The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1893-11-30
PROGRESS PROMISE.
REV. THOMAS DIXON ON 1.-THE RE-
LleloN OF INDUSTRY"

Another Interesting and Instructive Ser
mon In the Notable Series Entitled "The
Prophecies of tho Worlds rair-DIodern
Miracles Revealed TO Man by Cod"
New York, Nov. 26.-Rev. Thomas
Dixon, Jr., preached again this morning
in Association hall on "The Prophecies
of the World's Fair" The subject Of to-
days sermon was 1.-THE Religion of In
dustry, or the Promise of the Miracles
of Progress" He declared that the
spirit Of God was the inspiring power
In the discoveries of scierce and the
material as we'll as spiritual progress
Of the world. He appealed for wider
creed Of inspiration that should give
the glory of the achievements of the mas
ters Of literature, art, science and me-
chenics to the spirit ever brooding, lead
ing, illuminating. In the marvels Of our
material progress he saw the bright
promise of the emancipation and re-
demption Of mankind. This, he main
tained, was shown by the wonderful
advances of civilization under the pres
sure of the material achievement of the
present generation, the fact that the
discovery of nature is the revelation Of
God, and that to improve the environ
ment of man is to make possible more
and more a normal life, which can only
be righteous one.
The text chosen was from Exodus
xxi, 8, 4, 81 have filled him with the
spirit of God, in wisdom, and in under
standing, and in knowledge, and in all
manner of workmanship, to devise cum
ming works"
The religious thought of today is sad
ly impoverished by the inadequacy Of
our theories of inspiration. Some Of
US whospell "I-n-s-p-i-r-a-t-i-o-n" with
the biggest possible capitals and the
biggest space and fullest accent on ev-
cry syllable-and every letter, in fact
hold the smallest conceivable view Of
inspiration. Often the men who are
most enthusiastic about plenary inspi-
ration really believe in the most limited
Of all inspirations. The time has como
to give the honor and glory of divine
achievement in all spheres and all times
to the living spirit of God, the primal
source of all.
The day has come for faith in lar
ger inspiration.
The day has come for the worship
and recognition of the manifestation OF
God in the overbrooding, overshadow-
ing, leading, illuminating spirit.
THE BIBLE DTvINELY INSPIRED.
! believe in the divine inspiration of
the Bible. Yes, and more, believe in
the divine inspiration of many other
priceless treasures of literature. 1 be-
lieve that George Eliot was inspired of
God to write those peerless records of
the inner secrets of human nature. There
is no other sane way to account for
these wonderful books. Why should l
deny the authority of the spirit in the
progress of the book that moves the soul
with resistless power and sends it forth
to battle with higher and holier and di-
viner aimsp
i believe that the invention of the
mariners compass was by the leading
OF the spirit of God.
believe that the pioneers who dis
covered America were led by the spirit
of God in that sublime enterprise.
believe that the genius who invent
ed the steam engine was inspired by the
spirit of God.
i believe that the men who invented
printing and the printing press were
inspired and led by the spirit of God.
l believe that the genius who drove
out darkness by the cleaning torch OF
electricity, harnessed the dynamo to the
burdens of humanity and binding with
myriad wires made the world a broth
erhood was inspired by the spirit Of
God.
1t is blasphemy to deny it. Yet how
few of us have recognized this solemn
and worldwide truth!
1t is time to enlarge our faith. 1t Is
time to lift up our eyes and see the
grander temple God is thus silently
building on earth. 1t is time to recog-
nize that nobler hierarchy whose king.
dom is the world, whose constituency is
HUMANITARIAN made in the image OF
God. No sublimer temples were ever
reared to the honor of God than those
white palaces of mechanic and liberal
arts that lifted themselves in solemn
beauty and glory by the emerald wa
ters of Lake Michigan.
There can be no such thing as finality
to human society so long as it inhabits
this planet. The cry Of all voices is
onward, upward
We expect progress. To impede II
now is an impossibility. 1t has become
as natural and inevitable to the man OF
the century as breathing.
In the marvels of our material prog
ress we see the promise of the swift
emancipation and redemption Of man.
First-Our progress in the mastery
of the mysteries Of nature and the sub
DUNG of matter with the present gene
ration has been without parallel in the
history of the world.
In 1875 at the Centennial exposition
In Philadelphia the Corliss engine was
tho marvel of the machinery on exhib-
II. Its horsepower was !, 400, 1t fur
nished the power for the entire exposi-
tion. 1t required 5000 horsepower to
drive the wheels of the Columbian ex-
position II years later. The great Allis
engine or 5000 horsepower aUtracted
little attention or comment. In the REQ
ord of our achievement for tho past dec
ade we read that In 10 years, from 1880
TO 1890, we have added %, 900, 900, 900
to our capital invested In manufactures,
an increase Of nearly 10 per cent. In
the sama time the Yalna of onr manu-