New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-07
SERMONS WORTH KEEPING.
XVIII.
DR.. J. z. KERR PLEADS FOR FAIR PLAY.

TIE PASTOR OF TIE FOURTH PRESBYTERIAN
| CHURCH BREACHES WHAT He PRACTISEs.
! All clergymcn should be lovers of fair play. and
every man thinks he Is but has his doubts about
OF his brethren who viii take advantage OF n ccpi-
city, press vote at late hour of a meeting. dis
tribute tickets for election mistake the position Of
n rival, etc. Among the many men I'm the New York
Presbytcry against whom the finger OF suspicion Of
Unfair dealings IN any of the ways suggested can
never be raised is the Rev DE- j. r. Kerr Of the Fourth
Fresby Church In West Thirty fourth-st On the
questions under discussion in the last few years Dr.
Kerr has not been partisan but hi, position has
! always been known and he has exemplhicd here,
elsewhere, the principles laid down in his sermon yes
teIday morning. 1akng for his text the words VI
Nicodemus " Doth law judge any man before
il hear him and know what lie dOeth ~ DR.. Kerr
sad in part
The onicers sent to arrest Jesus had returned with
thew by hts words so tlrit they COULD not 40 their
GRAND. fhe tharisees we've Indignant and made
be: Of the council, nterpOsed with the above question
ne ne nnheS no PIE. s!ve foS nslls right nnder The
answer tor lunlself 10 calm and proper way. This
IS the tue udlfai spiii-it is the genius Of fair play
and SPIRITUAL coniuioa. Men piccommittcd By
their habits tastes standards Of excellence that they
Judge, and that Is next or Ain to prejudice. In
courts the enOrt to have only impartial men In the
jury -UVA anu III IGpp'ns tHIt an titlIc panel OF
Jurors IS exhausted without getting men who Will
aiim themselves able to ise the beam Of justice, to
four. Judicial mind Is gift; II is better than
genius which may be eccentric while Brilliant.
WEIGHS c"mpar ana seneI. go the ,r 9fHe
imperial value IN tho complexities Of common life
In the complicated questions which are brought To the
rvGytody should aspire to possess more or less Of
this excellence. for the spirit VI truth Is atalnable
mat iianc Of mind In which We acknowledge our
fallibiiy and desrc above all things 10 got at the
t"lned shat IN almost every one OF the Leading con
rovesles pat and present. In social philosophy both
what the! denied, aud that either could have rcen
made to takc the Others views In addition ~ IT. own
c s "oa hye Ps e eeaed t t. make e p
but there Is much In 1t. The history OF religious in
the typo, but stamped in egible characters between
the lncs, scctarian bitterness Is frequently founded
ton oil known ensmies, without proper inquiry or care
nj cAHnlhaion OF opposite reasons and authorities.
many OF the od batico OF tpe secs ~er bnni battles
tho Icws oheer and the communities were distracted
cause people did not understand one another. did not
pnIse 10 Try Ia understand another. II for
own things. bnt also upon the things OF othcrs-the
Other side well their own SIDE that thcy
to en,sssc IN tue labor Of inquiry n'%sd Of simply
potc spirit prevails day II Is at IA conscious dlsad
yaii'ge IT. blows do not CONT for third 81 what
dey S By Ss eenI ago pe ,h S d,S sa s
rolled on there are dvcrsiucs OF administration By
the sefsime spirit and today Is In new ti,pensinon
and again the sleeping antagonisms start up under
some old the fairy kndleN at the waving OF some
a ia pas '"' &c. %s not 70 %Ss ic %
We not 10 match The present with the past. The
present T. what YOU and have Immediately before u.s.
and We must look at II all round comprehend II from
cvcry sidr True me Ioresone dayN Of virtue work
the advancing actor. impulse from previous attainment
inspiration from great days and great deeds that
The phaiiSce and tho scribe failed to get hold Of
this IN their dealings with Jesus Christ. They could
broad dav Of Moses Lord. They approached the
truth Liought hy Him Just as tley APPROACHED Him
be Intruder. deemed Him u>urpcr scored Him
an lconocast They demanded tlmt lie prophecy ac
cOrling 10 their tradition their Side and II He refused
lie must die He refused. lie ronld rot do other
wise. for lie saw both sides lie came no 10 destroy
veal aud furnish globe: to enhsttcn one little
country bnt "a save all cOuntfirs. so they crc.fcd
HIN: He was true 30 his word they were true to their
1t is >addenlng to find in our community those who
ar repeating ms m. take ana 50 dcpnvng ihem-
selves u incnculablc benefit they refuse the MIA
rene fair herring they Judge Ills doctrine His in
stutons. His people by other than righteous judg-
ment they arr not open 10 conviction they are par
ial In estimate and conclusion. Indeed. there IL
feeling that religious people are their foes. unjust 70
them. unchatable. incorporating In their require
ments and selfish IN their aims SO we have one side
lighting the other side ono winning NhlS week and
the other next week. OF | know the peril
nency IT the query What fellowship hath Hight with
darkness ~ but | emphasizing for both sides just
now this NlcOdcmue-fesc for fair play and no Odds.
Ia order that better mutual understanding may bc
reached and n middle ground gained upon which all
disputed questions shall he frankly considered and
anlcably disposed Of. There Is a quality Of arbitra-
ton In hero which Is not 10 b" despis"d especially
since arbitration itself f. the coming court OF final ap
peal In all human disputes Truth Is never 70 he
compromised. there can b" no gain In that Tim
ming and time serving properly dsdaincd by noble
and conscientious souls but caution. courtesy, candid
circllmspecon and comprehensive analysis. these arr
always proper aud becoming and they were never
more than In the discussion and decision Of present
Interests and present revelations In our present civ,
lli1atiOn.
Bring Christ up TO the bar Of your life Hear what
He has say ibOnt honesty fnlfhfulnc7s humility.
selfsacrhcc. zeal and conservation. The men about
IN business. In society. the man inside OF your
clothes. talk differently their standard. are ioyer
their motives far selfish their lives far less pure
Hear Him. Judge Him fairly. That Is the least yon
cin do Thai + The way you want to be iudgd by
your fellow that Is the way Jesus wants IL be
Judged by you.
Cultivate ;hS spirit Of fairness In your mental ai'i
fudc toward all the matters In Church and state which
are up" for consideration and disposition. Let II
be ,cen and felt that YOU a lover Of fair play that
Won srurn 10 take advantage make advanc" either
bv n blind bnscd heart. BE bigger than part
san ship II way must be forced. hcw u do
NOT steal it, BE brave, ard he sure thu; Won never
can afford 20 Ice unjust. Ee Just TO God and 10
be lust 10 your own soul.