Morning journal and courier., 1893-04-01

we DO not make IL an essenLlal pafh VI our
religious conservation to see that good laws
are enforced and the works of hon
esty and truth done in our city,
the words Of an ancient prophet
may have in heaven more pertinent
application to us THAI We would like:
s'Here the word of the Lord, ys rulers of
Sodon; give ear unto the law of our God,
ye people of Gomorrah. To what purpose
is the multitude of your sacrifices unto mes
saith the Lord. It is iniquity, even the
| solemn meeting. And when ye spread
forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes
from you: yea when ye make prayers, L
will not hear; your hands are full of blood.
Wash you, make you clean; put away the
evil of your doings from before mine eyes;
cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek
Judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the
| widow and tbs fatherless, plead for the
| widow"
I might proceed to mention, but in
| this presence 1t is not necessary now to
| enumerate several objects to which we are
| asked to give our support with some active
Christian sense of our public duties. Ssv-
| eral bills, some good, some bad, affecting
| the physical and moral welfare Of the PEG
pie, are now pending in the legislature;
and whatever further protection of law
against the practice of ignorance and fraud
upon the health of the people may be de-
manded or whatever extension of the stat
utes against gambling may be required,
should be sought for until it is found by
an intelligent and persistent public opin-
ion.
might note, indeed, as a somewhat
novel, yet not ungrateful sign of the timee,
| that during the past two weeks several of
our country churches have gone 30 far in
the discharge of their religious obligations
concerning public morals as to pass resolu-
tions conserving bills against gambling
now pending in the legislature and to for
ward them to the representatives, of their
towns. And before close l should not
leave entirely without communication let
ter which has come to me from the Litch
field Norta association of Congregational
clergymep, requesting that on Good Fri
day or Easter the attention of our coDgte-
cations be called to bill which is to bs
acted upon by our present general assem-
bly,, the object of which is to prevent
bribery at elections. If to any ears this
request may sound homogeneous that on
Good Friday or Easter the attention of
Gods people should be called to such world
ly concerns, would ask, why not? Why
should not our remembrance of the Lords
death and resurrection include in its scope
whatever at any time msy concern the re-
demption of human sac.ety from its actual
sins and the advancement of the reign of
righteousness on this earths Why should
not the most sacred recollections Of the
Son of Man be also our most hum An as
we'll as most heavenly dayss Observe how
the Lord Jesus himself took note of men
and women and little children, of the least
things of love as we'll as Gods great will,
whom he went In the way up to Jerusalem,
and was at Bethany and in the temple on
those days before his erueifxton; even
while carrying his Cross bidding some
women WHOM he passed not to weep for
him; and while he was giving up his life
for the world speaking as only the Divine
Man could to the thief by his side. Shall
we be more holy In our religion than our
Lord was in his death9 Shall we, ask |
oncs more, in remembrance of him be
content to be only liturgieal Christiansa
So then let me leave with you the differ !
emit, yet not homogeneous suggestions for
this day-Good Friday and Fast day
sacred hour of remembrance for Christ's |
church-and day sanctioned by the state |
for renewed conservation to all our duties |
to our fellow men.
Let the supreme attraction of the Christ |
for all men be our hope and courage. In |
the heart of this sinful world is felt the /
holy fascination of the CROSS.
We cannot measure its power; We need |
not limit its reach. The moral gravita- |
ton of this, as of all worlds, is toward the /
flame and glory of the eternal Love. In |
remembrance of him who on this day of /
the week about the sixth hour went to his
crusifixion We, his disciples, would again |
confess him to be our Saviour, our Master
and our Lord, and in his name consecrate
ourselves anew to lives with him against
every form of evil and bright with glad
tn all cood until he cornee