Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-06-18
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.
D.. Hidsn Makes N Earnest APPEAL to
the Un6sdly to luf1.
rev. Mr.. CLANCY Discusses THIS su6-
iect from the Unitarian Standpoint.
westmi nster Church TO BE Reor-
uarased-reast of Corpus Christi.

Rev. DR.. J. c. Hiden. Of Grove-Avenue
Baptist church. conducted the mems meet
Ing at the Young Mems Christian Asso-
citation Hall Sunday afternoon. There was
a large attendance. and the service was
one Of special interest. DIR. Hiden ad-
dressed his remarks especially TO the un-
converted. "Ungodly friend" he began.
II take IL for granted that as Il rational
being you feel II 10 be important to make
tho most OF the advantages and opportu-
mites OF this life; to derive from these adj
vantages and opportunities all the bene'
fits which they can be made TO yield
Now, to this view shall not here object
1t is far from the highest view. 1t Is by
no means an adequate view. but l am
willing to admit that II is true view. 80
far as It goes. and hence 1 shall here say
nothing against 1t.
Arguing. then, upon this narrow
ground combining yourself to the advan-
tages and opportunities which this world
affords. and limiting the argument thus
because this is the only world with which
you have much acquaintance, let us ask
what shape II is wlsest TO give to your
conduct and what aim you should pursue
in life? OF course, a vicious life is at
once ruled out Of the question, for the
very men who are most successful in vice
will admit that proficiency In vice is not
the thing to be aimed at by any rational
man who means TO make the most OF
himself
LIFE OF WORLDLINESS.
"Discarding vice. then, as irrational,
,hat hal n
worldliness? Shall we give ourselves.
with all our powers, to life whose end
shall be accumulation? Talleyrand used
TO say that business meant other peo-
pies money and assuming this TO be al
most an exhaustive definition. what of
life devoted to business? Well. II is sim
ply impossible. as human nature is consti-
tuted for any sane human being of nor
NAL capacities and faculties to employ all
those capacities and faculties in the ac-
emulation Of money. Such a scheme OF
life will necessarily cripple and dwarf his
highest faculties. and that in two we'll
defined was: First, by lack of exercise:
and secondly. for lack OF vital air for
them to breathe. II. then. We hold ra-
tionai scheme OF life to be one that shall
make the most Of the men. as a whole.
then the merely business life is ruled out
by the very conditions OF the problem.
NOTHING LIKE TRUE PIETY.
Now" DR.. Hiden continued. "as we
have agreed to argue the case with view
20 this world alone. we need not here go
into the question OF the rewards and pun
ishments OF the future life. For the sake
OF the argument we will. for the present,
regard these as unknown and unknow-
able.
But. combining ourselves to what we
certainly can know in and of this world.
what are we to do with the testimony of
sensible. rational, trustworthy, and even
very able men. who have tried both the
worldly life and the Christian life? They
have-indeed, they can have-not the
slightest motive for deceiving you. And
yet with a singular and portentous una
nmity they testify In favor of a gody
life. They say that for solid satisfaction
in life there is nothing like true piety
My friends. ! know what this world can
give in the way of pleasure. ! was living
a life OF pleasure for years before / be-
came a Christian. | never was drunk;
but | enjoyed my social glass. | was
never In a gambling den; but | enjoyed
my social game with my companions
delighted in dancing. and seldom missed
dancing party or ball II / could at
tend / had health. high spirits. a keen
relish for pleasure. and the means for
gratifying IL. | got about as much plea
sure out OF this world any of you ar
likely to get. And yet can honestly
testify TO you here to-day that I would
not give the pleasure which l have had In
talking to you this evening for all the
worldly enjoyment that I ever had in all
the days of my life before / became
Christian. And why will you not believe
me~'
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
Or. Hiden closed with an earnest appeal
to his hearers TO live as Christians.
'ITpOn the whole then" he q pd
must you not admit that the safest
wisest most satisfactory life for you to
lead. or for you 10 aim at. Is the life of
a devout Christian? And II this be So
then how can you settle down upon
merely worldly life. and thus starve the
highest powers of your nature? Let us
hear the conclusion OF the whole matter
Fear God and keep His commandments;
fer this is the whole of man."
Mr.. Clancy on Practical Religion.
The services Of the Unitarian church
on Sunday morning we're made more than
usually interesting by the bap'iHnt of the
infant daughter OF Mr.. Reed. This is the
first occasion OF the kind In the history
~ this young. but rapidly-growlng or
ganfzation. Mr. CLANCY preached from
Genesis t.. IL: "After His Kind" He
said in part:
I'm these days OF discovered relation
when science is reducing all species
20 a common origin. and when forces
that seem distinct are found TO pass one
into the other. there Is need to hold on
10 the obvious distinctions. and to be
careful OF kinds. Whatever may be the
possibilities OF evolution in the past or
future. for present purposes the species
are separate and not interchangeable.
And III heat Is only mode OF motion,
the names heat and motion still stand
for separate phenomena Practically, the
"reatures run apart. and not together,
and each In good after its kind and ac-
cording as 1t is true to It's kind
Il introduce this thought" said the
preacher. 'only for the sake OF it's appli-
cation to institutions; especially to the
Church. l believe that with all their
correlations and condolences each de-
partment Of social and political life is
the better for attending exclusively to
its peculiar business. The State has Its
province; the home has Its field and the
Church has Its calling. Each in best
when II attends best to its own affairs
Let each live and act after it's kind. and
then 1t may be said, as It was said OF
the creatures at the beginning Behold
II was very good
WHAT is THE CHURCH'S KINDg
''The question before us this mornin.
concerns the Church. What is its kind?
In pursuing this question would not
Ignore the fact that all associations of
men overlap. We cannot, II we would.
build Chinese wall around the Church
ana Keep 1t wholly separate from the
world. That is the mistake OF monasti-
c'sm. But there are parts and traits in
religious association like the Church
which distinguish 1t from other things
This Church to which We belong, for ex-
ample. has for its bond OF union the three
foid purpose-to worship God, and serve
man, and to live In the spirit OF Jesus
ANY man who Will soberly agree with
us IN this purpose can belong TO this
Church, without being asked to accent
any further statements and religious
opinion or doctrine. The national con-
ference OF Unitarian and other Christian
churches has pledged itself TO the .prac-
ucai religion OF Jesus love to God and
love TO man. That is all. and II is all.
the ah-in-ali OF religion. as we view II.
ana what Is worship? 1t Is Infinite
admiration.' One has said, say, rather.
admiration OF the Infinite. an instinct
as universal az man. and In one form or
announcer found In all men. PRAYER and
praise make up worship: prayer. which is
the hfting or the heart and mind to 0od