The Portland daily press., 1889-03-18
PULPIT AND PLATFORM.
SECOND PARISH

eth Wnat manner OF man he was"
Man is the creature of habit. He is gov
erned by permanent inclinations within,
rather than by passing impressions from
without. Congress street is rejecting gal
lery; each plate-glass window is mirror
which catches and throws back the image of
the passer-by. Here and there man catch
es his reflected image in the glass as he hur-
ries on, is for the instant aroused to self
consciousness, and reminded perhaps of
some popularity of gait or person. But the
Impression Is transient. He is a man of
habit. be falls back into the old way of
goeth his way, and straightway foreetteth
what manner of man he was. There Is pro-
badly no subject which holds larger place
In the thoughts of scientific and religious
men today than this subject of habit. The
scientist and theologian each has an eye up
an account of his actions. Let us note some
of the agreements and disagreements which
we find in their respective accounts.
Habit is as old as life. The Bible is the
history of the domination of habit over life
from the Genesis of its outset to the Revela-
ton of its outcome, and science In the main
Is an approving commentary on that history.
The Bible begins the history with the initial
principle after his kind, and ends it with
the judicial verdict according to their
works." Science begins the history with
the principle of hereditary transmission, and
ends 1t with the verdict, the fittest shall sur
vive. Both science and the scriptures con-
sent to the definition Of habit which is en-
mans habitual course Of action is represent
| ed In the Bible as way, path. A first act
| Is first step, and the repetition of the steps
which Is custom, makes the path itself, which
| Is habit. Psychologists tell us that repeated
| excitements Of any one portion of the brain
l the frQQuaDt MASSAGE 0f sensations along
| particular nerve fibres, results in a certain
| facility which determines a mans habit of
| thought Thoughts and desires often in
dulged in, make for themselves way or
b 9TH the Scriptures and science 60 back to
account for the origin of habit. The Adam
of science differs from the Adam of the
Bible in being mollusk. but in both cases
we have the principle that habit is determin-
ed by ancestry.
The Billy says: SIN Adam all sim"
Science says: "Inherited dipositions and
tendencies are fixed law of human des-
cent"
The Scriptures always, and science when
1t IS logical, declares that a tendency in order
to become habit must involve the element
OF free will. In the youth-time, when the
mind is plastic and the will swings on I'M
rusted hinges, the life habit gets its fresh i'm
pulse.
The Bible declares that the natural habit
Of man is peryerse. The child stands as
Hercules did at the juncture of two roads.
but unlike Hercules, he chooses the wrong
road, and his children follow in his steps.
Science admits that man was once being
controlled by sensuous habits, a savage in
intellect and morals. Now applying to this
admission les own doctrine of inherited ten
denotes, and the dominance Of the strongest
motive, and we have succession of sayages
dd ir.fRttttna, that Is the Bible doctrine Of
human depravity is sustained by science.
But now comes the question, can habit be
formed. and If so, how?
Here are two men under the power of
habit, the one drunkard, the other passive
ly Indifferent to the demands of his higher
nature. How shall these men be delivered +?
Let them learn the laws of nature, says the
scientist and train themselves to obey them.
The drunkard has learned that rum will
ruin, let him conform to the law of health
has learned that selfish indifference dwarfs
the manhood let him go to loving something.
Let the drunkard train his passions to come
to heed by vigorous will. Let the other
man learn to love all beauty whether Of
| nature or art and to hate all vileness. Yes,
but where is the drunkard to get his "yigor-
Gus" will? and where is the other man to
get his love for the beautiful?
The fact is the scientific therory of saliva
ton m .l.ss no provision for q man who
then law that when would do good evil is
present with me-" 1t practically saws to the
multitude who are the slaves of habit:
Save yourselves, evolve out of your own
will new babit of thinking and loving and
living"
But this kind of evolution is not:likely to
occur. There is no record of a self-regenera-
ted people. There is kind of progress un-
der natural law, but tits not moral progress.
and she spsaks we'll. He who dwells with
wolves win learn to howl. But environment
| Is not enough. You cannot make a Puritan
out Of Hottentot by rocking him in New
| England cradle. .,,r .,,.4.as So
We have come to point where science
and the Bible must separate. The Scrip
lures say. Not by might, nor by. power, but
by My Spirit" Here is help from the hills.
| Here Is power from realm which has never
| under the lens of a microscope.
Science would save man through self
power and the influence of environment.
The Gospel would do this and more. 1t
supplements the mans weak will with d.
vine aid, and puts the beginnings of heaven
within him. Wondrous provisiOni If it be
true that evil habits make roadways for
themselves along the delicate tissues of the
brain, how gracious is that provision by
which the weak will of man can be ener-
gized, and moral and spiritual force created
which shall make tbs crooked places
straight, the rough places plain and open the
way, OF Dew habits over roadways long dis
used.
Not, only does the Gospel do
this, but 1t provides something to sus-
tain this man through the shock
Of the change. 1t gives him something to
fill the void In his life when the old habit
goes out of it. Many man who has broken
away from some imperious habit, and who
has been unsustained by the consultations Of
the gospel has felt obliged to return to his
habit to save his life or his reason. This is
an extreme case, but it illustrates the divine
philosophy OF regeneration. which, while it
gives us the will power to put away the old
man, gives us at the same time a Christ and
a heaven to engr0ss the thoughts of the new
man.
Go with science If you will, but do not
stop when she stops Use your will. Sur
round yourself If you can with elevating in
1uences, but at the same time turn your face
heavenward and say, God help me.
There were large congregations present at
both morning and afternoon services, and
there was great pleasure evinced at meeting
their old pastor.
CHESTNUT ST. CHURCH
The last sermon in the series to young
men was preached yesterday afternoon by
Rev. Dr. Whitaker The text was | Samuel,
II; 5S:-"Whose son art thou, young man?
David had just returned from Staying the
giant Goliath, and the question was asked
by Saul before whom he had been brought.
1t was a natural query under the circum-
stances, and is today full of deepest import
ance. Whatever may be the opinion respect.
ing the law of heredity, none will deny the
universal fact that, to degree at least, the
physical, intellectual and moral characters
tics Of the father are transmitted to the son.
When speaking of ancient nations we
attribute to each noticeable peculiarities.
The lineage of the Jew is everywhere n
mistakable.
Many a son inherits the bad habits of his
father; ON the other hand many a man owes
much of his goodness, generosity and moral
worth to his parents. The real hope of this
country significantly lies with the twenty
two million descendants of the pilgrim
fathers that are scattered all over the land.
and the greatest perils that today threaten
our civil and religious liberty are clustering
about their Roman Catholic opponents. To
those who have sprung from a lowly parent
age there is nothing.more centemptfble or
nonsensical -. than to despise the
humble calling OF your father, or
TO ape those whose ancestry has
been more distinguished. We are what we
are, young men. because of what we do, not
for what our fathers did before us. 1t will
be sad day for America if false ideas of
birth and social position shall create fasti-
dious distinction between human employ
ments If a man is not proud of loving.
Christian parents something radically wrong
has gained control of his better nature. There
Is no real nobility and aristocracy that ex-
lie hot nf hrlc