Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-03-05
CHRISTIAN ZEAL.
Interesting Sermon by Rev. a. j.
Judges.


Rev. ]. Judges delivered sermon yester-
day to large and appreciative audience at
the Fort street NJ. e. church, taking as his
text "If by any Means 1 Might Attain unto
the Resurrection of the Dead" The rever.
end speaker in discussing his subject said
81 am impressed with the fact that we are
living in a time that is deplorably destitute
of religious earnestness and zeal. l am
aware that we are enjoying an age in which
there ai e moro large charitable institutions,
and more liberal men who are ready to lay
out immense funds for the building of
fine church edifices and structures for the
benefit of the poor and general public good,
than at any period of the worlds history.
There ale more persons of ability offering
themselves as a sacrifice to the Christian
cause than has ever been known. remem-
ber number of years ago there was call
for missionary to go to Africa, which was
answered after several months by Rev.
Cox. Lately there was similar call by
responded resp. to by thirty indiSiduais Wiling
to sacrifice their life to the cause. In the
face OF all this, yet assert that there is a
lack of zeal and devotion in religion, and
when one considers the advance of civiliz-
perity, it can but be acknowledged
that r. ligio1 is not keeping pace with other
advancements. When ] was youth 1 re-
member there we %ere aWo or three men IN our
them as natural wonders and their wealth
us incomprehensible. How is it now? A
man with less than one million is not con-
sidered very wealthy. Millionaires are found
in every town of any size. Immense wealth
has laid the foundation for the greatest work
not only in temporal but spiritual move
| ments. 1t occurs to me the gap is widening,
the breach is growing larger and our people
using the great facilities that are waiting in
our hands. There are more irreligious
people now in the Protestant dominions than
ever before known. Its equal is not found
in the Pagan, neither the Catholic world.
Is it not a little strange that this should be
so, and does it not call for a halt and reflec-
ton? If we do reflect we must conclude
that we are not as sincere and earnest in
church work as we should be. There are
three religious opinions or sentiments
which have taken firm root in America, the
germs of which were planted many years
ago. The first was that OF Calvanism. be-
flxedness OF His laws and rules SO staid
that an individual Lie must be iuvoluntari
ly moulded by it without .volition on the
subjects part. 1t originated with the Pill
ing of the German and Dutch. Il is difficult
| to conceive, however, how this state
can exist without bringing us to such con-
dition of mind as to make us wholly ue-
as the all. powerful God has placed us in a
groove we cannot change. A second doc
trine originated near the year 1776, whic b
| was more liberal. It was, substantially,
this: Go1 is sovereign. We are his creatures
not here of our own volition, but in &C.
cordance with His will. He is all. wise, all
powerful and all merciful. He has done
nothing in vain, and having brought us in
to the world will care for us and not des-
pise His own handiwork. This drift OF
thought has percolated into our homes and
perme ated the very sonl of our people
How. much we are now Influenced
| by this doctrine is a question well worth
taking TO our homes and making
thorough investigation. For years this
doctrine has been falling like the evening
deWs aud few have entirely escaped its in
fuence and it has often ripened into ayow-