Morning journal and courier., 1890-05-15

which can hold together our scattered ue- is @ central vision of Christ. presentation of Christ in the shorter. .catechism is one sided and meagre.
 The reason why our Presbyterian brethren are disturbed about the confession is not because the development of critical acumen has given them an impulse for creed making but because they are getting @ fresh intui- tion of Christ. To be led directly to him is better than to be required to run the gaunt- let of creeds. Simply to say that Jesus is God Is not necessarily to get great concep- tion of him; it is often only to give up think ing about him. Those thoughts which are highest in their humanity are the greatest in the conception of Christ The historical conception of Christ must be supplemented by the spiritual, and this combination makes the most attractive figure in history. Men never tire of 1t, as attested by the popularity and influence of Thomas A. Kempe's "Imi- tation of Christ"
 Finally, reoonception of Christ will bear fruit in reformation of men.
 St. Francis of Assist is said to have dwelt 50 intensely on the spectacle of tho cruci- fixion that the image of the cross appeared branded in his own back; thus may the character of Christ be so continually before us that It's form shall be indelibly stamped upon this age.
 In our reconception let no truth be lost from the grand achievements of the past, may his divine dignity and his human sim plicity and every element of his perfection tivenees (which shall draw all men unto him."
 The next address was by William Davies of Wales, who spoke on the necessity and value of positivensss in preaching. Among other things he said: It is the fashion in various quarters nowadays to deprectate the art of preaching as one of the functions of the Christian ministry. This view of things Is confined to that class of men who seem to be indifferent to all matters of religion. It pervades the church. The musician is more popular now than the preacher. The ad. vancsment of education and the progress of science, the powerful influence of the press and the popularity of the stage are all causes of this. The pulpit itself Is largely to blame. When the tone of the pulpit is timid and uncertain, social and religious life is oorrespondingly 80. The pulpit is no place for duplicity. Nothing can make up and that of the apostles was positive. Here is 6 clue to victory in the present day. The gospel that was powerful enough to over come the evils of the first century is also powerful enough to cope with those of the nineteenth century. Doubt is the paralysis of preaching.
 The next address was by Luoius O. Baird of Chicago. He spoke on The Book and The People and said: To the minds of many Christian people "Higher Criticism" is a phrase full of mischief. It is synonym for rationalism, the doorway to in6delity. And still when we view the greatness of our Christian civilization, with bne voice we pro test against destruction of such Q precious heritage. The Bible Is alive with the testi- mony of Christ. It is lesson book, but an inductive book. The growth Q; the Bisls tim. ,n. H.s ,h. nn.,an.'a mstts1 theories of the post. reformation perisd be set aside. Our faith is not in book but in . person. The uniqueness of the book comes from the divinity of the person, and not the uniqueness of the person from the divinity of the book. The breaking of the current liberalism will be like the breaking of the box of precious ointment; the perfectness of the box is thereby destroyed, but who will regret that when the perfome flis the whole house.
 Then followed an eloquent oration by Theophilus H. Root of Birmingham, Mass. |, on the gospel of John in poetry.
 Because Johns gospel has as its subject this very theme, the word made flesh, the union of God and man, it is, therefore, the sublimest poetry that ever come from human lips, the:poem of humanity, the poem of God the divine epic.
 the life of the son of God, but they are not poems. They do not give to us the inner meaning of his life. But John penetrates the soul of Jesus. He reveals his inmost life. He presents to us its ideal greatness. He sees in the human the divine, in the real the ideal. The ideal reality masters him and sings in him i.s song of life.
 r. ckaI to Nf ttoal knows it's origin and its goal. It has been foretold by prophets. The infinite strength of God is present in 1t. The clouds of hu. They thicken and grow black and burst upon 1t. The mist and rain hide the catastrophe from men. And the life seems to have ended in tragedy. From those who trusted In 1t, hope has fed. Their purposes are bafaed, their aspirations crushed. But the clouds lift and tho life is seen triumphant in resuryestioni
 pel, but 1t Is the monotony of the ocean, the ty before which we stand in reverence and awe.
 How this song has sung itself into the hearts of men through all the generations that have gone since the beloved disciple first sent 1t fourth. Its deep, it's celestial mono- tone has broken with soothing and refresh- ing sweetness on the ears of men. In notes subdued and tender it has sung to saddened hearts it's words of resurrection and of life. To doubting hearts, gloomy and despondent, t ha: brought the assuring truth that he doctrine. It has invigorated earnest hearts with the purpose of him who oame to do the will of him who sent him. To toilers weary of the struggle, and to those whose work was almost done, 1t has given the vision and the glory of the son of God and the hope of being with him where he Is.
 And now 1t comes to us more sacred by its eighteen centuries of ministry and bids ua teach It's music to all mankind. sion followed by George E. Hooker upon The World Idea. The career of humanity to-day is the progressive triumph of attraction over repulsion. Human indifference is giving way before broad philanthropy, sympathy and service. It appears in the political ten. dsnoiss of the day. Commercially the world is becoming unified. All lands join in one vast exchange of commodities. Intellectually the movement is toward unity. Socially the both aides tho Atlantic are joining hands. The sentiment is growing that all peoples are one social brotherhood. Rsligiously tht world spirit is advancing. A world is thui thus spreading. Two considerations impel us to this widsnees of feeling and of pur. poss-one is the thought of obligation
 the other the impulse of love. Love pledgei
 us to tho, same career. Love goes out to ward men because of their inestimable value Thus arises that enthusiasm for humanity which stirs the heart and hand to activity
 Under the impulse of this enthusiasm fo
 humanity, let us live our individual lives | not e unto ourselves, our state or our natiol
 alone, but as unto the broad world.
 The Value of Historical Studies was dis
 eusssd by Msrbet B. Hutohins. The them
 of human history is tho struggle of man t attain the goal which God has set before him
 There is an inherent tendency at the bot
 tom of mans nature toward fair play
 From such study VIC gain knowledge of our
 selves, food for thought and inspiration fo l ouxseIves. The rspblinest ideal God eve p1S In the heart of man is an ideal of action rt thers h the course of historial procsss I scerning knowledge of the past Nil | dovo2oo rrr OWE souls, guide our, owI '''01I N ''s' . " l1on1o v