St. Paul daily globe., 1894-02-05

erence, but apparently Takes
Another Tack-Rev. Croth ers
Tells Why He Goes to Cam
bridge.
AT the Peoples church yesterday
morning the subject of Rev. DR.. Smith
was Moral Miracles" The following
is digest of his remarks:
Mark vi, 6-"And He could there do
no mighty work save that He laid His
hands upon few sick folk, and healed
them. And He marvelled because of
their unbelief."
When the prophets looked forward to
the coming aud work of the Messiah
they filed i'll for US an attractive and
harmonious picture; every valley should
be exalted; every mountain and hill
made low. But when Jesus OF Nazareth
was born into the world of reality and
into ministry of righteousness and
love, He found Himself surrounded by
a crooked and perverSe generation.
Sometimes He was hindered, some
times He was thwarted. but He
found few faithful hearts pre-
pared for His message. and so the
word that was made flesh was given an
earthly Immortality. 1t is very sug-
geStive to remember, however, that
even Christ was not always at His best.
He, too. was subject to universal law.
1t is the law of environment. In that
northern town He loved so we'll He
could not do many mighty works, save
that He healed few sick folk. The
history of life shows that there is moth
ing born into the world except under
fitting conditions. Man was not haZa1 d.
ed until the fires had passed by and the
floods bad rolled back and the clouds
were lifted; then man came. No life
has ever needed to begin twice. What
has been true in natural history let US
believe has also been true in human
history. That no faith or heroSm or
goodness have ever been vain. The
historical movement of which Jesus
was part not only had John. but
all the prophets for forerunners.
And not only the Hebrew prophets
but the good of all races. Jesus was
become somewhat used to goodness.
He was killed by the temporary triumph
of passion and hate. But the loyalty of
His followers, the spread of His mes
sage. and the victories of His cross
show the permanent capacity of the
race for Christianity. 1t is the triumph
of history that hate is short lived, and
love is eternal. The baseness goes
down and goodness triumphs. All hu-
man achievement is conditioned by its
environment and its past. Art, litera-
ture and philosophy each have history
of unfolding like the growth of an OAK.
The practical side of history shows the
same thing. If you could have been
set down on the banks of the Rhine,
for example. in the middle ages, you
would have known by Its frowning
f0rtreSSeS and its mightg castles that
you were in the midst OF a reign of law
leSSnesS and force. But sail down that
beautiful stream and see the old castles
crumbling into ruins and unprotected
modern villas taking their place and
you know at once that the new archi-
lecture is possible because of a new
people. There are certain lessons given
to us from this diScOuraging leaf in the
life of our Master. He could not do
many mighty works, but He healed
few sick. First, it is a lessor to the
worker that he shall study his strength.
his surroundings and his opportunities.
He must clear his vision, purify his
motives, exalt his purposes and
find peace in his inner faith
fuIness. He must not easily be
discouraged. remembering that even
Christ could not do mighty
works in community sordid. tathIesS
and materialistic. The second lesson is
one of care in our relations with others.
As those around US condition our work
for good or evil so do we affect those
with whom we come i'll contact. Who
can say how many enthuSiaSms have
been killed by Sneers and how much
passionate desire for goodness has been
checked and chilled by cold, worldly
prudence. If we cannot have a proph-
cts voice or healer'S touch we can at
least furnish part of the atmos-
phere in which such men walk.
A very practical lesson is here
as to the one large value of
a true church. 1t furnishes, or it ought
TO furnish, all atmosphere fit for the
growth and bloom of every virtue. The
cold and winter are without, but the
church furnishes eternal summer. Here
bloom always the roses OF. love and the
lilies of resurrection. The family of
God in the world has at length visible
habltation Here the weary find rest,
the wanderer comfort. and the down.
cast hope. The heart of eternal sum-
mer blooming in the midst of every
storm, that is the modern miracle which
illustrates to US the truth of one of the
deepest sayings of Jesus ''All things are
possible to him that believeth" This
wonder that the church cannot work
unless it be the home of the supernat-
ural, the dwelling place of God. High
above all theory or dogma is this prac-
tical and perpetual incarnation of the
divine. Under such associations, and
with such sympathies human and di-
vine, we have courage to hear again
that word once spoken, "Let us not be
weary in we'll doing. for in due season
we shall reap if we faint not" The
heroism of activity daZzles and cheers
US, but it is the heroism of patience that
is content to heal few sick folk in the
midst of doubling world which is
really divine.