The record-union., 1892-12-12
"CO-OPERATION."
The Means by Which Great Reforms
are Possible.
Synopsis of Rev. Mr.. Horner's Morn
ing Sermon at Pythian
Hall Yesterday.

"Co-operation'' was the subject of Rev.
Mr.. Horner's discourse at Pythian Hall
yesterday. Cooperation, he said, is one
of the great works of our modern civil
ization. 1t is the watchword of the
future. Speaking of the progress of the
movement toward cooperation, MIR.
Horner said that 100 years from now the
hundreds of millions of happy people
living upon the American Continent will
look back and point with pride to that
epoch-marking time in which the first
Congress OF the Americas was held at
Washington, and will see that the CO.
operative relations then planned and
partly carried out in reciprocal CONNER
cial relations established between the
United States and other countries was
the initiative Of the greatest moral move
ment OF the century among the nations.
The rising moral consciousness of the
American people made our late civil war
a necessary surgical operation ton a
national scale) to cut out the canker of
slavery and compel moral cooperation
among the states lor the good OF all.
The late war on the Louisiana State
Lottery is the latest development of the
national moral consciousness. The con-
tlnuaI war on the liquor traffic; the agita-
zion tor the enfranchisement of women
the national divorce reform movement;
the agitation Of the laboring men for
higher recognition-each and all show the
trend of thought, and what is the ideal of
the majority to-day will be realized to-
morrow as sure as there is a God in this
universe.
To come nearer home, the cooperative
principle carried out in the city govern
ment OF Sacramento is absolutely neces-
sary TO its highest good. When any local
issue is al stake for the good OF the city
loyalty to party, regardless of principle,
Is sin against the public and the worst
enemy of good government. But to come
still nearer home, when the churches of
any community refuse to cooperate on
any moral issue they are the worst enc
mics of pure religion, for morality and
religion are inseparable. In fact, about
the only cooperative work the churches
can do, said Mr.. HOrner, is in the field of
morals. Differences there must be of
doctrine, of creed, in proportion to the
intellectual differences in the way of
looking at the same things.
No two persons in the world can agree
on every point concerning the intellectual
basis of any faith, but the principles of
morality are common to all, and all
should cooperate heartily in the war
against vice and crime. And yet, not
very long since, at ministers meeting
IN this city, one brother asked if the
Unitarian minister had been invited.
Silence reigned for the space of half
minute, when, dolefully, as from the
tomb, came a voice saying: II cannot
work with anyone who denies my Lord"
And, with one or two exceptions, they all
said Amen!
Now, said the speaker, how is that for
brotherhood? Which is worse, to deny,
for good reason, record supposed to be
history concerning Jesus, or to deny his
principles?
John said to Jesus once that he saw one
casting out devils in His name, and for
bade him, because he followed not the
Master. Jesus rebuked him, saying:
FORBID him not, for he that is not against
us is on our part"
The spirit ,of true Christian co-opera-
ton is expressed in that beautiful poem
of LowelPs-"The Vision of Sir Laun-
faP'-in which he makes Jesus say:
The Holy Supper is kept, indeed,
IN whatSo we share with another's need,
Not what we give, but what we share,
For the gift, without the giVer, is bare
Who gives himself with his aims feeds three
Himself, his hungering neighbor and Me.