The Progress., 1893-11-25
Ultimate kEil".
-, Mr. plxoN'S THIRD SERMON Oh
~ vosL O,S FAIR PROPHECIES.

...i,ed the GLORY OF christianity.
strengthening Of Faith Incident t" the
,.uglous Parliament.
yw YORK. Nov. 1s.-The series Of
ms on the "ProphccIcs of the
LA Fair" was continued in Asso-
',ao, hall this morning by the Rev.
u.,n,s Dixon. Jr. The subject for
was The Religion of tho Future.
r.1r, the Point of View of the Worlds
n.,Gament of Religions. "
% maintained that this great aud
.,ione gathering has emphasized tho
of Christianity. He declared that
~ ultimate religion of man which we
I'm w. to SEQ dimly outlining itself will
ss.,,,;ze tlS widey revelation of God
,asll peoples and races. rs did Paul;
,Sa, The test of its orthodoxy can only
=. ho measure of the character of it,
,,.c;nles: that bigotry and ignorance
-..t Weld to charity and light; that
go civilization and The Kingdom of
So,I' are one and the same in their de-
,olonment. and that the missionary eff
so1. Of Christianity will he readjusted
- The apostolic ideal of more sym
a.,betic recognition of the truths of
etber systems. Tho text chosen was;
We are also his offspring. Acts xvii. 2s.
eor the whole law is fulfilled in ono word
.,sn in this Thou shalt love thy neighbor a.
.,..f -Galntians V, IL.
THE RELIGIOUS PARLIAMENT.
The worlds parliament of religions
Sod during the great exposition in Chi
o,oo IL seems to me, marks an epoch in
fine age history of humanity.
To the earnest evangelical enthusiast
mi. meeting most naturally excited
tbe deepest feelings of antagonism. 1t
was a question of temperament and
thought habit. Yet many who opposed
,be idea have been forced to confess
that the results did not justify their
alarm. A few of our best men of deep
sdrituality, tinged uncOnsciously with
creek mysticism and eastern dream,
still persist in their protest. This
thought was graphically expressed re
GENTLY in letter on the subject to the
editor of a religious weekly. The writer
aid. Il do not believe that in many
eenturies such dishonor has been in
aicted upon the gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ, as by this deliberate at
tempt to bring it into adulterous init
macy with the pagan religions of the
world.
But after all is not this most super
hcal view of a great event?
What has Christianity to fear from
contact of its noblest representative
with tho priests and prophets of all
other religiOnsp Can we believe that
the apostle Paul would have declined to
enter such an arena of warfare from
fear of contamination? Was that the
sort Of religion practiced by the great
apostle to the gentle world? Hardly.
Tho worst that can be said about this
parliament is that it was spectacular.
Twas of course show. So was all
the fair. But was it worthy show?
Shows have their deep lessons for man.
A show may be heavy with the wisdom
Of ages and eloquent in its prophecy OF
The future. This show, it must he
granted. was something new under the
SUI. II marks distinctly period in
the whole history of the world. The
Ike was never seen before. 1t was
never possible before. Hence its tre-
mendous import. 1t was a show, yes.
And what showl
THE ONE GOSPEL.
What contrast with the past when
We greeted each other with curses and
carried on our arguments with sword
and spear shot and shelll Really is it
not worth while to hold such an exhibi-
uon OF human progressr Does it not
mean much for the future of the race?
And now that this gathering Is in the
past and become matter of history
does 1t not begin to appear already that
christianity is TO be tho gamer by this
interchange of ideas2
BY contrast Christianity shines in
ms gathering with unique brilliancy.
NO other religion has spoken word to
compare with the glory of the two
thoughts in the texts quoted. No one
nas told us news that can compare with
.ae majestic thought of universal
human brotherhood-an overshadow-
ny iatherhood of God. The only reli-
gon that has told us to love our neigh
~f as ourselves is the religion of Jesus
'nrsti How poor is the sum total
al efsel Should it not thrill the soul
~'ehristendom TO stand thus face to
.ace with the assembled world and feel
'ae throb of such a thought? For this
'sason no Christian ever asks the ques-
sOn Is life worth living? The world
~" gropes in the twilight of smaller
.s'elatons may ponder the problem of
'Hanllation. but the Christian replies
nlife worth livingp Yes. so long
AS sthere Is wrong TO right,
val OF the weak against the strong,
Utyranny TO fight:
long as there fingers gloom TO chase,
VT streaming tear to dry,
Vae kindred woe, one sorrowing face
inat smiles as we draw nigh.
'sng as tale of anguish swells
ine heart and lids grow wet,
NlsA~ \ ri III