Los Angeles herald., 1892-08-01
THROUGH GATtWAYS Of PAIN
The Way of Civilization Along
the Highway ofDestiny.
Many Hear DR.. Thomson on vica-
rious Suffering.
The Popular Preachers Farewell Ser
tnon-His Pertinent Views on the
Pending Industrial Conflict.
The Advance of Society.


day morning, and DR.. Thomson's fare.
we'll sermon. prior to his departure on
his vacation, was listened to with most
profound attention. The subject of the
doctrine OF Vicarious Sufferingso had
nothing to do, the speaker said, with
the doctrine OF the Atonement, bat dealt
with the great law whereby one human
being is compelled to suffer for another
human being. Scientists say the earth
was at frst all fire mist, from whence
came rocks. then, earth. Darwin says
wormi got into the rocks; hence vegeta-
tion; after vegetation; then the animal
world. Whatever the explanation may
be-, we can see that the destruction of
one thing has been the birth and glory
of its successor. Man found this earth
prepared for him by the work of count
less generations of change and suffer
inRs.
Then came the teachers, who asked
for revelation. The prophet had to
suffer, or. in modern parlance. his ner-
vous system had to waste. The labors
of men were spent in pain that we
might enjoy the benefits, Ages ago, in
the great and ever recurring struggle
between Asia and Europe, of which
Asia Minor was made the battle ground,
men fought and died for European lib
erty. They died fighting, without
knowing it, for as. Again, had the
Saracens been victorious over the Chris
tians, we would have been Mahommed-
ans today. We are not Christians be-
cause we have thought it all out for our
selves-most of US could not tell how it
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inherit the blessings derived from the
vicarious sufferings Of those who have
gone before. fa
The Pilgrim Fathers came here to get
religious freedom. Then followed the
struggle for political freedom; and
later, the contest between north and
south for political union. Now comes
the industrial fight, no less overshadow-
ing in it's consequences, the fight to save
, men for industrial freedom, to edu-
cate the workers to free them
selves from all forms of in
dustrial tyranny in the shape
of combinations and organizations, and
to demonstrate that every man has
right to sell his strength of brain, hand
or money in any market of the world,
without subn-ittingrto the dictation OF
unscrupulous and self-seeking leaders.
The speakers remarks were received
with burst of applause at this point.
We must take our stand in civilization
and submit to suffer for the sins, the ig
norance and the mistakes of others. 1t
is a hard thing to do, and it is only
when we love another that it becomes
easy. Jesus did not come here reluc-
family to suffer for the sins of the peo-
pie. The law OF his conscience made
him suffer, even as we have to suffer to-
day for others.
General Wolseley. in lecture on
Military Promotion, said that the young
man desiring promotion must put him
self in the way of being shot, the only
way to rise being to show that he could
be relied upon in case of military neces-
sity. We, too. mast win our way by
active service, in spite of the doctrine
that we have only to believe.
The American people suffer because
they dare to do the things that cost,
and they are consequently unhappy in
80 far as they have none of that slip
shod happiness that comes from being
content to take things as they are.
Civilization moves along the highway
OF destiny through the gateways of pain.
The thing that is afraid to suffer has
no right to exist.
Religion is of no utility if it does not
come through experience. Simple be-
lief or any secondhand method is of NO
use. No man can understand Jesus who
has not suffered. 1t ia simply prepos-
ferrous to attempt to teach children the
whole of religion. Let them under
stand it speculatively, as a fairy tale.
1t is time for man to preach on the
r -f.(y - L. L L. L.
some of the bitter experiences of sorrow
and ingratitude that entered into the
life of Jesus here. Till that time ar
once advised, upon Evolution, the Law
OF Gravity or the Relation Of Other Re
igions to the Christian Religion.
AS to the value OF these experiences,
the question at the future. day will be,
not what have you done, but how much
can you bear. Looking back in history
do we admire great men most when at
the height of their fame and power. or
rather at the time when the shadows
were darkest around them and they en-
dured all the bitterness and anguish Of
q sense of failure and defeat. If pair
and difficulty, darkness, sorrow and
separation do not come to us, then it
may be considered as sign that we are
not worthy OF recognition by che testi-
mony of this suffering. The church is
here to take up this law and explain it.
This is new country ready to take on
impressions, and this church must work
as men and women bearing the weight
of great responsibility. This city is
wonderful city. Ithas many drawbacks,
which the speaker admitted he had
not been slow to point out, but there is
no other city on the continent that has
SO large a proportion of intellectual
people. 1t is destined to be the Para
disc Found, and perhaps the most
thickly populated part of the United
States in the twentieth century will Se
the place in which we stand today. 1t
is for us to strive to shape the circuna-
stances of the time to come, and to
recognize that we must suffer one for
another.
DR.. Thomson closed his eloquent SER
mon by warm expression of apprecia-
ton for the regular attendance and close
attention of his large and growing con-
gregation, and said some kindly words Of
recognition of the efforts of the trustees
and officers and Of the different societies
connected with the church, as we'll as
the Sunday school under its present
efficient management.
DIR. Thomson, accompanied by Mrs.
Thomson, leaves today for Montreal,
Canada, there to spend his vacation.
The church will be opened again Octo-