendom the utterances of the man
who stands in the pulpit have become
the most prominent part of the SER
vices of religion. Martin Luther gave
it place it has ever since retained.
Professionalism has tended to exalt
the office of instruction and exhorta-
ton. 1t is in Difference to this distinct
tendency in the church that modern
houses of worship have become almost
entirely auditoriums, buildings to be
filled with congregations which will
sit and listen to the discourses of a
preacher. 1t is this popularity of mod
ern Christianity which has brought the
pulpit from the side of the chancel or
from the corner of the transept, to the
center of the apse. 1t has filed the
house with pews never seen in the old
basilicas, nor in the larger cathedrals.
1t has laid heavier burden upon the
preachers personality while it has ia
ken somewhat from his official author
ity. OF all this development in the
church Of the last three centuries, you
are reminded by the presence of this
pulpit in the position in which it stands
But the most important thought
about this feature of the church con-
meets itself with the lesson suggested
by yonder lantern, with its heaven
ward looking windows. The man in
the pulpit does not stand there to utter
himself alone, has speculations, has opin-
ions, has original thoughts. He could
never maintain himself if he came to
the people thus. But he is only a dep
uty of God. He is an ambassador of
Christi" he is the servant of the great
Head of the Church, speaking in his
name, the truths he disclosed to the
world. The function of the minister
is simply to try and let some light from
heaven pass through his spirit to the
souls committed to his charge. This
is the aim of his instructions; this the
purpose of his life. He has no right to
say ought to his people which has not
come to his life out of Gods life; which
is not in some way the cry of the holy
spirit, articulating itself, however
poorly and feebly, in his voice.
V.
OuU GAC WAOlO LuoSodSo VI Iu0 CuuICu
is by no means spoken when we have
reached the pulpit. There stands the
organ, there the singers gallery, to
remind us of that other purpose for
which we are come in hither, to wor-
ship and to praise. The grandest of
musical instruments is the organ. And
the organ is never at its best, never it's
own lofty, uplifting, thrilling self, ex-
cept in voicing the religious thoughts
of men. Starr King, calling the organ
the most lordly of instruments, used to
say of it: sits rhythm and its motions
are such that it refuses to be secular.
Profane uses cannot handle it. 1t will
not go to the battle, nor the dance, nor
the serenade. 1t asks for psalms and
anthems and misereres. 1t is the holy
Nazarite, and it cannot leave the courts
of the Lord" We have reason to
thank God for these functions of the or
gan and its associations. Without
them know not what would have be-
come of our worship. They are about |
all that is left to our church service, in
the nature of pure praise and devotion.
But here stands this noble instrument |