The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-04-12

exist.
The priest and Levite had both capacity
and opportunity, They were under OBJ
legation, and are exonerated wherever
known for their shameful inhumanity.
Yes, it is an ethical question; it is q
moral question: it is a question of con.
science; it is question OF religion. These
very rich men have duties. This poor and
helpless seethiug mass at the bottom have
rights, and the rich man who is not busy
thinking how he may mitigate the suffer-
ings of that mass at the bottom. and how
he may lift it, is unworthy Of possession
OF the fortune which has been put in his
hands, whether by accident or by indus
try"
Christs doctrine that capacity and op-
portunity constitute obligation, gives Mrs.
Hewitt electricity with which to thunder.
In fact the backbone of many reforms and
issues is this God-given doctrine. 1t alone
saves them from being strauged by va
gares.
See we one bleeding by the waysde, and
have we beast and friends? He has claim
upon us. We are debtor to him. TO ignore
his claim is high crime against God
Have we an oracle unknown to the
Greek, unpurchasnble, of spotess purity,
whose words are life? We are his debtor
| iOl NuI ISl buhf. 10 his ODllgatlOQ
is high crime against God.
| Have we sweeter songs of hope than
those of the barbsrianS We are his debtor.
To close our ears to his Cry is high crime
against God
| CHURCH CONDEMNED.
very pertinent question for the church
to ask itself is; Have we been, and are we
now, loyal to the divine commission? Have
we not crucitied our Christ? Does the
church reflect His mind and spirit?
Let me quote from DR.. Olin's speech in
New York on the twenty-fourth annivers.
airy OF the Missionary society:
"But, sir, strongly disposed az | am, in
addressing an audience of Christian mon,
to make my soul appeal to great first prin.
c!ples, | should yet hesitate, but for my
| solemn conviction that the sentiment is
only half believed by the church. | should
hesitate, sir, to assign as my chief argu-
ment this staie theological truism, that 1t
is the duty Of the church to evangelize the
world, because it is the only way of saving
the world. say sir, it Is my profoundest
conviction that the church does not be-
lleve this tremendous truth. 1t believes
that the Gospel is an unspeakable blessing;
that it is an excellent remedy for sin; that
1t Is Gods chosen and cherished way of
lifting up our fallen race, and bringing
many sons aud daughters into glory; but
that ChriSt's is the only name given under
heaven whereby men can be saved;' that
| 'whosoever believeth not, shall be dalnned;'
that idolaters shall not inherit the king
dom OF God these are declarations which,
as 1t seems to me, the church is wont
to receive with many grains Of al.
lowance, and with a more critical
and imploring look to the con-
text in quest of whatever allevations may
be found in the shape Of fgurative Ian
guage or restraining clause.
In their convulsive attempts to get away
from the torturing conclusion to which
the plain testimony of GODS word must
clearly shut them up, men forget that the
most grievous sin of idolatry is idolatry
itself: that this is the prolific polluted
source OF the denominations and defilements
which the blood of Christ was shed to
wash away, and that heaven is not shat
against the unregenerate so much because
they are guilty as because they are unholy.
"Sr, did the church really believe the
gospel to be a. necessary to the heather as
it is to us, there would be- at once and for
ever, an end to her guilty repase.
"They who gave full credit to snch
truths do not sleep over them. 1t would
be easier to find rest in our beds above the
throes of an earthquake. The agonies of
LAGOON and his children, dying IN the
coils of the serpent, were but pastime com
pared with those OF the church, until she
had either unlocked herself from the grap-
pie Of this tremendous conviction, or dis
burdened her conscience by faithful con-
secration Of her energies to the work of
rescuing the world from its doom.
tAnd vet IL is trup iP ha Rihla 10 tr,,o
that while we dwell in peace, under our
own vine and fig-tree, lifting up our songs
Of praise in the full city, and making vocal
the green hills and valleys Of our Christian
land with the echoes Of joyous thanksgiv-
lngS to Him who hath redeemed us, bid
ding away the sorrows of life, and defy
ing the terrors Of death by n sure trust in
Christ, and bright, full-hearted anticipa-
tions of heaven-it is true, sir, that the
myriads of unevangelized men are passing
into eternity without ray OF shining
light. They perish, sir, they perish. They
live without hope, and die without Say
iour; and we, who are, for the good of the
world, intrusted by Christ with the de-
posit and monopoly Of his grace, withhold
the only antidote for sin, apd thus become,
in no hgurative sense, accessories to their
guilt and Woe"
Let us not deceive ourselves. Have we
not looked into the glass and straightway
forgotten what manner of people we wereP
We shed tears Of sympathy with the
woman who made her husbands shroud
prepared his body for burial, placed it in a
coffin made by her son and covered by her
own hands, read our burial service over
the loved form, turned from the new made
grave to prosecute the work her conse-
Grated lover had laid down, and give so
cents each for missions.
We walk with Taylor until we feel en-
largement OF heart. The whole of Africa
for Christ! Stupendousl Bold We do
not know the man. We must be multi
piled several times before we can under
stand him! However, our pulses beat
quicker and we give our so cents for mis-
slons.
We think of the New England woman
who put several missionaries in the field
by the proceeds OF her needle. Some one
says, 'strange woman" Yes, she was
Christ.likel Her self was lost
We place Marshman, Carey, Duff
Father Daimler, Coke among the heroes,
constellation 10y themselves. Sirs, their
spirit Of world conquest should be the
normal spirit of the church
We reach the million line and then
phOuV Out p'oiSVo 10 IL ulllIOultt RlOTy
were about to burst upon us. We have
given so cents per member for missions
| am not indulging in badinage but in
honesty Of purpose, trying to emphasize
the fact that the church is not yet in earn
est upon this subject.
How do we raise what we are now rais-
ingS By urgent and persistent appeal
mite boxes, birthday offerings, missionary
fairs, punch cards with stars upon them,
willing workers and many such devices
The enthusiasm OF the minority carries
the mass. Thousands are literally ex-
tracted from tho pockets of the people.
SELF is NOT sUBDUED.
Let me introduce an incident of 1866,
which will illustrate my position,
Some members OF the society in Scotland |
for propagating Christian knowledge op.
posed the translation OF the Bible into the |
Esse, or Gaelic language. from political |
considerations. 1t would tend to perpstu.
ate the distinction between Highlanders
and the other inhabitants Of North Brit
ain, concerning which Samuel johnson
wrote to II friend:
Il did rot expect to hear thar 1t could be |
in an assembly convened for the propaga-
tion of Chriatian KNOWLEDGE n uupstion |