The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-07-28
An Eloquent and Impressive
Sermon by tho Famous Cha
tauQua Leader.
A Mans Conduct Il his PEayeF-A
Few Words Of Advice 70
Pastors.

thirty fifth chapter of Isaiah and the sing
ing of the hymn, "The Morning Light is
Breaking" the bishop announced az his
text tae tenth verse of st. Matthew, sixth
chaper, sThy kingdom come, thy will be
done in earth even as 1t is done in heaven"
The speaker pictured a man standing
amidst the ruins of an avaianche-swept
valley Of the Alps gazing upward beyond
white snow-peaked mountain from whence
the monster was dislodged. on to the calm,
clear azure Of the Alpine sky. So the
Bible shows us not only the desolation
wrought by mans SIN, but also the
glorious possibilities of human attainments
and the still greater glory that awaits as
from the divine hand. The bible is book
for time, but also for eternity; for earth, but
also for heaven. It is book Of progress,
both of life on earth and in the life to
come. The prayer of the text is not the re-
suit of evolution of the human intellect, but
the voice of one who had experienced the
Joys of the divine kingdom and who came
among men that he might bring to them
the possibility of attaining thereto. The
prayer is also prophecy. 1t would be
worse than mockery to place such prayer
on the lips of mon were there no hope of its
fulfllment. It is the embodiment of hope
and progress. and hence the subject of the
sermon, 1.-THE Divine Laws of Human Pro-
gress." A mans conduct is his prayer.
The life he lives during seven days in the
week is the best index to the
prayer he makes for five min
utes on Sunday. We are taught
to pray for the kingdom because humanity
is powerless of itself to bring about the bet
ter order of things. No 80 called society of
culture could by its own efforts bring about
the reformation of mankind. They had
tried and some were still unwise enough to
be continuing the effort. Even in the pres
emit day mankind unaided is as powerless to
bring it about as the potato vine growing in
q dark cellar to produce fruit without the
aid of sunlight, the rain and the dew.
Hence the first law of divine interrogation
in the affairs of men. We are taught to
pray this prayer in our lives and conduct as
we'll as by our lips, because God never works
through human agency. except when that
agency was at its best.
He urged upon the ministegs present to
adopt Mr.. Wesley's rule to prepare their SER
mons as though they had no hope of aid
from God. and then TO rely on God
as if they had made no preparation what
ever. The second law was that of
human agency doing its best and
CO. operating with God; but why "Thy will
sympathy with those who wanted to 20 di-
rect to heaven. Earth was sufficient. Rev
elations teach that the kingdom is to be
in earth. The earth purified by fire and
the spirit would be heaven enough. So,
too, he was satisfied with his own salvation
or nationality. The prayer embraced the
whole globe and all races and people and
hence the third law was expressed by the
term Christian Solidity. Humanity was
mass of which the individual formed
particle and the individuals salvation was
place as part of humanity. The immense
machinery of civilization, the build
ing of railroads, telegraph lines,
running of banks. mines, ed
ucational institutions and manufactures
require men. God did not intend to leave
these things in the hands of the devil and
bad men. SO, too, the government must be
who folds his hands over his heart and says.
II do not mix with politics; brethern vote
as you pray" Hence the fourth rule was
that of sanctified secularity. The engineer
and fireman of the train bearing an astron-
omer, geologlst and Indian missionary to
their various destinations has as much
need of religion, and could be and after
was, better Christian than either of his
passengers, not excepting the missionary.
The mothers idea that by making min
lister of her boy she would save him from
temptation, was wrong. The moment q
man attempted spirituality professionally
his spiritual welfare was in danger.
The next law was that of universal unity.
As the same laws of light apply to the star
and the candle, the same law of gravity to
the worlds and the apple, 30 the universal
law of love for God applies to all Christians
whether dead or living. He has no need,
for spiritualism, of spirit rappings; he
knew his sainted mother was happy, aye,
blessed. because of her love for God. The
last law vas that of utter surrender to
God in sickness and in health. The speaker
drew most touching picture of the sue
cessful business man who had surrendered
himself and made his motto: '"Thy will
be done." Stricken down by paralysis, un-
able to rise from his couch, he saw, one
by one, his family carried from him
to the grave, and when his summons
came he could look joyfully out beyond the
ruins wrought by the avalanche beyond the
snow-clad peak and azure sky to eternal
rest and joy, to the preachers he said, seek
not the upbuilding of your own congrega-
tion but use Methodist methods to promote
only the kingdom Of God. Let Methodism
be to you that grand and inspiring idea
that seeks to make earth like heaven.
Last evening Bishop Vincent lectured ON
education and the common schools, He
maintained the proposition that an enemy
to the common schools was traitor to the
state. The lecture was enjoyed by large
and appreciative audience.