The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-07-28
THY WILL BE DONE.
An Eloquent sermon by Bishop Vincent
at the MethodiAt Conference.
Special to the standard.

An ElOquent sermon by tstsh0p Vincent
at the MethodiAt Conference.
Special to the Standard.
LIVINGSTON, July 27.-Bishop Vincent
preached one OF his characteristic SER
mons this morning before the conference
and large audience. The sermon was
marked throughout by its beautiful SIM
plicity, clearness Of thought, completes
ness OF idea aud wealth of touching and
apt illustrations. From his opening words
to his impressive close the audience was
held as II by q spell.
After the reading of the 18th chapter of
Isaiah and the singing Of the hymn "The
Morning Light il Breaking" the Bishop
announced as his text the tenth verse of
ST. Matthew. chapter sixth, "Thy King
dom come, thy will be done In earth as il
is done in heaven"
The speaker pictured man standing
amidst the ruins of an avalanche-swept
valley of the Alps gazing upward beyond
the stricken path of the avalanche to the
white, snow-peakcd mountain from
whence the monster was dislodged, on TO
the calm clear azure OF the Alpine sky.
So the Bible shows us not only the desc
lation wrought by mans sin, but also the
glorious possibilities of human attain
ments and the still greater glory that
awaits us from the Divine hand. The
Bible is a book for time, but also for cter-
nifty; for earth, but also for heaven. IL is
book of progress both of life on earth
and i'm the life to come. The prayer of
the text is not the result of evollI-
ton of the human intellect but the
voice of one who had experienced the joys
of the divine kingdom and who came
among men that he might bring TO them
the possibility of attaining thereto.
The prayer is also O prophesy. II would
he worse than mockery TO place such n
prayer on the lips of men were there no
hope of its fullflllment. Ii is the en-
bodiment Of hope and progress and
hence the subject of the sermon. The
divine laws of human progress, a mans
conduct is his prayer, the life he lives
during seven days in the week is the hest
index to the prayer he makes for min
Ites on Sunday. We are taught to pray
for the kingdom because humanity is
powerless of itself TO bring about the
better order of things. No SO called
society OF culture could. by its own ef-
forts, bring about the reformation of man
kind. They had tried and some were
still unwise enough to be continuing the
effort even in the present day. Mankind
unaided is as powerless to bring il about
as the potato vine growing i'm n dark cell
lar to produce fruit without the aid of
sunlight, the rain and the dew. Hence
the first law of divine interposition i'm the
affairs of men. We are taught To pray
this prayer in our lives and conduct as
well as by our lips, because God never
works through human agency except
when that agency was its best.
He urged upon the ministers present to
adopt Mr.. Wesley's rule to prepare their
sermons as though they had no hope OF
aid from God and then to rely on God as
| il they had made no preparation what
ever. The second law was that Of human
agency doing its best and cooperating
| with God, but why Tiny will be done on
earth 2" The speaker had no sympathy
| with those who wanted to go direct Ia
heaven. Earth was sufficient. Revela.
tions teaches that the kingdom Is to be
| i'm earth, the earth purified by fire, and
the spirit would be heaven enough. So,
too, he had no sympathy for the man who
was satisfied with his own salvation
or that of his immediate family or church
nationality. The prayer embraced the
whole globe and all races and people, and
| hence the third law was expressed by the
term Christian solidity. Humanity was a
mass of which the individual formed a
particle, and :he individuals salvation
| was only beneficial when he was saved in
mense machinery of civilization, the
building of railroads, telegraph lines, run
ming of banks, mines, educational insti
tutious and manufactures, require men
God did not intend to leave these things
in the hands OF the devil, and
bad men. So. too, the government mus,
be run by good men. Away with tho
christian who folds his hands over his
heart and says 81 tlo'not mix in politics.
Brethren, vote as you pray. and hence tbs
fourth rule is that OF sanctifled secularity
The engineer and fireman of the trair
1 l. -.rA
Indian missionary 10 their various desti
nations has as much need Of religion n,
anyone and often was better christian
than either of his passengers, not ex
cepting the missionary.
The mothers idea that by making ;
| minister OF her boy she would save hin
| from temptation was wrong. The mo
ment man attempted spirituality pro
fessionally his spiritual welfare was il
| danger. The next law was that OF uni
versal unity as the same law of light ap
ply to the star and the candle. the sam,
law OF gravity to the world and to the ap
| pie. So the universal law of love for Goo
applies to all Christians whether dead o
living. He has no need for spiritualisu
or spirit rappings. He knew his sainie,
mother was happy, aye, blessed he
cause of her love for God. Tn,
last law was that OF utter surrender I,
God in sickness and i'm health. Tn.
speaker drew n most touching picture q
the successful business man who had sur
rendered himself and made his motto
"Thy will be done" Stricken down D.,
paralysis, unable TO rise from his couch
he saw one by one his family carried from
| him To the grave. and when his summon,
came he could look joyfully out beyon,
the ruins wrought by the avalanche. he
yond the snow clad peak aad azure sky
to eternal rest and joy.
Said the bishop 10 the preachers
"Seek not the upbuilding of you
| own congregation but ms,
Methodist methods TO promote only tn,
Kingdom Of God. Let Methodism be I.
you that grand and inspiring idea tina