The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-22
eLFHOOD- SACRIFICE
!. Ernest C. Smiths Fare
well Sermon.
20 KEYNOTE OF ALL RELIGION.
...s..ness shown TO Be the Root Of
rws,-Confirmation Class OF st.
a.rk,s-BIshop Paddock's Sermon.

8. Ernest c. Smith, for over two years the
.,sved end very efficient pastor Of the Unita-
- chureh OF this city, preached his farewell
-so,1 yesterday morning. He leaves in few
- Cor Denver, whore he viii take the position
y ~Ss.ant pastor OF Unity church, the leading
ssltxrian church of that city. Rev. Smith has
s.sssred himself TO his church and congrega-
- and a large audience was gathered to-
-Ikef yesterday morning to hear his farewell
- and TO wish him God-specd at the close
athe services
n smith chose for his subject, "selfhood and
hesi6ce, and drew his lesson from the words
trus IN Matthew xvi: "a;
~ any man would come after Me let him
oeaJ himself and take up his cross and fol-
n u"
ne religion Of Jesus has always been called
Il VERY religion OF self-sacrifice, said Mr. Smith,
= vu OF Introduction. e"Self-surrender," he
Srtinued, ahss there been exalted into a virtue
"a crowned with glory which makes ii stand
. ceBtrd and essential principle. If selfish
- Il che root OF all evil II all separate sins are
lnuioa, then self-sacriiice and surrender should
ene keynote OF all religion. Certain New Tesla
mi commands OF absolute self-surrender seem
jnoet suicidal, but one must remember that
~ ue rhetorical rather than literal; that when
ln6n Is shout some important business he can
~ stop 10 wrangle about small infringe
1nts OF his rights or 10 put into his state
- OF a vital truth all the qualifying
rnsidsrafions, which do not really weigh at all
( comparison with the truth he utters.
mi the one error into which men have fallen,
N SIN sometimes fall, is tact Identification
Z the means with the cnd-to make of self-sacri-
- and seli-surrender final rcsult-to regard
R<u a. In virtues thcmsclves-not looking to
nyfhing else beyond. There are those who tell
D that all the natural powers and desires We
Ne are evil and must be crushed out; that this
rpesiie, this passion, this longing, are there
{sIry to be sacrificed and killed: that our life
srk Is to be 10 fighting these and crucifying
q the natural powers which belong to US as
90. It Is then that men rebel. And seeing
Sen, 70 some other way, ignoring the truth
a. surely lies there. Therefore IL Is
III puzzled souls hardly know which way to
nm They know that life was not meant to be
Il repression; they cannot believe that self
is the dreary law of life; that Joy
wicked and the desire to develop. oil their
rsers to the utmost evil. Yet the sclf-centered
ik Is seen to be lower life than one in which
elisacrifcc Is present
Lei US cndeavor to clear away misconceptions,
riGng partly from wrong attitude and partly
RON the use OF words In two senses or indefin-
h senses, and see If We can find way out of
Be perplexity. First, the New Testament COM
md has led to asceticfsm by finding an ally in
be belief In fallen and depraved condition of
rman nature. From this it was an easy step
B condemnation OF innocent pleasures
ID recreations, and OF efforts for things which
themselves are not evil, but good. The idea
the body as impure and source of evil led to
he belief that notifying and torturing the
eh would strengthen the spiritual part of
lsns nature. 4 vast amount OF SANDER has
cen uttered against the physical nature of man,
d attempts 10 repair deficient virtue have
10 made by manning their animal passions.
hose are to be trained, guided, restrained, but
eyef crucifed or exterminated, for they are the
NJ in which we were planted. Our life ON
nth begins In the body, and depends for vigor
pom the fuilness and power OF our physical
zture. An acorn ut first sprouts from the soil,
ID spreads its young leaves on the surface of
le ground. Every year its top grows
way from IL towards heaven, yet the top
either forgets nor scorns the earth buried root
be brightest leaf on the topmost bough has
over TO be beautiful by what the root gives il,
id carries In its veins the blood which the root
lfked up from the moist earth. The top will
Eish when the root is hungry. The way to
Ioid evil IS not by manning our passions, but
compelling them To yield their yigor 10 our
oral nature. Thus they become as in the an
ent fable, the harnessed steeds which bear the
lariot OF the sun. History shows us how fruit
q Is the attempt TO strengthen the spiritual
e BY the hermit's solitude and penitential
'wer have been thus wasted in what were
ally sins against the body, against the nature
hich God gave. How potent those same pas
ons may be for good we find in almost
cry leader to whom the gratitude of mankind
due. The powerful physical nature gives the
olive power for the use OF the spiritual. The
10 attitude then, to take toward the physical
lture with all its powers and desires is that
ey are not evil in themselves, but good, part
Gods gift to us, to be accepted as a trust and
led wisely aud well.
