The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-05-11

Powerful Sermon at the Leading Methodist
Church and a Talk to Students.

Powerful Sermon at the Leading Methodist
Church and a Talk to Students.
SPECIAL TO the Indianapolis Journal.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind, MAY 10.-On the
special invitation of Dr.. w. r. Halstead,
Bishop Newman. who is attending the con-
ference of the bishops at Greencastle. was
in Bloomington to-day and preached two
powerful sermons. At 1890 O'Clock the
College-avenue Methodist Church was
crowded by Bloomington citizens. who
listened to an address of an hours length
on the Power of the Individual" The
bishop took his text from the eleventh
chapter of st. John. twentieth verse:
Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus
was coming, went and met Him. But Mary
sat still in the house.
His line of thought was to show the re-
sponsibility of each individual person in
the Christian work that would finally con-
vert the world and make each home q
heaven. He said:
Instinct is more logical than reason. We
never admire or hate men in groups, bat, In
an lnfamy, select some chief offender; In q
moral reform, choose a single individual TO
crown with glory. No movement of any
import can be named that has not been ini-
tiated by some single man or woman. God.
In his way. comes to individuals and de-
ponds upon individuality, a power every
where recognized. The Almighty selects
an individual for a great mission, Just as
every age and nation crystaiizes about a
hero. OF this fact all great movements of
the church and State are proof. 1t is q
fact, also, that such leaders are not selected
for their brilllancy, but their solid parts.
hen the Nation was about to go to pieces
by rebellion Abraham Lincoln was Ound
in the Prairie State. When infidelity was
impressing itself upon the world as never
before. and Huxley had gone one step fur
Their in the field of atheism Tyndall was
found in the same university to combat his
theories and throw of the paralysis that
seemed to bind pulpit and man"
The speaker said as he grew older he was
not disturbed when science attacked the
Bible. as there Is always wal against rec
OgniZed facts, and only sufficient time was
necessary for Investigation until the bibli-
cal truths were welded tronger than ever.
The Bishop thought Christ was the prince
never made q single mistake as Judged by
the latest scientific theories. The work
of God was often brought about by proxy.
and the Bishop illustrated this fact by pay
trained the child. watched for and
loved him until, finally. the full-grown
man appeared ready for the great work
that was before every individual
LECTURE AT UNIVERSITY chapel.
The old chapel of Indiana University
was filled to OVERLOOKING to hear the after
noon lecture of Bishop Newman. He took
for his subject Character" His discourse
tended to show that character did not come
from education and culture. but only from
@ careful study of the teachings of Christ.
Character is something that cannot be de-
fined, but IL that which distinguishes one
from another" he said.
1T ie what a man is made of, thinks,
feels or whatever tends to a tOtality.
Character is approximately the man; what
we are or are to be hereafter. The plea for
absolute liberty Is absurd. Man Is q walk
ing code of restrictions and is organized on
principles of prohibition. The plea for abb
solute liberty in morals is an impossi-
bility, for if it Is fair to argue that
the physique is subject to the law of limi-
tation, then the moral nature is subject to
the same rule. hat which is innocent in
itself becomes vicious when it passes the
law of limitation. When men will realize
that the hottest being is the most natural,
then will they be most happy. as the most
vicious being is the abnormal man. Christ
is she true disciple of nature. and
of the Son of Mary will be
placed in bronze at the entrance of every
university as the greatest of living sclen-
fists. just as we can harmonic with the
/ purity of nature, just that far will we be
perfect. The Almighty is always search
ing for q character like that of himself.
and when found it Is approved"
At this point the bishop touched on the
question of heredity, his theory being that
men did not deserve any credit for the
good qualities directly traceable to
heredity and hence for bad qualities thus
Inherited ought not to be held to too strict
an account and possibly not punished. A
man should not be rewarded for inherited
virtue or punished for inherited vice, he
thought.
1.-The cry of the times" said he, sis
the necessity of morality. Law may teach
and guide, but it has no power to purify
and cure. as it is & fact of history that the
best of men have lived under the worst
laws and the worst of men under the best
laws. One of the most vicious of thoughts
is that our public schools will
create the highest morality. 1t is
q fallacy that is vicious to the last degree.
as there is no power in knowledge that is
able to save"
The Bishop referred feelingly to the effort
being made in many parts of the country
to keep open art galleries and amusements
of that class. as q pretense to educate. He
closed with the statement that il good
would result from such q move, Italy
would be an earthly paradise. Said he,
There is only one power to save; that is
the Christ. Happiness never flows. but
always grows. The human heart can never
secure extreme happiness except by q care
full following of the precepts of the Bible"
BISHOP BOWMAN AT LAFAYETTE.