St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-01-06
NEW NJ. E. CHURCH.
1t Was Opened YesIerday-Bishop
Fitzgeraid's sermon.

1t Was Opened Yesterday-Bishop
Firzgeraid's Sermon.
The new University NJ. E. church,
corner of Fourth street and Thirteenth
avenue southeast. was opened yester-
day, and services held i'll the morning,
afternoon and evening. The church is
a model of modern architecture and is
furnished throughout in most excellent
taste. A gallery half-eHclrclcS the
church, and the entire seating capacity
is estimated to be about 700. Miss Jes-
sic Keller, Mrs. l.. r. Palmer, Harry
Hammin and Horace V. Winchell CON
stitute the choir, with Miss Avis Win
chell as organist.
Bishop Fitzgerald delivered the SER
mon, taking for his text: "Pure re-
ligiOn consists in visiting the fatherless
and widows, and in keeping undefled
and unSpOtted from the world" Re-
ligion. he said, is believed by some to
be derived from the words one mean
ing again." and the other''I read" and
derived its meaning from the habit of
reading and rereading tie Bible, as
those who possessed Bibles did in the
olden times, in order that they might
tell it to others. We in these days are
highly favored in having printed Bibles,
to say nothing of the other works writ
ten upon it, while in ancient times the
Bibles were written in manuscripts.
which were carefully preserved; and,
accordingly. but comparatively few
could actually read the Bible, and the
majority were compelled to be content
to hear it from the lips of those who had
access to or ownership of Bible.
Others. again. declare religion to be
derived from words meaning again
and Il bind" referring to the binding
character of the rules of virtue. There
is no objection to either of these mean-
lngS, and in fact, we might accept
both, as each expresses a beautiful
thought but for the fact that the word
religion has become more cGmprehen-
sive and requires more profound def
milton than either of these.
The word religion" as generally I'M
derStOod is any system of doctrines OF
principles having respect to the morals
fpure" next comes under our consider
alton. By pure we mean an object
that is genuine and without bemish.
Let us take for instance, gold coin
which seems to be in every way perfect.
bearing upon it as far as you know
the proper stamp. and consisting of
the proper amount of the metal.
This we would consider perfect,
pure, but on applying tests
and Subiecting it to most careful and
rigid scrutiny we discover it to be a
worthless counterfeit. Another may be
composed of the proper metal and bear
the proper stamp, but some one has
punched it and distracted a certain
amount Of the pure metal, substituting
baSer metal. or it may be marred in
some other manner thus excluding it
from those which ale perfect and pure.
But coin which is composed of the
proper metal and bears the proper
stamp, and has in no way received
blemish of any kind, we may surely
call perfect and pure.
And this definition can also be ap-
piled to religion. A pure religion then
must necessarily be one which has stood
the test of time and which has come
from the true source. Two other adj
jectives should also be applied to re-
ligion, namely, undefiled and unspotted.
If you should submit these terms to the
world at large and wait for them to
agree upon which was the pure, unde-
flied and unSpOtted religion, you
would be kept waiting long
time. The pagan with his idols
would deny that any religion could be
perfect and pure that did not embrace
his images and sacrifices. The MOham-
medan would Sc0rn the religion which
did not embrace the Koran, the holy
book, which, according to him, contains
all truth. This is true of all Christian
churches which, indeed, while they NAV
acknowledge certain amount of good
may be found in other churches than
theirs, will each announce that his
church is the only one which is abso-
luteIy perfect. | rejoice that We NAV
turn from them all TO the book of God
and in that find truly pure and perfect
religion.
Speaking of the fatherless and widows
the question arises. Who were the
fathers and husbands? They were the
natural protectors and supporters of the
wives and children, and when these are
minister to those whom death de
prived of their natural susie
nance. Suppose an impending
storm be approaching family
and father IS away and picture to your
self the anxiety with which his return
is looked. Were his strong arm but
present how happy would they be, con-
tident that he could stand against any
enemy. And should the father die all
the best influences that move men
demand that we should support the IN
supported and defend the defens2lesS.
How many there are to-day who are
maltreated, i'll clothed and i'll fedl How
many, even in this city, are suffering
for want of proper food and protecting,
and how many also stand complacently
by and do nothing to aid or comfort?
One OF the most infallible signs of a
man who possesses pure religion is the
manner in which he helps the fatherless
and unprotected.
Another thing which pure religion
prompts us to do is to give advice to the
unadvised and to show the way of light
to those who stray. The father is the
natural councillor and to him the child
turns with the most implicit confidence
in his Judgment. A youth enter
ing into manhood must choose
some occupation and in this he
needs the advice and experience of his
father. How often do we hear the cry,
II had no one to advise me, and so I
fell;" and we should exhibit one of the
greatest proofs of pure religion did we
minister to their wants as does father
to his son. A great power is placed in
the hands Of the Sunday school teacher,
for in youth the mind is pliable and
good impressions once fastened firmly
may enable the child topass through the
world pure and unspotted, and in doing
these things do we serve God to the
greatest extent. "As We have done even
to the least of these, so did we unto me-"
and indeed in no other way can we
serve God but by helping our fellow
men. Let us be in the world, but not
s~o.,ts.x,oxY o.. INsfxe- NJ