The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-03-14

i ANNN@OA ~ 49, f'NNA '.~ -
brightness of His glory and disclosed tbs
express image Of hia person in our Lore
Jesus Christ; who awatis ia m8n and re-
yeass Himself to their eonseieuoa by the
Holy Spirit.
Is this the common iaea of worship?
do not hsiisya it is. Ordinarily people 60
to church To set rather ttaR to give. These
who come in the right spirit 10 the house 81
God do got III retGrn = great dssl: They set,
/ AZ il ia commonly sata. good theii
minds are iittsa OF of the secular rats
they open their eyes and ace God aud catch
ellmpses oil heaven. Expect such results;
bat do not let these secondary ends ohsours
the primo object. Not to receive
aims, but to render service; to pay
q duty, to offer wosShip; not
even. primarily, to "hear preachinG,'
hut 10 rsnogaigs rassrantlalls tho srsnt
Creator. His claim upon us. LIS msrcles to
US, ''new every morning." Turn to thu
"I5xhortation" of the PrayaeBook and nota
the reasons 1t enutnsrates. When We as.
semble and meet together what il i for:
First, ''to render thanks for the great bsns-
tits that We have received at His lands
second. s:to SGT ferth His most worthy
~nraise''; third. ito hear His nost holy
Word" Ia the attitude Of the aou in these
particulars thktof 3 recipient or of one who
ia paying out something, who il yielding up,
who is, not taking, but bessowing trlhutai
Cestsinly the latter. Possibly you have
been wont to count all the comfort OF wot-
ship in what ia brought back to you. But
that, as YOU see, is not its highest power.
Is it not the great appeal of Christianity to
us, not to be selfish? TO turn our vision. too
apt to be always interpretive, away from
ourselves to the broad brotherhood of our
kind and then to our Lord aud Redesmer?
Not loss should our Worship lift us above
ourselves. How can it DO ennobling unless
it does? Ia it not the tendency of most Of
our enployments, OF our business OF pro-
faaaiNr tn CrnfraNk tina ram GA or nur infAr-
est, making US more and moro self-csn-
tered? But here comss our worship with
its demands upon our intellect and will and
affections, moving them away from our
selves up so the Highest, and being intelli-
gent can il fail to broaden thereby our
whole bsing? You bscoms narrow
by nsglseting il. Asked on the
holy city. Napoisoa h%.ueAsily replied:
Jerusalem docs not entsr into the line Of
my operations" just rs deliberately. in
forming their plans Of living. men are apt
70 leave ont entirely any consideration of
those PLACES whose associations arc sacrsd;
it is with the world not with religion that
they are concerned; onphatically, neither
church nor worship enters into the line of
their operation. But to this extent they
conspicuously contract their natures. Apart
thus from lts relation to social science, its
worth even in Christian culture. worship
makes it's speeial claim upon III to acknowl-
edge and honor God. Let Us fix this dis
tinguishin2 feature OF it in our mind. II
is a giving to God before it is I getting from
Him.
In addition to tho three reasons I have
mentioned 6 given in the prelude to our
morning service, you recall a fourth: "to
ask those things which are requisite and
necessary as we'll for tho body AZ the soul"
We would not want this onitteed.
''Thanksgiving,'' praise" the ''werd OF
God:'' these perhaps may constitute tha
worship of heaven. On earth we need
'prayer" also. Aad it is provided for. In
all cur worship We pray as well az praise.
But in common prayer even our petitions
are not narrow or selfsh. There is indeed
q personal element; the aspiration 10 your
OWE. We ars citizens Of heaven. In prayer.
though the knees be bent and the head
bowed, our
\ y II Thoughts like palms in exile
Climb up to look and pray
For q glimpse of that dear country
That lies SO far away
And yes is it SO far away? The sense of
communion is an s1perisnos and joy that
thought Of the Church's oatholicity, that
part Of our public worship which seems
most like private prayer, swells into accord
with that large idsa. which We have seen to
be involved in the word worship"
Lst me ask you to notice this point. We
aLo having uuIAAk I1e1AD uhAIy eoEVlC5B. now
are we TO Determine their value? Thus far
ths attendance has been fair; not as large
as it ought to be, but not discouraging.
Suppose it should diminish! Would that
invalidate their object? ''The liturgy of the
Church." I quote from a wise article in the
Church Eclectic, lin all it's Offices, whether
celebrated ON q Sunday or a week day.
whether on her eveat festivals. amid the
circumstance of great congregations. or at
some early Eucharist or quiet even song,
whers two or three only are gathered to-
gether. ia by NO nosans d mere office of pri-
vate devotion, and cannot possibly DO
measured in it's use or blessings by the
question, How much good it may do me,
or simply those who ara present. The
church's worship, though uttered by q
glngls voice, oomprehends the whols body
of believers and interosdes for all classes of
men. whsthsr IN she parish. in the diocese.
or in the whole world. Her prayers and
such q. in any particular place are offering
them, but of all who may be the proper
subjects of them. Two persons then
may. take part in the ser vice
( 4 and hundreds
or, for aught we know, thousands may be
benefited by it." Is Id the worship OF the
great. wide church in which you are en-
gagged. Nor in this aonss only are you
never alone, though You voice only re-
spends to that of the minister at the desk
or altar. FROM little clusters hero and
there on earth, with angels and ~archangels
and all the company of heaven, the uni
versal praise ID made. And every worshiper
is ono of that great company.
Let these thoughts i'm press US with tha
dignity of that employment to which the
church bell shall SO often summon us dur
ing these forty days-omployment both of
body and soul.
Is is not with trivial thinys, bat with the
subllrnest, that We are dealing in Worship;
1T Is not with men nor with angels, but
with the Infinite Ono, God over all, Father,
Son and Holy Ghost.
And it is with d vast host that we bend
our knees in prayar and rise in praise;
angels and living saints and dead, one
communion; part militant, part triumph
ans-tns church and kingdora of our Lord.
"A pamphlet has bssn published which
cnninerates fifty reasons why it is incum-
bant upon people to worship God. But one
reason ia sufficient. We rscognizs instinct
lively the foros of the apostolic charge:
Aud let US consider ono another to pro
woke unto lovs and good work, not forsak-
INC tbs assembling of ourselves togethar.n
worship III a source of profit; it is a means
or grace. 1t should also be- q pleasure.
What airs ths conditions of it's endowment?
talsh, OF Course, Is n necessary element.
How can there be alteration or petition
without belief Not leas appropriately
than congplouougly the creed Iifss ITSELF mn
IN the order OF our service. Religion IL
meant as we'll FOR tho ignorant RS for the
wise, but whether Of the iliiterats or of tina
learned worship ought tn be intslligent.
From tho pTostratlon Of the savage before
ms tod, fetch Or dsmon, to be propitiatsd