New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-18
SERMONS WORTH READING.
XIX.
XIX
THE WORLD AND woRLDLNEss.
COME USEFUL DISTINCTIONS DRAWN BY THE
REV. DIR. RrIANcr, OF ST. MARKS PROT
EsTANT EPISCOPAL On ~

membership anu p .ho CITY. from one-hundred-
an. thirty. so,,rth-st to Brooklyn ING NV, -
Iosenb II Rvlance has been the reo'or ~. s 49,
v.ar< UIs text Yesterday morning was Hon 'o. .
q Is; a Love not the world, nelunet INV
ara IN the worldD He said IN pai', - ... e,a
We hear great deal from p Contamination Of what
Se call wordliness7 but there Is g the word We
lack of discrimination IN me ortbodox denunclatons
who SIT and listen get from oInt5ing very bal; but
of worldness the notion OF soinesgsnily what that
few Of us define TO ourselves ~ dIStincsh between
% HntidS denounced by preachers aau ulo wo Null
IN which we are compelled 70 i've ~ two arc often
dddhn Inc worldinessS being one OF those loose
cenerates I'm religious speech Wp the meanings nut
accept without reflection while INC mem moral ta5te
mon the word depend very much upon nd mo l5o
temperament, association, haplL ye nav have been
trained in Owing TO these causes NJ" CO. Tho con-
mean very different things sihs and wordlinesss
ba Tori A Condemned and abjured by some good
people and the world believed w. World of Modern
others differ as much indeed as tno T MttIa world of
astronomy differs from the sunny "'N'
Homer. -, ,,-,o,,e
NOT TO RENoUNCE SECULAR hhL LII. ,' "a,
But what does tho New Testament mean w 10
condemna,Ions NJ worldlinessl Why, not surely that
we are to renouncc our secular ,,t - 10 - ,ho
ara not TO speak and act as men ABOUT Us uo' IA Vo
r,a,n MANI GOOD people have thought SO; Chrsts
I,cor rcoulrlng I'm their estimation, that us discpes
shalt be singular, and separate hV and ls inst hui
kind no e TeatA deal of fanacal folly In the APP
pcation Of T. Men Of sense ana vESF s 10 retain
lis hold upon our flltn and reverence, lts rpre.
sentaves must cease from an suIn h set srth
fbat the religion Of Jesus Christ shan DC SCI Iorth as
q rca Sonabie serviceS I'm which men may engage VINO
arc doing the worlds work, and VINO nave 'aS'o lor
things abe 70 tb se Question tor bear this in mind
NV friends that Holy Scripture nowhere defines
pIeGiss,sy "n WI, tbe drSt Christian apostles the
world was general designation Of the ungodin.esss
anu me- no world being terms with them that
excluded each other The human WorIu Nas an a.
very wicked in It's government ne S and HABITS It
was thus and thence that the term word. gathereI
st Jobncs time down 10 this. Now II wo bear that
In mind shall not condemn nnaet an lmpu .
OF wordllness things which Christianity uoes not con-
by the term worid,' again, arc commonly meant
the men and women ou'sGe oi our 81 IlSIon Int
neither is this the world we arc forbidden 70 love
seem how can he love God, whom he hath not seen y
and all men arc brethren. We may not eAcluue'
yorthlesf member OF Gods great family lie malteth
HIS TO rise upon the evil and the good ana shse
MS love emeraee5 f 80 10 hesyen e perfect Tb5
world of humanity, then, the fellowship OF our fenow
I Ieo n pI With Il III the love Of cod
BY tho term world. once more. Is Offer meant inc
secular callnCs and concerns ~ men. The religious
rcciuse casts dsrcspeot upon this sort OF wordlness
as II there were something perlous IN II TO ne peace
and welfare OF the soul. Men VINO have lcit the c1
course OF their felow-men. and have retired for
heavenly contemplation Toto monast,c retreats; ar,
common toiling. tempted men being thus condomnct
as essentially and Inevitably bad. Yet The saviour
sad T. 9e9 Of Ills 6cPe o gs b n2' ta a' sSa
wouidcst Keep them from the evil that IS I'm tho world
For this human society IN which our BOT IS east. In
which We have 10 % our work. and % suffer as
heaven wis., IS not kingdom OF the devil but NJ ~
good men doing brave work in II. Ana for tlls. we
are to look upon nothing as common or unclcan' II
only thereby We can serve God or neghbor. sccu-
lar things arc TO be cbnsecrated 20 Divine uses In
stead OF our religion being a thing OF morbid moods
and fane?s or OF lo9s s9ntinehb Simply, i1t W h
into tho world with downcast looks and tlmd temper
ing from contact with rude. earnest men a. =
We should DO defled BY heir touch. as
stead Of such cOwardiy representation Of Christ
a9d his relslo We are 70 60 forth among S, msa
with cod '1 W ReSp u hea chat sSa we d
OF tho evil things said Of u. that the world i 3
For the world has benefits and blessings a. well
conflicts and sorrows Tor those who use II In the
fear Of God. SO that:
wo need not bid for cloistered cell.
