Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-07-28
FROM THE PULPIT.
THE MOST TRULY NATURALrTHE
MOST TRULY RELIGIOUS LIFE,

A4V0A 4AO4x RG4X0xOOo LII u.
Rev. C. p. Massey Discusses the Question
of Social and Religious Obligations
Plea for the Present.
Before the Unitarian Society yesterday
Rev. G. P. Massey took for his text II.
Samuel, vi. 81: "And when they came to
Nachon's threshing floor, Uzzah put forth
his hand to the ark of God, and took hold
of it, for the oxen shook it; and the anger
of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah !;
and God smote him there for his error, and
there he died by the ark of God" He said ::
l announced my discourse for this morning
as plea for the present and then near, and
l announced it SO, becauseI believe that in
the consideration of sacred things men are
too much disposed to measure these things
by ancient standards, forgetting what spirit
of God and what revelation of His pur-
pose there may still be with US in the world
to-day. And because the ark of God which,
the kingdom of heaven does not advance
with apparent steadiness of progress, intru-
sive hands are everywhere stretched
out to hold it steady to its course
to protect it against any jost-
ling influences which newer or
der of events. newer civilization,
with its newer aims and newer ideas, may
have upon it. If we are to believe those
who so persistently cling to ancient stand
ards, there is but little IN our modern life.
excepting so much of it as with conscious
purpose conforms 10 some older type, that
can merit even the most qualified approval
That this modern life is so frequently de-
scribed as Goddess, as principally concerned
about the things which pertain to this
world, is, think. because it is estimated
by standards not lis own, so that the good
that really does residein it is made to wear
the face of evil, and for the simple reason
that the practices and employments of the
people are not patterned after what has no
possible lelatlon to US in our present sur
roundings, the physical, intellectual and
moral environments in which we find our
selves placed.
1t is a monstrous assumption to think
that the Anglo Saxon life of this century
is not concerned about what NAV be de-
nominated the problems of the soul. AS
Mr.. Dow, the English essayist, has recently
said. however, history may change its
countenance. the one problem which is the
heart of it remains everlasiingly the same.
Through all thought and sction, all civili-
cation and life, in every life, there beats
the somber monotone of the one question.
What does it mean?
1t is true, it may not be the best poss ible
life, not by any means the ideal life, that
is pulsing around US in our homes and in
our marts to-day, but while there may be
much to deplore in it, there is also much
TO admire. The emphasis seems to be right
in good many instances. But that this
emphasis is changed from what it formerly
was is indisputabie. Taking what has been
conventionally accepted as Christianity as
the type, thereis no question that it has per-
sistently divorced soul from sense, and has
projected every important interest to a
time when the bonds which bind the spirit
to this world shall be forever loosed The
question which may be said to especially
interest the most thoughtful and earnest of
the time is not, as hitherto, What shall be-
come of us when we die? but What is the
highest meaning of this life for man? That
our life seems irreligious to many is be-
cause of this newer search. Old methods
and old standards have been abandoned,
and men assume to work out the problem
of human destiny in manner befitting
their circumstances and their surroundings
Perhaps Christianity in its spirit and ts
sence was never so active in the world as it
is to day, but it is active without the
dogma. The common heart is responsive
to the influence of all that is good, bat there
is determination that there shall be no
organized coercion of any kin6-political,
social or religious. To many, this modern
life of ours, with its emphasis upon the real
and the tangible, has hnt little to recon-
meId it 10 their regard. The ark of God
in their opinion is meuaced by an ever pres.
ent danger, and hands are being stretched
to stay it lest it fall. But is there SO abso.
lutte necessity for this concert? Conven-
tionai religion fears to trust time in which
the attention is being strangely transferred
from The good that may be to the good that
is, and fails to see that what is really un-
worthy and base can be more easily eradi-
Gated by every endeavor to dignity and
ennoble this present life, to hold it at some
ideal estimate. l have too frequently
urged the necessity for higher life among
Us, intellectual and moral, in order that
sincerity and seriousness shall dis
tlnguish US IS community, to
necessitate any qualification of my state
ments. But | would wish to insist
upon these things, as good in themselves
as calculated to purify and dignity what has
too frequently been contemptuously re-
garded as the finite. when the infinite was
supposed to merit an exclusive attention.
We do not by any means disparsge the in
finite in this way, but we interpret it as
only it can be really interpreted, by taking
the threads, which, simply in their finite
ends, come into our hands, snd weaving
them into harmonious pattern of infinite
beauty and glory.
/ have such faith in God. and so in His
human children His spirit inspires, that |
em unwilling in my moments of deliber-
ate thought 10 hold any view disparaeing
to the essential dignity of our social life.
Because the old spirit of conformity does
not prevail, because the better life, the
Christian life of the community, if YOU
please, does not now SO much express it.
self through churches and allied institu-
tons, l, for one, see no deliberate attempt
of our citizens to violate the moral integ-
rty of our social order, and introduce a
reign of license and disorder here. Policy,
good sense, the recognition of the moral
foundations upon which all good is built.
would each and all enter their protest
against any such enterprise 1t is
neither right nor fair to measure
our life as community by the
poorest expression. There is Indifference
enough in il to any noble ends or aims.
but there is much in it also to recommend
it to our regard. 1t is life in which
sensuous qualification is being had in
marked degree; the Influences of our cli-
mate court to this, and truly believe that
we are placed at a serious disadvan:ase in
contrast with other communities because
of it. But am unwilling to acknowledge
that notwithstanding this outdoor life of
ours, this dalliance with pleasure in many
of its forms, the heart of the people does
not beat true to promptings of duty and of
faith. And let us be fair to our human
nature too. To submit the senses to the
soul may be our bounden duty. but the
senses cannot be entirely ignored Our
physical organism cannot be disregarded
no agony of asceticism or of religion can
entirely Danish the sensuous nature Our
social life is greatly the product of our
physical surroundings. and cannot be
changed while these surroundings con-
tinue Bot it is very natural human life
"a life which appreciates the good which