The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-12-22
GOD IN DAILY LIFE.
FIaveI heGee and Major Pangborn
Discuss the Relations Of Re-
ligion TO Material Progress.

The special features that attracted atten-
tion last night at the Hedding Methodist
Church were addresses by Flavel Mc6ee
and Major z. X. Pangborn expressing
their views on Christianity from lay
mans standpoint.
Pastor snodgrass said. when be intro
duced Lawyer McGee, that the oh 1ect in
asking HIM 10 talk to the congre-
cation was that those present might
learn truths concerning religion from
iayman- Mr.. McGee said he would
follow the good example of ciergvmen
and take a text To talk from He selected
Luke xii, 50 and 81. For all these things
do the nations Of the world seek after.
and your Father knoweth that ye have
the Kingdom Of God. +"
Not quite 1900 years ago." said Mr..
Magee. "a child was born in a stable In
Jndea- The parents OF the babe were too
poor TO rest at the time IN a better place.
The birth OF this child does not appear to
have created any excitement in Judea
except among a few shepherds and wise
men who became possessed of the infor-
nation in some miraculous manner.
This quiet and almost unuoficed birth
was beyond all doubt the greatest event
in the history of this world"
Mr.. Magee SAID that the birth of Christ
aud his death changed everything. AT
the time Christ was born the Jews were
largely controlled Dy the Romans, who
were little better than savages. The
Jews were the most enlightened nation
of the day. The speaker declared that
nations and individuals who sought God
would find all necessary worldly com
forts, education and civilization. The
Jews sought God and expected Christ
but they believed that Christ would be e
temporal and not q spiritual king. The
Romans. who did not see God, lived in
darkness and sank lower and lower in
civilization.
CATHoLIcITY ATTACKED.
The speaker, continuing his eompari-
sons of the nations who have sought God,
said. Take England and America and
study them. They have everything
imaginable to make them the greatest ma
tions on earth. They have the highest
civilization, greatest luxuries and advan-
tages OF all nations. On the other hand,
look at Spain and Italy and see the
scale of civilization descend as the ma
tions recede from God. They are Catholic
countries. Look at South America and
Central America aud all Catholic coun-
tries where more thought Is given to
dogmas and ceremonies than to God and
the scale constantly descends, aud ali
things that 90 TO make a people great
gets lower. Then look at the Mahometans
whose religion is the next best TO that of
Christ, and the scale of civilization still
| descends, and proceeding further into
| Africa the DARK Continent. where there
is no religion, and the civilization sinks
so low that men and women 20 unelad
| and eat human desh. In this place there
| is no thought Of God. !"
Mr.. McGee SAID ne believed that true
search for God would Danish Darbarism
and bring all countries to the high stand
f.fx-
/ next argued that seeking God was bene-
| fetal TO individuals as Well as TO nations.
and that religion was the best investment
a business man could make for 1t re-
turned more profits He concluded his
remarks by entreating all 10 see God. and
assured them that If they would they
would fiud all other comforts, but by this
he did not mean that a man should shut
! up his shop and wait for the Lord to find
him He believed that the Lord would
help those who helped themselves
MAJOR PANGBORE's DISCOURSE
| Major Pangborn followed Mr.. McGee,
and also his line of argument. To show
asked the congregation 10 see how wide
spread had become the thought since ii
was born less than 1000 years ago. By
this the Major did not mean that q
majority of mankind had profited by
| Christianity, but he believed that q time
all would do SO. To accomplish this there
1 is much work yet TO be done, and
! those anxious TO do it need not look
Tar from their homes 20 find the
\ field. 1t is duly each owes
to society to perform this work II wa.
duty that brought Christ here TO purify
the world. The Major believed there was
considerable of the Pharisee in all people
yet, and too much of an ',I-thank-God-I
am-not-like-other people" spirit ln Us. Hs
urged his hearers to do more good 70 each
other The Major claimed that to obey
/ duty paid, and that no thoroughly selfish
man was ever benefit to mankind Duty
brings with it a great profit, and busi-
! ness men should remember il.