Our helghbor work farewell
Nor strive 70 wind ourselves too high
For sinful beneath the sky.
Tho trivial round thu common task
VIII furnish all We ought 70 ask
Room 70 deny ourselves; road
To bring daily nearer Cod
are UeRo no POSITIVE. uuHllnlhAdllo ulhhA lhfhf
are we left without definite rule OF action
IS or Is not worldllncss' Not 90. ny friends.
But cease 10 look for the " world as thing OF
outward signs ami demarcstons. and begin to look
for IL In the moral tastes and empers and affections
Of men, and your bewlldermcnt viii disappear. Be
Is there for i "a not thing Of sensible dimensions
you cannot assign 10 II definite and unvarylng limits
II you step across certain line. 70 into nto such
worldly you think II Is quite certain you
are you relish anything IRON Wv whiSh your . mIr ora
you not worldly II you remain this side OF tho
leading. Don't deaf uitf msxims merely in dealing
with this question. but yin pnaoipIes. ana iaEe
those which the New Testament gives Yol; ana
men. Wherever YOU find " the lust Of the fesh
the lust Of the eyes and tho PRIDE oil me- uelo
be .suro you have wordllness.
WHERE THE EVIL Oh woRLDLIEEss COMES IN.
But follow the clew stll further and IL may save
you from confusion Of practical sort Popular
religion has been teaching men and women TO look
for worldlness in things and IN social CUSTOMS ana
there has Issued an illogical and bewldered intnl
ngence, with q slcklY. morbid conscience In NULL
tudes Of men and women who try TO do the bid
ding Of their spiritual guides Prsgnisueal stand,
ards have been set arbitrary us.lh. ions nave
been insisted uDOn BY the churches 10 the serious
embarrassment OF many OF their disciples we night
smile at such czacuOns but that "e hnoN eho oOu
fusion and pain they occasion IN sehsi'aSo S
. This impertlnence OF church rulers has 0Difdaed
into taste manners. amusements anu pIacuoai ITO.
In literature you may not rca1 hciuh u lou
love music, you may not adventure iar beyond a
psalmtune; In manners you may no, nush " %
merry especially on the SABBATH games sports,
plays of ali SORTS are dlsspaiinE dangerous. dovilish
iut that Is a silly way OF speaking OF what we call
worldly diversions Such things are not evil IN
themseyes: they are only evil 20 those who abuse
them Christian preachers should teach men TO dis
crmlnate therefore, TO these things; not 10 con-
denim them wholesale, IN a blindly ianaucal way
That IS the prevailing habit Of the pulpit however,
by which men Of good sense have been alonatcd from
the church; while In multltudes OF Christian people
a false antagonsm has been created between Ting;
INNOCENT and things evil. We educated an artificial
conscience I'm men we have tempted them into mean
subter4Iges and dIsh0nessles. All pleasure being
put under ban by church rulers, people get Il by
stealth Church members creep INTO theatres In
strange cities sort Of wOrldness they dare not In
dulge in AT home. Young men find amusement IN
doubtful companies, being denied all such leaxatons
within their own social circles. tho naughty book
taken 10 he'd when nOveLreadlng Is held 20 be sin.
Nov Ali This fs wrong: miseraby wrong. Let