Morning journal and courier., 1890-11-07
aDem Yarea 9ailg aoruate yonrnal and Goarier

Mystery in religion is the idiom of |
God. You may know an author by |
the idiom of his sentences; you
may know God by the idiom of his |
mystery. The secret things are the things |
which educate the mind of mankind. |
When you take away the secret, you have |
set narrow turn to all intellectual pro-
gress. Mysteries are necessary in divine
religion, to make it instructive to the
mind of man, to exalt JUS to the level of
the life hereafter. Yes, man wants re-
igion simple, comfort, easily understood
He needs religious sense, prophetic, ap-
pealing mystery to his thought He needs
holiness unspotted, unshadowed. In every
model, we want perfection as far as we
can get it, and every right thinking man
will see that a law, to represent God
holiness, appealing even to the
mind of child. No other law will satisfy
the moral ideal. Gods law in nature is
perfect, and we stand on the surest base of
reason whenever we search any of his
works in nature. An easy, tolerant God
would be such an ofense to the moral
conscience Of the world that he would be
hatred to mankind. It must be the
God of unapproachable and absolute
charity and purity What he wants is
needs is a God who will say ssDo this and
thou diest." But then, if there
be such a God Of holiness, there
must be a divine law to uphold
him This thought has been recognized
always. In fear of this, man has endeav-
ored by various means to make atonement
to this great law. The need of atonement
comes with terrible force and pressure.
AS far as we can see, it can be made only
by divine sacrifice on the part of the law
<rfx OF he hwy u1,io 1ad do, 10 car
himself before the law to be vindicated. 1t
must be such a sacrifice OIL the part of God
that man, having violated the law of holt
ness, can be pardoned. I do not say that
man can expect such an atonement. No
man can shoot forth from his own nature
such a ife-giving spirit. It must come
from God, whence the purifying power of
the world comes If there be such an
atonement, then is God justified and man
to the moral reason of the world.
Then there must be heaven also. Men
in the worlds society want an earthly
heaven What he needs is heaven of
perfect and absolute purity of spirit. A
heaven like our earthly city only eternal
leaves untouched the higheft inspiration
| of the soul. It is heaven of perfect
| purity, over whose gates is written:
| There entereth nothing that defileth, /"
/ that man needs. The interpretation of
| the Bible has taken modern form of
! mitigating the severe and monotonous
features and of making the future some
thing pleasant to the average man, in
stead of impregnated with the austere no
illness of the Apocalypse. The religion OF
eternal truth for it's substance, and heav-
emily glory for it's contamination.
The installing prayer was spoken by
| Rev. Burdette Hart, d. D.
The charge to the pastor was given by
Rev. A. J. Lyman, D. D. Personal man
hood, he declared, is the keynote of pro.
fessional ministry. Nothing, if not char
acter, is the minister of the modern chris
tianity A man to talk to as well as to
is what is wanted. A man who leads, MOI
drives; a man who is himself and Their
breaches This is the true ideal standard
and it seems to be recognized by the peo
pie The world insists that it's ministers
shall be it's truest men. Another field
which illustrates the personal ideal is the
field of our experience. A man can teacf
charity and yet not be charitable. HI
can preach charity, but he cannot but b.
charitable. The best way to have a fin
style is to have fine soul and pour gu
the whole of it in your preaching. Low
your profession as you love your own soul
Make your character and your work one
| y
sion. What the people want in their min
lister in the highest is not clever man
but one who speaks truth. Do your most
We have but one life to live; crowd it. l
they crown you above you will not fee
yourself unworthy to have preached il
your lifetime his everlasting love.
The charge was most impressive on
and magnifcently delivered. DR.. Lyman
, is speaker of firm, magnetic, dignifie'
address, and his words were intently lis
tened to-
In extending the right hand of fellow
ship to the new pastor, Rev. Dr. Newman
Smyth welcomed him as a brother iron
another denomination to the Congregs
tional home, and thanked God that tn
, churches were growing SO happily together
: The people are looking for some one i
their churches who can give them ths
upon which they can live, the head 6
, heaven, the head of life, such head as on
/ Savior put into the hand of the way farm
i DIR. Todd has gone and I am sure the Me-
, the striking form of his distinct personalt
/ be prosperous ministy and may Go
, bless you.
! Rev. l. G. Meserve delivered the charp
to the people, The first charge he CAV
p was to look forward rather than bacl
ward. charge you as the flock to g
I all you can from the shepherd, said h,
a And you are to heed this shepherd and
:, follow this leader and to honor him as
. speaker of truth.
t The concluding prayer was delivered b
r Rev. M. B. Chapman, D. D., and the benz
: diction by the pastor.