The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-10-27
IN RELIGION.
Synopsis Of the Instructive Dis
course Delivered Sunday by
Rev. j. H. Croker.
Before the Congregation OF the
Unitarian Society In
q. A. r. Hall.

q. "A. r. Hall.
Let There BE Sincerity in All Things-Ds-
mand for It in Religious
Teaching.
In 4 time Of intellectual weakness and
spiritual deadness in England, more than q
half century ago, a great though peculiar
genius. Thomas Carlyle, took for his text
this sentence; "Sincerity 10 better than
grace" His voice. though somewhat harsh
and inartioulate at times, was for q season
like . trumpet cali to judgment. Com
placsnt conformity found itself prieked to
the heart; the white light Of q tremendous
earnestness was turned upon e%nsy-going in
difference; conventional pretense was made
to look infinitely mean by the luminous
flashes Of a fiery incentive. In the
message Of Thomas Carlyle there
was a breath OF life from the noun
tains Of the Lord; it awoke
the sleepers; it made hypoorites tremble;
1t freshened the dull and quicksned the in
dolent, and it made = new climate for the
Ysalm OF religion. This message Was . plea
for sincsrity-a plea that man be true to
himself: that he put away all pretense and
make his apparent life his real life and his
real life his apparent life; that he be loyal
to his inmost conviction, and that he live
from the heart out with all %frankness and
opennesG. Thomas Carlyle in his best days
inspired men to heroic action, and to he
role action as the expression of their truest
and freshest oonviction-no m~aks-believe
in church or state or school; nc hollow
echoes and mechanical recitation. but the
real thought put into action with simplicity
and earnestness.
And, OF a truth, sincerity il better thar
grace; honesty of speech is better than
elegant phrases which como only from the
lips but not from the heart; the enth usiasm
which breaks through all formalities and
serves where humanity suffers and whore
truth is at stake 10 better than the piety
which spends itself on the mere decorations
OF life; 4 noble conviction put into deeds
does a hundred fold more to bring in the
kingdom of heaven than n graoiousness
Of manner which does not spring from the
heart. It needs little illustration and
no argument to show that sincerity lies at
the bottom of everything excellent in the
individual and everything noble in oiviliza-
ton. One of the elements of human life,
prlZ0Q alike Dy 6uCl0Hb AHu mO06ru peOpAess
il friendship.-the merging Of two lives
in q common affection and . single aspira-
tion; this has been one of the purest foun-
tains OF joy and ono of the most potent
agents of civilization. Now, there can be
no friendship without sincerity; there must
be perfect confidence in each others single
moss Of mind. II . suspicion arises that
something has been held back, that there
was a shade of duplicity in word or act, or
that ones real purpose is kept covered by
~artiice. then this divine flower 10 at once
destroyed.
c~ellencies beside friendship. The historic
influence Of great men is inseparablc from
the belief in their sincerity. It's, after all.
not 50 much = mans genius or his deed.
but the moral quality of his personality,
which gives him power for good over the
the currents of history. We evory day see
geniuses destroy infinite possibilities because
they POSSESS NO manhood. The man who
makes himself a benefoent historic force is
one who represents in himself an absolute
fidelity to some imperial principle or i'm
portant human interests Luther who de-
tends the soul against priestcraft, a Wash
ington who never deviates from an exalted
patriotism, 4 Lincoln who tolls with single
ness of purpose for his country. These
names are prolific seeds Of ~civility; and
they are immortal. But how quickly they
WOukN I'D kOAO IAVO VIZ 0ubu OCAVAO Wiz
proof that they were merely playing a part!
And how many men of great capacity in
many other directions have dropped into
obsczrity or disgrace, because q suspicion
of their sincerity seemed we'll founded2
If sincerity is so important in the world
at large, it il evident that it is ten fold
more important in religion. As it is true
generally that We will be condemned, not
because our light is small, but because we
do not walk in the light which we do
possess, all the more true is 1T in spiritual
affairs that we will be Judged, not because
contrary to what truth 70 have seen. In
sincerity in religion is hiding the light
which God has put in the soul. And to
this probably Jesus referred. when he said;
mo man, when he hath lighted a candle,
covsreth il with a vessel. but setteth it on
see the light" Now, whom God lights up q
human soul with the revelation OF q great
truth or a fresh aspiration. he wants that
soul to make q public use Of its light; to be
a candle of the Lord, making bright the
dark places. Letting ones light shine out il
and tradition is that insincetity which is
the unpardonable sin. From this we see
that dangers 10 not come 30 much from the
sincere believer OF any faith. however mar
row and crude, as from those who, like
tho Roman augurs, smile as they meet
Dub CNIIy OA GAC 10ASc VI pAo-
tending to believe what theydo not believe .
Any man who ia holding his lighted candle
out into the dark to make SOM little spot
moro safe and cheerful, even by the use OF
only q few feeble rays, Ia doing Gods
service. 1t may be a very small light, but
his duty ia we'll lone when he makes the
bent possible use of it. But the man who
hides the truth he knows, not daring to
break away from custom or brave the frown
of disspproval is rs guilty as one who
should put out II beacon light kindled to
warn men from the deadly breakers. The
truth comes to my hand that l may wave
it as a torch to help those asail OH the sea
of life. On the other hand, Il man who
pretends to believe what in his soul
he has rejected, who outwardly and
publicly conforms but invariably and pri-
vately rejects and scornE, he ia like one who
kindles u false beacon which lures the in
nocent into fatal dangers. The man who
takes upon his lips az saving faith 4 creed
that he in his heart %rcpudiRtes, who lends
his sanction TO n dogma which his reason
condemns, this man ia like the treacherous
guide who points out as the way of life
what he knows is the way of death. Sin
cerity in religion is making tho lantern OF
the light house blaze with the truth of to-
day, for far out on the deep there ia some
poor mariner who needs Just that light to
save him. The light which, Calvin or Lu-
ther had will net reach far enough; it must
. be the truth that has como to you
and it has come to you to
he lut To ugS. not hidden,