Second The New Testament command has
en- taken to mear that all activity or strug-
{ Tor the things we desire is wrong-that all
II efforts should be bent to helping others.
ais would be absolute aitruism, and in its ex-
eme form il would destroy the very power by
hich 1t acts II your life is TO be helpful TO
hers you certainly must take such care as will
eseve it. The Tedttctio nd dbsurdum of this
eessiye altruism is found in the picture of
ople going about saying 10 each other, 81 am
glad that you are glad / am glad" etc,
IN the picture of company in
hich each enc wants 10 make sacrifice for
income else, and no one can be found TO accept
e pleasure. Yet We know that love for others,
'en TO the point of self-sacrihee, is anything
1t absurd. is the grandest fact of human ex-
'fience The trouble lies, think, in our loose
ooe OF speech, in Interpreting literally what
spoken rhetoTically. We talk about sacri-
ing ourselves for others as the only true rule
ME- when the truth is that this does not re-
iiie inc sacrifice OF our highest self. but only
az which uniawfully binders outflow from
y; We see the truest indiyidualism, the most
nking personality in those who, technically
e.aklng, are most self-denying.
We need TO make distinction between self
aness and selihood, though they are often
unused seithood is a condition OF our being;
itregard, self-love do not become self
nness until they encroach upon the
Mort or needs OF another. When no other
IGN enters into the case, We are justified in
sihs and enjoying the best we can get. 4
sltny enjoyment OF life is a part OF the scheme
living. there is something OF fulfillment as
~ rs PROBATION in each days life. Though
ere Is much sorrow and hardship In life. that
Aot true picture which calls il vale OF
N, something disagreeable. 10 be got through
~ SIMPLY because OF something better offered
reward for abstinence here. Without GER
possible
once more, 20 illustrate how impossible il is
eiaaleate self love from any system, look at
~ Christianity teaches. how the gospels ap-
=! 20 seli-intercst, 10 the desire 20 be saved
Ter II is profitable for thee that one of thy
,am y. should perish, and not thy whole
~ b cast into hell"
TOT what shall il profit a msn II he shall gain
Nhole world and forfeit his soul"
.etas radicals cry out that this is at variance
u the highest motives: but there
!. y, Tor good or for evil. And vet
= Sti.interest. rs il it were something
ssog, Is represented by many teachers
y preachers as the sum OF all wickedness.
~ Then, there IS urgent need OF discrimina-
y, lest With Whist is evil We also cast away
y MaleA Is good and necessary TO true spiritual
!; Let US Try TO see what place the idea of
~ mas IN the highest form OF religion.
~ DIG fheologia Oermanica, speaking of its
sass' man, says 'All thought Of self, all self,
stli'seeklng, selfwill, or what cometh there
a.ast be utterly lost. surrendered and given
= ~ Sod, except insofar as they arc necessary
maze up person" This personality, this
auloint we must hold to, 20 where we viii.
~ I i which chaFacterizes humanity aud
~ 70 y It's dignity, saves us from being a0tom-
- eeiihood as a principle goes behind self
.aess' which Is its excess and abuse, Selfish
n n siealates, over-rcaehes. circuniyents But
,noSd Is simpler. Ii is the instructive
%0ng Of power whose nature 10
:, manifest itself, an uncalculattug
- q The faculties 20 preserve and help our
- >elhShneSs proposes 70 take advantage
Ss.sefss seihood simply To take care of Itself
: heither moral nor immoral, but rather
..-els!, a fierce necessary ~ individually,
',ssolislty The highest moral natures as wei
We lowest feel it. lie who dies for u pTinci-
sssseriS himself il even pronder isshion than
asao TeSents an attack upon his life. His
: may be put 10 death, but he, the man, can