Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-07-25

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| Abstrset Of SERMON preached by Rev. J,
liz. Leland in she Winthrop street church
| Sunday, July n, lss2. Text. Many Shall
Ron 70 and fro and Knoxleige Stall b.
Increased. Daniel II 1.
i ANY prophecy Of Scripture referring To a
future condition Of man, may be sBdes-
stood ~ referring TO religious condition,
because the Scriptures deal with man a. q
religious being. Therefore our ten refers
70 the aecsIefatiSn among men Of religions
knowIedgs- The prophecy 10 careful to state,
shsf this IL 70 follow sbe standing forfh.
~ establishment Of the Christ in the sorbi.
The prophecy il being fulfilled ~ the Chris.
sian age progresses II no previous tins
has there been such general knoviedse
and increasing knowledge Of the essentials
Of Christianity A. At present, nor Al no ins
in the past has there been such comparative
Indifference and apparent Neglect Of rehs-
ioas matters A. AZ present For Nf'ie "
have more churches than ever before. shsi
more ,eople in attendance, on The average
than At any previous period. YET tns mass
of non-chnreh-zeing. Observation-Disclosures
was never 40 great, in comparison 10
the whole population a. toaay y
There appeared 10 recent issue OF the asos-
BEL Banner published in this city. An srsieis
= ri,ten BY President W. d. Hyde Of Bow
fiosn college, for the Forum, under the title
ls.fmt,ending Paganism in New England in
whleh he brinzs forward statistics 10 shoH
that a very large minority Of the population
Of this state do cot attend religious service
on Sunday. President Hyde also gives HE
views a. 20 the cause Of this widespread
neglect
But az we are interested in the remedy
which he proposes, and az the cause is i'm
piled 10 the remedy. We will proceed 10
gives his idea Of the best means 10 interest
those who are apparently 80 neglected OF
religious duties. and especially those who
1 live in the rural districts.
/ lie finds that decentralization is one
of the great hindranees. and his place 10
overcome this difficulty il best stated in hi-
own words The only hope lies in the
possibility Of the broader men in all the
denominations Of a town coming together
and, in entire disregard Of existing denomi
/ national lines, forming themselves into the
church of Christ in the town, and calling II
minister without reference to his denomina-
tIonai affiliations, solely on his merits a. q
leader Of men in spiritual life and work.
+, would be necessary 10 eonine the
creed of such church TO the Fundamental
principles of Christian truth and life. Be
lief in a Father who wiIis the good of all
His children; belief in Christ as the incaT-
nation of Gods loving will, and the revela-
ton Of mans spiritual ideal" There are
other speci fcations, but we have quoted
sufficient to give his idea or plan. 1t :
Christian union IL means that in those
places where the spirit Of sectarianism il
acting the dog in the manager part, that doe
not help itself, and will not help Others,
snch selfish spirit should surrender and
with all others. without regard TO deDomi-
nation, unite in holding Christian service.
He does not propose that all shall b.
whipped into Iniyersalist union. nor
Methodist nnion, nor An Episcopalian union
but that all unite in a Christian union in
which each individual is free to retain HI
particular views regarding the non-essertials
OF form and ceremony; yet where all unite
in the essentials AS Christ taught them, thi.
plan, il will be- observed does not agree
with the ideas of those who propose, as a
panacea for the neglect complained Of, thai
all shall unite in what they are pleased u
term 1.-THE church. meaning of course their
particular sect or denomination.
But we think that it is impossible to per
suade the great mass of Christians. that
their only way to the millennium is in being
swallowed up by one of the smallest seq
ments of the great Christian body, in
point of numbers, they are, who style them
selves the church" President Hyde pre-
sents to thinking people the better plan
He implies that in those communities where
religious services are neglected because of
sectaranism, il il better to build up Chris
tiapity at the expense of denominational
than to allow a spirit of sectaranism to sur
viye at the expense of Christianity.
II is a rare thing to find the people of d
rural community all agreed in their religious
belief. BY the accident of association, ed
ucation and circumstances they have re-
ceive,l differing views. But it is found
that the things in which they differ, are not
the things which must be taught to men and
women 60 make them better and more
| Christianlike. The things that feed the soul
that improve the life, that unite men
/ and bring salvation are the essential
things that Jesus taught, and in
regard to these, people in this age
10 not differ. All Christians whether
! Protestant or Catholic, church-going or non
church-goiog unite in accepting these essen
! tials. The great mass prefer to live ontslde
of all church relations, and unbiased by
any creed that would place them at variance
with their neighbor, rather than to enter
into church relations which must at once
separate them rcligiously. if not socially
| from their neighbors with whom they have
always lived in peace. Man is a social be
| ing, and will not therefore intelhgently ac-
cept any conditions that deprive him of
social relations.
| Christianity, in its true sense, appeals
to, and is in harmony with, the so
| cisl element in human nature. 1t there
| fore considers the individual by himself
| The power Of the teaching and example of
Jesus il in its appeal and application to the
| individual.
Denomiaationalized Christianity loses its
vitality because it lends all its energies to
build up the denomination or sect, and
loses sight of the individual. In the pro-
cess il has no interest in or for any person.
only To make him part of the deeomins
tson, or one of sect, and loses all interest
in his religious welfare when this cannot BE-
accomplished
Think of IA Christian minister living and
preaching year after year in Il community
TO a large and intelligent congregation of
some of the best people in the place, and
that minister receiving no social recogni-
ton from some of his brother clergymen,
and especially those who refer to themselves
AS 1.-THE church.
The voice of Jesus in the Christian work
is go" not come and we need to learn
to go TO men not in the name of Il sect or
denomination, but in the spirit of the
Christ,
The great n0n-church-going mass is to
US a good sign, for We see in
it, not less regard for
Christianity. but less respect for sectarian-
ism. and it tells us that the time is past
when people can be deluIed with the idea
that il is the UNCONVENTIONAL brand that
makes the Christian. The masses are as
willing as ever to hear the vital truths of
| Christianity, and that increasing knowledge,
of which the text speaks, enables them TO
recognize the good without respect to creed.
| know not how it may be in our sister
| churches, but spr ourselves. the constant
| appeal is for Re ministers; men who are
not so much Interested in keeping men out
| of hell As they are to keep hell out of men :;
and who preach in harmony with the intelli
geuee of this age.
| We have found in our own work, that
our success is not To be measured by the
| number of infants and adults, we have in
| ducei 10 become members of an organiza-
ton; but by the influence that our teaching
| is having on those doctrines that have form
erly bitterly opposed our teaching. We have
taught that God is love- that He loves
au His children of earth that He will
I a .,,t.. n