St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-07-18
SURVIVAL OF THE FIrTEsT.
Rev. William Wilkinson Applies
the Theory to Religion.

Last night in st. Andrews church
Rev. William Wilkinson took for text
Psalm lxxii., II: His name shall endure
forever; His name shall be continued>as
long as the sun, and men shall be blessed
In Him; all nations shall call Him
blessed" The preacher said:
1.-The world of matter, the world of
mind, all things we see, all we
do not see. are subject to law.
On the whole, this law, we may be very
sure, makes for progress. There is no
permanent receding of the waves of ad-
vancement. 1t is a manifest truth in
nature, and 1t is self-evident in those
things which devOut men say are of
grace. A wide survey of comparative
religions. taken in the order of time.
will show in flash how true, profound
and blessing this principle is. If the
case were not as stated, no man
could he reasonably, or even
w S"ni;aiy sure of anything. A
chance, could demand 10 Just reverence
or receive any intelligent worship. The
leisurely order of the kingdom of God
is its charm, its beauty, its foundation
and its assurance OF eternity.
ut may be fallen as automatic that no
religion will permanently hold the al
leglance OF men which has not in 1t that
which can not only meet their present
needs. but, what is even more i'm
portant, look to and provide for their
future wants. Man can look ahead. The
future is beset with many bounds, but
1t is not total darkness. Man is we'll
mands in his religion security that his
prospective needs will be met. 1t is.
then. fact that the teaching of his
Saviour. leader, philosopher, guide and
friend must take him as he iS-must
look at him within and without, in the
now and in the then, and provide not
alone that it shall by him be kept, but
rather that it shall keep him. The
form of faith must be such as will satisfy
his mind. 1t will not do to say you
must not dare to ask question; for
that is treason, because man is ques-
tioning being. He will! ask. He will
demand answers. IT'S right he should,
and especially in matters of such vital
and vast Importance as those which
have to do with faith. for out of mans
faith his life. in all its secret springs.
in all its nOblest plans and results, will,
on examination, be found.
when we are called upon to give
reason why we love the faith of the
Bible we are glad to do it, and in one
moment. with the stroke of pen. Or
with few words, take it out of dark
and dismal discussion of things
which have no more charm for the aver
age man than ghost in country lane
has for village rustic, and we place it
upon the well known, and say scien-
title, grounds of private and public
utility. What it is, what it says, what
IN hot &c ri
by this we are ready to stand or to fall.
it is for plain people religion is designed
as we'll as learned folks. The chief things
in lt-are to be discerned by the heart. 1t
does not. like some OptimiStS who never
see anything but sunshine and roses,
say there is no evil, or only slight evils
at the most. Nor does it, like some
pessinists, say there is much bad, little
good. and that not OH the increase. In an
honest, truthful way, it says evil there
is much of, that it is bad, and that its
results can only be in accordance to its
own nature. Men do not gather. figs of
are like the trees which bear them-sO
misery comes out of sin.
Ii this were all the religion of Christ
had to speak, it would not he gospel.
1t would not give to Its founder an en-
during name. The plan of all absolute,
perfect, full, free pardon for all sin,
grace triumphant for all who will ask
for it, are the simple conditions named.
This it is which makes the religion of
the cross power. which fills
mems hearts with a. calm as deep
as the sea and higher than the stars.
No song ever sung by man has in
spired the warmth or gratitude, fired the
emotion or captivated the reason of man
as this song of salvation. 1t will not
meet the case to say. as some wOuld-be
wise men do, "Oh, these are enthusiasts
and people who lack sound mind" for
that is not so. The men who have
given the highest expression in the
most powerful form to this song of par
don have been leaders in the knowledge
of the ages. But no knowledge
has to them been like that
of the abiding name of this
savior of sinners. Jesus Christ. When
we look into the future it need not
trouble the good man whose heart is
stayed upon his God. With the ex-
quisite trust of Whittier, he may say:
II know not what the future hath,
OF marvel or surprise,
Assured above that life and death
Gods mercy underlies.''
'And so. beside the silent sea,
wait the muffled oar;
No harm can come from Him to me
On ocean or on shore"