St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-10-09
EXALTED CHRIST.
Sermon by Rev. William Wilkin-


son.
At the morning service yesterday at
the Church of the Good Shepherd Rev.
Wilkinson preached. his subject being
''Exalting Jesus Christ" He said:
at appears to me often that the main
purpose of the preaching of the gospel
is mistaken or overlooked by the minis.
try. If we read many sermons it
looks as if the preacher judges that
his Office is to deride men by
sharp reproof, by setting the sins
OF men, in their separate or in their
concrete form, in clear relief, and
dwelling upon them in way which
gives those who hear or those who read
the impression that it is delight. 1t
is most true that the Saviour of men
knew how to speak Of sin in words
which could never be misunderstood or,
made light of, but it was ever with pain
and regret and for the purpose OF lead
ing to changed life, never for the end
of derlding men, much less of setting
man against his fellows. There is
in gospel story no principle of clearer
import, or further reaching influence
than that which teaches the simple,
conservative, constructive force OF good
ness which is intended to unite men, to
make US members of one family, chill
dren of one father, heirs of one hope,
and finally, residents in one heaven.
Whoever sees the personal as over the
universal, the selfish as greater than
the general good, no matter what
his creed, lineage or church,
is not exalting Christ, Such a
man does violence to all the noblest
precepts of the gospel and to all the
Hottest instincts of the soul, while he,
as far as III his small power, robS the
race of its heritage of good will and help
every one owes to his brother man. The
eXaltlng of Jesus Christ is in its very
nature rebuke to the sectarian spirit,
wherever found, and it is in danger of
being possessed by those who think
they are least likely to have it. The mar
row, the parochial, local or denomlna-
tional, is plant of such strength and
fruitfulness that it spreads in eX tent
and increases in virulence in any soil
which is not carefully cultivated and
protected by peace and love. The eX-
alting OF Christ is in translating His
spirit into life, His grace into deeds OF
help. Any salvation which looks to
song or ends in praise is of little value.
''lt We love Me, keep My command
ments." and they all refer to duty, pres
ent, imperious, often difficult. even un-
pleasant, but ever helpful, hopeful,
bright and of large reward, because it is
said great peace have all they that love
Gods laW-but in its ways and works.
prejudice, national, lineal or supposed
religions will often come in to cloud
vision, to mar fellowship, and to spoil
many lovely view Of actions which are
written in the book of eternal remem-
berance. We forbade him, for he fol-
lowed not with us; he was not of our
set, party, or view; such was the atti-
tude even of the disciples of Jesus in
his own day, when they saw men cast
ing out devils, and Notwithstanding the
fact that Christ himself said they ought
not to have done it. The practice of stop
ping good men in good work has never
ceased. spite, hate, envy. self-prde,
all have done their work and left their
sad results on an historic page. Men
Christ, by deed. trailed His cause in the
dust. The great prophet of Nazareth
saw in the Samaritan woman sister;
the insolent spirit which would not
speak to her, the naughty spirit which
looked upon her with contempt, IN Him
stands to all ages held up to the repudia-
ton of EN-, and let US not forget
that it was to her, Samaritan and
sinner, woman eminently re-
spectacle religion today would
scorn, that he first declared his Messiah
ship. The eXalting of Christ is in deeds
of holy recognition. words of kindly
help and brotherly love. Nor does this
have to do alone with the ornamental in
life; it has to do with the useful in this
new West. In these two cities are upon
us questions which, like Banquo's
ghost, will not down. Glass is being
set against class by greed, by dema-
gogues, by oppression, glaring amongst
rich men, and by love of ease or scamp
work amongst poor men; by drink,
by lust, by crime, by the disre-
gard of law, by the failure of just
ice. by the isolation of man from
his fellow man. All these things lead
to separation, suspension and all evil.
They can be cast out bys eXaltation of
the spirit and principles of Christ, who
came to kill off evil, to bring in brother
hood, justice, mercy and love, with all
attendant good. For this He lived.
worked and was crucified. and was bur-
led, but is alive forever more.