The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-06-05
THE MISSION OFF RELIGION TO-DAY.
Abstract Of the Sermon By Rev. Wm'
J. Potter.
Delivered at the Unitarian Church
YeSterday-Vlews of a Leading
Unitarian Radical.

listened to by an appreciative cOngrega-
ton. Mr.. Potter has been for thirty
three years pastor of the First Congrega-
tional Society of New Bedford, Mass,
and has long been known as belonging to
the most radical wing Of the Unitarian
movement. For many years he was
editor of the Index, the literary organ OF
the Free Religions Association, and was
also chairman of that body. Mr.. Potter
has always championed the newest
thought, which is at the same time ra-
tiOnal and reverent, and has done much
to prevent the Unitarian body from be-
coming in anyway sectarian.
'The skeptical question is not infre-
quently raised in modern times" said
the speaker, ''and raised by some earnest
thinkers, whether religion is not APP
preaching the end of its career, whether
it has not nearly ceased to be vital force
in the development and progress of hui
man society. Whether since the old
theolOgles which have so long swayed the
mind and conduct OF men, are fast losing
their hold upon human belief, religion,
too, is not likely to vanish with the the
Ologies.
THE church, it is said, has become to a
large extent a social club, infected with
the fashions of the world. Worship has
become tormality more and more ne
elected. The camp-meetings OF the re-
vivalIstic sects are rapidly becoming
pleasure resorts, rather than a yearly
gathering Of the hosts OF Jehovah against
the power of Satan. The sense OF per
SOnal relation to an Infinite Being, as the
creator and legitimate sovereign over all
souls, which was so essential an element
IN the Old attribute OF religious cOnsecra-
ton and devotion, is being constantly
undermined by the natural science and
philosophy of the day.
where then, it is asked, is to be the
place and work OF religion? Morality is
called for; philanthropy is needed; human
ity and charity have missions; knowledge
and education are loudly demanded; but
what is there for religion to do? Has it
any power, any room for action or special
organization, any service to render as
separate from and beyond these other
forces, which have come so LARGELY to
shape and guide modern progress?
In my attempt to give some answer to
these questions this morning, l propose
rather to show, if l may, the practical
mission of religion, than To enter into a
philosophical justification of its exist
ence. Yet ii we can prove that religion
has still an important practical service to
render To human society, the highest
III
both right and duty to be.
And the main point which | wish to
urge Is this: that the primary practical
mission of religion to-day is to war
against and counteract selhshness. Re-
liglOn is the counter force, whose place
nothing else can wholly supply, needed
to annUl and overcome the power. in its
manifold forms, of individual seltishness.
And this, in large sense, has always
been the real end Of religion under all its
different systems Of theology.
Even in those rude beginnings Of hu-
man society when the first expression of
religion seems to have been cry of fear
or OF pam on account of some threatened
or actual peril to personal possession and
enjoyment-a cry to being who, it was
believed, might be prOpitiated by some
outward material Offering to avert the
peril; even in these crude beginnings Of
religions emotion andIutterance side by
side with the cry for individual safety
and prosperity, which was in it's nature
selfish, was the seed of the deeper prayer
"a prayer for trust and confidence in the
great Power and in the righteousness of
It's dolngs, Whatever might be the fate OF
the finite individual petitioner. The self
lsh fear that at first Frustrated itself in
awe before dread OmnipOtence rose at
last into the s6lf-renunciation that could
exclaim, Though thou SHAY me, yet will
l trust thee
1T is true that religion, historically, in
some of its forms, especially in the popu-
lar creeds OF ChristiandOm, has appeared
as an organized system of piOuS selfish
ness. So intense has been the appeal to
each individual to save his own soul thar
it must be confessed that religion has
often been manifested in the unattactiVe
guise of actually sacrificing social and
human duties to this one selfish interest
All through Christian history the
stress that has been laid on individual
salvation has had tendency to narrow
religious experience to a very selfish kind
Of piety. AS an illustration of this, in my
own neighbOrhoOd in Massachusetts a
Sunday school teacher replied to her
pupils protest against the idea of being
happy in heaven if she knew her uncon-
verted father was suffering the eternal
perditions of hell, that the happiness of
heaven was so intense that one would for
get all about the condition of ones suffer-
ing friends elsewhere-this teacher had
converted religion itself into supreme
contamination OF seltishncss.
But even this Christian theological
scheme of salvation originated. to the
credit of human nature be it said, in an
intellectual effort to vindicate the princi-
pie OF eternal righteousness in the SOW
ereignty of the universe. Though logi-
cally untenable and unsuccessful and be-
coming practically to so large an extent
an appeal to seltishness, this scheme did
not have a wholly selfish and ignoble
origin.
The extreme expression of the doctrine
eliminating in declaration of willing
ness TO be eTernally damned for the glory
of God, shows that there was something
heroic and sublime in the conception
the very climax of individual renuncia-
ton for the sake OF a universal law of
right. Here are the two sides that appear
III all genuine religious phenomena; the
finite individual will asserting strenu-
Ously its claims and the recognized SOW
ereignty OF higher power by which that
will must be guided and controlled.
Now, this is the very seed Of religion,
this perception of higher motive and
duty than self-interest; this recognition
OF a universal law and purpose TO which
individual objects and pleasures are sub
ordinate and in which they must be sub
merged. The acknowledgement OF
higher, juster sovereignty in the universe
than the human selfis in essence the re-
ligious confession; and the effective de-
sire and effort to cooperate with this
higher law, and 10 subordinate, sacrifice
and lose all merely selfish ends and salts
faction in ODE Hence to its behests. is the
practical religious life''
Mr.. Potter carried out these prin-
ciples into all the relations OF life as
they exist to-day, claiming that the real
need of religion was Just as great as it
ever was, but that it must be understood
in a rational ana practical way
Mr.. Potter is 10 deliver free lecture on
"Darwinism and Its Effect on Religious
Thought on Tuesday evening in Pythian
Hall.