The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1893-11-02
MUST LEAD OR BE LED
THE cHURcS's ALTERNATIVE IN THE
PRESENT GREAT CRISIS.


Call Of the Hour" the Last Sermon In
the Series on ''rho Corins g,Ssoiution."
Advice to workinymen.
New YoRK. Oci, % Rev. Thomas
Dixon, Jr., gave the fifth and last SER
mon in tho series for October on 1.-THE
Coming Revolution" in Association hall
this morning. The specific subject of
the day was 1.-THE Call of the Hour"
He maintained that the hour was one of
transcendant importance to all who love
truth and right and live for that hu-
manity which is broader than self. He
appealed to the politician to be patriot
and hasten TO adjust the state and its
laws to the crying needs of the people.
He appealed to the rich to consider the
duty and responsibility to God and So
ciety, confirmed by their great power,
and urged that they lead in social re-
forms, and thus best conserve their own
true interests and the interests Of the
whole. t.fpq4
He counseled the restless masses of
working people to frown on all forms of
violence and put out of their organiza-
tions all, such advocates, perfect their
organization, local and national, and to
work and vote as unit, He appealed
to the conservative to heaf with open
heart and fair mind the cry for neY
life IN society. The church, he declared,
has been given the opportunity Of the
ages in this crisis and must lead or be
led, must master and save the move
ment or be slain by it. The text chosen
was from Matthew tx, 81, "The harvest
| truly is plenteous, but the laborers are
| few"
This text has been usually interpreted
as meaning the call for more laborers
in the foreign mission field and the evan
| gelistic departments Of our home work.
We need above all things today an en-
larged conception of the work and mis-
l sion of Jesus Christ and Of his church
The very next sentence in the context is
the contradiction in so many words Of
such q narrow view of the truth set
forth in this lament Of Christ.
Listen: "And he called unto him his
10 disciples and gave them authority
over unclean spirits, to cast them out
and to heal all, many Of disease and all
manner of sickness"
This he did Immediately upon his OBJ
servation of the great call of the harvest.
He sent his disciples forth upon work
Of radical reform and physical minister.
ing. Jesus recognized the sanctity OF
the body. He recognized the breadth OF
the kingdom he came to establish to be
no less than the saving of the whole
workman in his entire relations and
from every ill at last that brings pair
and tears and death.
DAYS THAT TELL ON THE AGES.
| Well might Phillips Brooks say thai
he envied the babe born this day tn,
privilege of living for the next 80 years
| It is divine privilege to live in any day
| But there are days that tell on the ages
| And this is one of them.
To live, to think, to act today is t,
touch the hands of centuries that reacl
out to us from the past and join hand
with ages that sweep out before US.
Y 1t is an age On ages telling
To be living is sublime.
The under masses of tho world ar
moved by a mighty impulse pressin
them upward. On their backs are pile
the majestic structure of conservativ
civilization. This Samson cannot b
held down. Shall he rise in blindnes
and wrath and pull down on his ow
head the giant columns he has helped /
rear2 0rwill some kindly teacher tax
him by the hand and lead and help
the higher life that now throbs within
This is the burning problem Of the hour
AS yet that kindly hand has not bee
: extended to lead So far from it, th
! powers that might teach and lead seer
n smitten with blindness themselves an
E strike in anger at this disturber of the
: 4 peace
The issues at stake in the conflict thu
!, | threatened are worldwide in their 81!
q nificance and involve the Fundamental
9 of social organization.
1t is an hour of solemn import to I'll
race. 1t is an hour that calls for IL
Il earnest thought and loving sacrifice
every man who believes in truth an
right and his fellow man.
THE STATE a DIVINE INSTITUTION.
al First--It is trumpet call to the p
triot. 1t is an hour when the politicia
is urged by every consideration of pc
sonal advancement and by every moti'
- of lofty craftsmanship to hasten the a.
justment of the state to the needs of Il
" people,
| believe that the state is divine i
stitution. More. believe that the mo
ern state presents to us today the ev
expanding outlines of the Kingdom
God" which Jesus Christ said he can
to establish upon this earth.
= 1t is impossible for those who are
le power TO resist this divine work of pr
tecting and saving the people. He wi
resists will surely be destroyed. {
whomsoever this stone falls he shall
=. ground to powder!
SO said Jesus.
Il It is the hour that calls for high
and nobler political ideal. The time h
= come when politics must be recognize
b as one of the highest expressions of tr1
religion. The municipality, the stat
the nation-these are the divine promi
n of better social order. They are
present under the dominion Of the en-
my. They must be conquered.
They must be transformed.
They must be made to fulfill the
vine end Of their creation. They mu
be humanized and Christianized.
AS the state demands and gets t
treasure, the life, the blood Of her ci
zens in the hour of need, 30 the sta
must in the honr Of the citizens ne