The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-07-23
MR.. PENR0SE'S SERMON.
HELPFULNEss is THE GENIUS OF
HIGHER LIFE.
People Live to Get, to Have or to Give
The Worlds Peace and Chris
tian Socialism.

Rev. Steven b. l.. Penrose preached
at Central Union church, Sunday, morn
ing and evening. His text for the
morning service was taken from
Matthew 20:2S, as follows: "The son of
man came, not to be ministered unto,
but to minister" The speaker said:
"What is the purpose of life? The
question confronts every human soul.
The distinction between the wise man
and the foolish lies in this that the wise
man considers the question, the fool
does not. The dreamy epicurean, whose
steps are lost in the labyrinths of pleas
ure whose thoughts are blunted by IN
diligence of the senses, sees no meaning
in life; feels no purpose. Yet the ques-
ton rises and will not down. Here am
l, endowed with certain powers, feel
ing within me the STRINGS of higher
nature; here am l, in a world of men
and women like myself, similarly en-
lowed, and all active in various pur-
suits. What am / here for? What is
the purpose of life? Nay, what is life
itself with its mysteries and contradic-
tions, its never solved enigmas!
Answer first is ITO Get" 1t is the
answer of the avaricious man, of the
politician, of the pedant. Gain for the
sake of gain; wealth, power, knowledge,
not for themselves, but for the simple
pleasure of getting there. This put
lowest in the list
Answer second is ITO Have" The
niser's is to pile up gold. The answers
of the pleasure seeker, the power seeker
and the knowledge seeker even are but
little higher. They say: ITO enjoy"
ITO rule" ITO know"
The next answer to the question is,
"To Give"
There is a higher bond than that of
kindred; it is the brotherhood of man.
let me throw myself into the balance
and l shall find the true purpose of life
in the service of humanity, for the
highest life is the life of service, the life
which gives.
These three answers find historical
illustrations. The purpose of Napoleon's
life was power-to get. OF Commodore
Vanderbilt, wealth-to have. For the
third class Lincoln will serve as an
illustration. He was great man; he
gave himself, his life, for his country.
Read the life of Dorothy Dix, the
most useful and distinguished woman"
it has been truly said, that America
has yet produced" Her life was conse-
Grated to the service of her fellow-men,
to the relief of suffering, to the rescue
of the wretched. AS she herself said,
quoting the words of another:
81 slept, and dreamt that life was Beauty;
l woke, and found that life was Duty"
Another illustration of the giving
life is found in the text: 1.-THE Son of
Man Came, Not to Be Ministered Unto,
but to Minister" The true purpose of
life is taught by the life of Christ"
Look into the heart of Christ; what
find you there? You find the deep pur-
pose of his heart to be helpful. Read
the gospels again to test the truth of
this, and you will see that every act,
every miracle, every word, had its
origin in his purpose to help. Helpful
ness is the genius of Christianity. The
noblest life is the giving life, the life
which gives itself, the life of helpful
ness, which is the life of love.
"Know," says Browning, mot for the
sake of knowing. but but to be bright,
particular star to men," Even Cicero
SAYS that "men resemble the gods in
nothing so much as in doing good to
their fellow-creatures." The purpose
of life is service.
/ chase this subject; not because
thought it might make good sermons
but because IN my mind, it expresses
the great need of to-day.
What does the world need? Is it more
money? More luxury? More power
More knowledge?
These are needs; but, are they the
greetest needs? Money is good, but a
man is better. Science is useful, but =
woman may be more useful. In every
country of the world, in every city ant
in every town, in the smallest village o.
America and in the smallest village o.
Africa, the great, deep, sad need is fo
men and women whose hearts shall
throb with unselfish love, whose eye
shall be turned to others wants; who's,
hands shall be helping hands.
The motto of a certain great society i
"Look up, not down; look out, not in
look forward, and not back, and lend
hand" This is the essence of Christi
anity.
The home is the first place for help
form. The home needs helping hands
The true Christian is the bushes
Christian, the man or woman, boy o
girl, who carries the spirit of Christ, tn
spirit of helpfulness into the daily life
Counting room and shop, field an
forge, students desk and street corne
conversation. Would not these b
changed indeed if the true purpose G
Mfe were changed?
When we come to consider the spher
of social, or of associated life, the fiel
broadens, yet the clue holds goo'
Political economy has been alleged
uphold an enlightened selfishness as tt
secret of success. "Enlightened selfisi
ness" is a misnomer. Selfishness, whe
enlightened, will either be unaffecte
and remain sellishness TO the end, or
will be converted and become helpful
ness. The dismal" science will becon
the joyous science when it ceases
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