The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-05-20
The GOLDEN RULE.
Yesterdays Sermon at Elmwood Hall
by MIR. Hoagland.


At Elmwood Hall yesterday morning
Rev. Napoleon Hoagland of the Fourth
Unitarian Society spoke on the "Religion
OF the Golden Rule" Mat. 7:11.
"Strictly speaking ~ is not rule of re-
ligion, as religion is generally UNDER
stood, but rule of conduct, of morality.
There is no thought OF God or prayer or
worship or heaven or hell In it. II simply
proposes standard OF conduct between
man and man. This may account for the
fact that although It has long
been christened by name
which means solid worth, u yet does not
seem to be a favorite text for Evangelical
pulpits. Although 1t is generally recog-
nized as a valuable rule by people regard
less OF church affiliations, somehow it
does not harmonize SO we'll with much Of
the teaching of the creeds. For instance,
instead OF appealing 10 an infalliDle Bible,
text, creed or priest, for authority IL
appeals TO each persons own Inherent
sense of what is good and right.
This, of course, is no rule at all in the or
dnary sense ss some thing imposed by an
external authority. Each man Is a rule TO
himself, Whatever ye would that men
should do TO you, do ye even so to them
A most daring assumption! 1t takes for
granted that man knows within himself
what is right. IL takes for granted
that he wills to do what is best, at least
for himself. But it enforces the truth,
that in order for one to do the best for
ones self, ono must try TO do the best for
others. Only one who had sublime
faith in the divinity of humanity
would have the courage to declare
such rule regulating conduct.
But it is not only in harmony with 'the
law and the prophets but it comedies
with the express teachings OF Jesus him.
self as given elsewhere. The second great
commandment which he said is like the
first commands love to neig hbor as to
| self. Here self respect is the final stand.
ard. In the prayer he taught His disciples
the condition, by hich forgiveness may
be obtained, is that we forgive them who
sin against us-not that we must win
Gods favor-by sacrifice and supplication
and thus bribe him to forgive us
our sins. This direct personal appeal
| 10 the divine element in every
| human soul is marked Characteristic Of
| the teachings of Jesus. 1t is the very
| principle on which free civil government
is founded. The principle that for our
| best development and best life there must
be personal freedom and responsibility;
the principle that, on the whole, human
nature is trustworthy and that it needs
to develop its own resources. The golden
rule Is the soul of civilization. In order
to be civil to Others we need TO respect
their personality. But in order to respect
| other personalities we need to realize
them-to put ourselves in their place.
| Civilization teaches US that in order to
get best protection ard best service for
self, we must seek TO secure the same ad-
vantages for all. II teaches that not hing
is good for self that is not good for all.
| Many of US think we do we'll il we treat
| others the same as they treat US. But
Jesus says: Even the publicans and sim
ners do that We need to treat others
better than they treat US. To render evil
for evil aud good for good is the
law Of iron. Its rule is still
quite prevalent in the world. But it
must give way to the age Of golden deeds,
an ago which happily is not past, but is
coming. An improvement on the golden
rule would be to do better to others than
we expect to do US. But for many Of us
the golden rule is sufficiently above our
daily practice to make it able to lift
US to higher levels of conduct and life."