St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-03-16
MINNEAPOLIS.
PHILOSOPHY OF LOVE"
It Is the Subject of the Address of
Rev. Wilkinson.

ng CHRIST, ana SAID the cnurcn has let
The world bcguile it into classifying sin.
Some it calls large, some small. some
grave, some not so serious, some il is
Scandalized by. others it passes over
with slight condemnation or in silence
altogether; it will not tolerate drunk
enneSS in the open day, or theft, or sins
Of the flesh, and SO these arc very grave
sins III public esteem. Many persons
who are very proper in life in every
way would DC startled if il should be
quietly, calmly, and with set purpose said
there are many sins which are taken little
note of the world at large, rs ever
calling for church discipline, that do
more to cStrange all who see them, who
are not i'll the church, from ii than any
Of those named. The one purpose for
which the church is in the world is to
do ChrlSt's will, and TO induce other
people to 10 it. The church, by its
priests and ministers. by its sacramenlS
ana services, by its Scriptures and
hymns. by the lives of its saints and The
death of its cOnfesSorS, tells 10 all who
see, and to all who hear, we are citizens
Of another city, subjects OF another
kingdom, it does not receive Its laws
from men, it is not anSWerable to men,
except to do them good. We
have an JUNCTION from the Holy
One of Israel, and are OH
our way from this to another state.
Just what or where that state is we do
not know, but we have had a complete
and perfect example of what we ought
10 be, and pattern of what we ought TO
do, in Christ our Savior. All this does
not need to be spoken in so many words
TO make the world understand il, for the
l. lS Va M
and very much more. Is il, then. III The
way outside the church, an uureaS0na-
bic demand when they say 10 us: ~ on
tell US you have larger faith, nobler
creed, a brighter hope and IN every way
q sWeeteT prospect than us poor SINNERS.
whom you entrcat to join you. Show us
the result of these claims i'll nObler
livcS?' | say the man WHO asks
this is in every particular reasonable
man. he has sense, lie has, in all re-
SpectS, justice on his side. The only
good reason can have FOR asking MIN
10 come TO church is that he may be
come Il better man, or help other men 10
become better. On, says some one, |
thought you Episcopalians believed it a
mans duty TO reverently worship God,
aud he ought 10 do so because He has SO
commanded. Yes; but, my friend, we
believe that the highest use OF worship
is that 1t makes us God-lillc, by an as
Sanitation of ideas. Walk with the
holy and thou shalt he holy. In plain
sight of all this, what a parody OF re-
ligion must men think il if day by day
they see its members unkind, rough
vulgar, full of envy, jealousy, hate,
proud, speaking evil Of dignitieS. selfish,
worldly, full of strife, bitterness and al
uncharitabiencss. Will they not look
ut the Christian standard. compare our
lives with it, and be rcpelled from the
church and Christ we tell them we so
dearly love? Inasmurh as picture is
to many more than lesson, an exam
pie more than principle, Il life iap Il
creed, it will be SO to the end of time.
To what purpose was Christ manifest if
not to destroy the works of the devil?
and what are His works if these are not?
1t we will set Il holy life clearly before
Us VIC do not need 10 seek some gloomy
shade, some clOiSter. or lodge in wilder
ness. No better place can be found than
the one we fill. We can widen cur
power for good ali around. We can,
even. when we speak never a word,
make goodness Infectious: commend it
to ali who are within the sphere OF our
influence, even if they do not at once
adopt our view of its requirements.
Think. for 4 moment, over your own
lives; ask yourselves who have iutu-
nnced you most powerfully for good.
Has it been ready fault-lindcrs? Has
it been sharp reprovers? Has it been per-
sons in the home OF business who have
placed in rebuke keen bitterness, who
have derided your lack of culture or
ability, who have underrated your
power or despised YOUR work, who
nave been ungrateful for the good
you could and did do, and
lnmerciful to the harm you did uninten-
nOnally, who, TO adroitly formed cauStic
words, added gestures yet more cutting.
Or was it a person who had i'll true wise
learned the grammar OF heaven. who
appeared 10 You to find fault more i'll
SORROW than III anger: who, swift 10 see
the good, was ever ready with glad re-
gard to speak well Of it, TO encourage
it, even when married with imperfec-
ton; who would much sooner praise
than blame; who was in himself an eX-
ample OF gulelessnes, mcckncsS, UNI
selfshneSs, hopefulneSs, helpfulneSs,
humility, holy fear. conservation. living
faith and sweetest love; who had much
faith in man. and much more in God?
Was not such person to you psalm?
Was not that life a song from another
land? And, as you looked and listened,
did not your soul expand? Did not
your heart open like a flower in sum-
mer time? In its influence, was not all
that is best appealed 10 intensely. and
dld 1t not long 10 respond with all Its
power? This is the wonderful alchemy
OF love. | cannot explain 1t. 1t is TO
me mystery past finding out, but it
rules the court. the camp. the grove, and
men below and saints above. 10 change
&c IN n
world. This principle has its
roots in the living God. 1t
cannot entirely be taken out of the
man. Sin may in some measure weaken
1t, as the tendency of sin is 10 harden,
but it never can destroy its ca opacity. l
have loved you, said the Saw or, so you
should love the brethren. The way to
Him and to holy service in the world is
not by argument, for that calls for re-
ply: ii is by the Gospel method-love.
10 this there is no hostile answer. What
n sight for angels and the spirits in
paradise it must be to see men who
hold so much truth in common contend
ing, fighting often with bitterness and
waste, and the wild creatures destroy
it, when they could by mutual for
bearancC, love, trust. faith, prayer,
united work, make the heart of the sad
sing with ecsIatic goodness. When they
could give songs in the night of sin and
sorrow, and do more in one month 10 up
lift the world than we now all can do in
our lives. These are not the days TO
build high fences IN the vineyard of
Christ 10 contend about issues which are
dead and gone never to return, but they
are the choicest, brightest days. bravest
days God ever gave to any child of man
in which TO win victories for the Re
deemer. | call every man who hears OF
reads these words to a life of service of
man for the sake of the everlasting love
Of God. This Will be lis own witness,
defense and crown.
ANU EMENTS.