The morning times., 1895-08-05
THY WILLBE DONE ON EARTH
Rev. Alex. Kent Says Humanity Is
Struggling Toward This End.
II Refuses 10 Accept Eviland Injustice
teDtions or manifestations.

Rev. Alexander Kent at the Peoples
Church yesterday morning continued his
series OF sermons on The Lords Prayer
His text was THY viii be done on earth
as il is In heaven"
He pointed out first that all modern
science teaches that God Is In the universe
directing the movements observed by m en-.
Hacked and Herbert Spencer alike have
come 10 the conclusion that even matter
may be but particular manifestation Of
force and materalism seems on the very
verge or it's final overthrow Quoting
Shaler, be said:
III Low seems as If the dispute with the
materialists VIII soon come to an end
through the growing convictions OF ply
sicists, that all matter Is but a mode OF the
aCtion OF energy" Then he stated Spencer's
position as the Supreme Power. Spencer
refralns from affirming that there is
personality, a personal God in the con-
vlctiOu that the choice is not between
personality and something lower than per
sonahty; but between personality and some
thing higher; that the Ultimate Power
is TO more representable in terms OF hu-
man consciousness than human conscious
ness is reprcseutabe in terms of plant
functions
The Will Of God is ouly for good, he fur
ther said. Any exhibition of power such
as in the cyclone or earthquake is impotent
10 move mans higher nature. He may
lear IL, but caunOt love IL 1t is only
as be sees power welded TO goodness that
the moral affections of his being are
stirred and spirit OF reverence and obedi-
enCe is awakened in his soul 1t is only
that of with xrhS II l,a
prayer begiGs takes possession of the soul
that man eau truly pray Thy viii be done"
he can not honestly pray that the viii Of
tyraut be done. But the will OF Our
Father who art in Heaven, ''eyen before
the personal victory over appetite and pas
sion has been won," is the spontaneous
desire OF the human soul
10 earth? Yes, IN earth. There is no
ambiguity about the language. And yet
II is the one phrase in the petition which
orthodox aud heterodoX alike ignore and
which they steadily refuse TO believe has
any warrant in the economy Of this Uni
verse. Goodpeople are ready enough
TO believe that Gods VIII may be done in
other worlds; that even now il is done in
Heaven; but they think IL incredible that
IL can ever be done on earth" There is,
however, he says, a departure from this
view among the great tleaderS ofthe orthodox
NANAAA ehh Il NtAGtAiNE ~ htN OAE AllllE 10
the regeneration OF the world as If the
hope was 10 bring about the will OF the
Father here. But the great body OF the
people do not seem TO believe there is any
hope or salvation for human society.
Every proposal to shape our Industrial
and social institutions in accordance with
that law or righteousness which require,
us 10 love our nelghbor as we love ourselves
Is met with vigorous md persistent protest
We are told that human nature VIII have
to toe changed before any reform Of that sort
can be effected: that men are 10y nature
lazy aud selfish and only those motives
which appeal to sclfishBess and 10 selfish
bess on the lower plane, can overcome their
laziness and induce the kind and degree
OF activity requisite to development and
progress.
Institutions, therefore, which were borr
OF selfishurss and shaped OF selfishnesS
are still pcrpetuated in Difference to sci
flshuess. But the theory upon which this
policy lie based is a dasta rdly libel ou human
nature. Human nature is EhaIned anC
Inundated by il. Human nature is foTevel
protesting against it in the life and utter
auces OF every noble man and woman. Al
literature which has aplacsirhumanhear-
eXaltS the morally heroic character, tn,
large hearted, self-sacrificing DeiEhbor- loy
ing neighbor-serving man and woman. The
good bishop i0 Victor HTgo's Les Miser
abes" is a Chara Cter which everybody ad
mires and loves, but the man who woulC
attempt to embody the principles oD whicl
he acted in our social institutions would 4,
deemed a suitable candidate for the iDsan,
asylum.
Human nature speaks in the dlsinter
eSted verdict OF the readers. Selfishnes
speaks in the attitude Of rival schemer!
and tOilers. Men do not ordinarily con
Tess that they would be incapable of re
spending to motives drawn from theil
love TO God and their neighbor. But the!
don't think other people capable. The.
don't understand that it is with others a
it is with themselves. An are driven b,
stress of a system TO make care uf sci
the first business CT life. 1t isn't tina
human nature demands il, but that human
character has not risen above it. Human
nature is asking constantly that God
will may be done on earth as ii is IN
heaven. 1t is in perpetual protest agains
the reign OF selfishncss in the world %
industry. Every story that deals with ou
human relations, every poem that voice
the nobler feelings of the soul represent
our human nature as IN rebellion agains
the Sclfishness and heartlessness Of ou
business methods.
Human nature is ever refusing TO ac
cept injustice as the viii OF God. or eyel
as the will OF man. Ii prevails in human
society because man has not yet come {,
his own: because he has not freed himsel
from the brute Inheritance and come int
the liberty OF tie glory of the childre
of God But the whole world is groanin
and Travelling IN pain together earnestl
looking for and desiring this deliveranct
1t does not ask to be made Submissive [