The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-09-04
Church of the Messiah.

Rev. Mr.. Kimmel, the new pastor, yes
terday preached, taking for text "The
chucch of the living God; Tim. 1918.
What an immense communion the
@church.of the living God" is. 1t ex-
tends throughout the whole world, it
embraces the sanity people of all the
earth; it comprehends all true and
reverent souls everywhere. They may
differ in name, and creed and custom,
but beneath these differences there is a
real and deep union of hearts. They look
up to the same God with the same con-
seriousness of need; they bend before him
with the same confession of penitence;
they make to him the same vows of con-
secration; they are touched by the same
divine influence; they are hallowed by
the same sanctities.
Every denomination ought, therefore,
to alphabetically recognize the exis-
tence of other denominations. They are
possible but allies to be honored and
commended for all the good work they
are doing. The need of the hour is less
bigotry and more charity; less enmity
and more fraternity; less competition
and more cooperation. There is de-
nominational zeal of which the world
has had too much, it is the zeal simply
to overcome and supplant other denomi-
nations; and there is a UNCONVENTIONAL
zeal of which the world has had, and
still has too little. 1t is the zeal to make
ones denomination an instrument of the
utmost possible good.
There are two great types of mind and
heart, of character and life, the progress
i've and the conservative. They are
fundamental and lasting phases of
human nature. They manifest them
selves in every department. of thought
and action. They are both good and
necessary, and the true and bright
progress of mankind comes from the
action and reaction of each one upon the
other The prevalence of the conserva-
tive type of character and life anywhere
explains and justifes the existence of
some denomination through which that
type can manifest itself and do it's ap
pointed work; andthe prevalence of the
progressive type of character and life ex-
plains and justifes the existence of some
discrimination through which that type
also can declare itself, and accomplish
it's purpose in the world. Such denomi-
nations always will be needed, and they
VIII ALWAYS live dlltl SdullCi lhuO biSlu
selves the men and women who naturally
belong to them.
The work of the liberal church is to be
the teacher of liberal doctrines, the expo
nent of liberal ideas and principles, the
center and source of liberal influences
and tendencies, and the home and school
of the liberal spirit 1t is to bear witness
to the newer and nobler visions that are
coming to mankind, to speak the largest
and best word of God that has yet been
whispered to the human soul; to have for
all the message of cheer and Inspiration;
to tell them that the mighty power out
of which all things have come is the
power of infinite love; to give them the
assurance that God is the universal
Father in whom everyone may utterly
trust in life and death, through time and
eternity, and that man is his inalelnable
child and blest wherever he may be by
his eternal goodness. The work of the
liberal church is also to preach and
practice the gospel of steadfast integrity,
of generous sympathies and practical
beneficence; to help men to become true,
and pure and just, and forbearing, and
kind, and friendly; to make them more
godike in disposition and deed, and to
build up the kingdom of heaven in this
world.