Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-10-17

You do not forget to remember In you.
prayers those who were your first
friends, and friends than whom you
will never have better-I mean your old
father and mother. By the memories Of
the old Scotch kirk where you were
baptized, and of the English fireside by
which you played, and of the Welsh
hills and valleys among which You
roamed, and the old homes on the banks
of the Tweed and the Shannon and tho
Clyde, l charge you be honorable and
true and Christian. You have good
ancestral blood in your veins. Prove
yourself worthy. 1t seems to me that
the Gospel is making mighty strides
over there. Only one thing saw in the
chapels and churches l did not like.
That is a lack of appreciation Of each
other as between the national church
and the dissenters. Now each is doing
a great work that the other cannot do.
God speed them all, they of the episco-
pacy and they of the dissenters! Some
need the ritual of the national church
and others the spontaneity of the Wes-
leyan. In the kingdom Of God there is
room for all TO work and each in his
own way. Some people are born .Epis-
copalians and others Methodists and
others Baptists and others Presbyte-
rians, and do not let us force our notions
ON others.
CHRISTIAN UNION INDEED.
AS for myself, was born so near the
line that feel at home as much in one
denomination as in another, and when
in the Episcopal church the liturgy stirs
my soul SO that / cannot keep back the
tears, and it overwhelms me with its
solemnity and its power. When in an
old fashioned Methodist church the re-
sponses of "Amenw and "Halleluiahr
lift me until, like Paul, am in blessed
bewilderment as to 'whether in the
body or out of the body, God knoweth."
And as for the Baptists, though / have
never been anything bnt sprinkled, ]
have immersed hundreds and expect to
immense hundreds more in the baptistry
under this pulpit where Inow stand.
What is the use of controversy about
anything except how we shall keep close
20 the cross and do the most for helping
people for this world and the next? May
there come in England more cordiality
between the national church and the
dissenters. Although l would be called
dissenter there, almost my first step
in England was into banqueting hall
the lord mayors banquet, given to the
bishops and high officials Of the national
church, the great and good and genial
archbishop of Canterbury at their head.
and more magnificent group of folks,
intellectually and spiritually, never
got among. and / found that, though
we had never met before, the archbishop
and myself were old friends. But all up
and down Great Britain l found multi
tude that no man can number enlisted
for Goa and eternity, and tell you tho
kingdom is coming.
If the pessimists would get out of the
way-the people who SWIVEL and groan
and think everything has gone to the
dogs or is about to go-I say if these
pessimists would only get out of the
way the world would soon see the sal
walton of God. Christianity is only an
other name for elevated optimism. Was
Isaiah an optimist? See his deserts in
carnadined with red roses and showed
under with white lilies, and his lamb
asleep between the paws of a hon. Was
st. John an optimist? Read the uplift-
ing splendors in the Apocalypse and the
/ halleluiah chorus with which the old
book, which they cannot kill. closes.
The grea test thing can think of would
be to have a triple alliance of America.
England and Russia in complete har-
nomination, and then to have upon all OF
them come deluge of the Holy Chest.
Let the defamation Of other nations
cease. Peace and good will TO men. For
that glorious contamination. which may
be nearer than we think. let us pray. re-
membering that God can do more in five
minutes than man can do in five centu-
+ ries. 1.-THE contamination is not effected
+ in our day. shall ask the privilege Of
coming out from heaven little while &c
look at this old world when ii shall have
+ pat on its millennisl beauty. think
God viii Let Us come ont to see il NJ least
once in its perfect state before it Is
burned up. ] should not wonder IL ali
heaven would adjourn for an excursion
70 this world 70 see how a shipwrecked
planet was got of the breakers and se'
aioat again amid the eternal harmonies
Meanwhile let US do All we can 70 make
Il better. and il will somehow tell in thu
E fnal result. though i he only a childt
sob hushed. or trickling tear wiped
/ from pale face, OF a thorn ertractei
from a tired foot. OF a sinful soul washes
white ss the wool. May God help rs r
help others And 80 these lessons d
gratitude and sympathy ard helpfulnes'
and vfndicanon | have brought You OF