The Washington times., 1895-02-25
Rev. Ida C. HuIton's Sermon to
the W0men's Council.
HUMANITY EVER THE SANE
1t Is Not Enough to Be Filled with the Glory
of the Past There Must Be Triumrhs for
the Present mo SUBMITS of Value Except
These We Reach By Climbing Reception
to Be Given the Council This Afternoon.

tended by very large congregation at
Metzerott Hall.
The officers of the council and number
of the delegates occupied the platform.
The music was in charge of Mrs. susanne
Oldberg, the solo, Rock OF Ages before
the offertery being sung by Mrs. Emma
Brook The Scripture reading was by Mrs.
Rachel Fosterbury. The basis OF the sermon
was the text: who shall stand in the
Holy Placer"
Z The speaker promised that the present is
atmospbered from the past We are now
entering into the conclusions of evolu-
! for the science of evolution speaks only of
it's methods and processes. Nor does any
one attempt TO tell how life began.
CONCLUSIONS OF THE PAST.
To be what we are has been at the cost
OF great struggle, and men and women now
accept the conclusions OF the past and move
onto ohigherthings. Life means grow tn. and
growth means progress. We must become
part of the progress and enter into the
powers and presence of the universe.
We are accustomed to speak of the false
conceptions OF the past as myths. 1t is
better to consider them not as truths, but
/ what past ages deemed to be truths. Past
/ history shows that there have been at all
/ times brave seIf-sacrificing, true men ard
/ women, so that humanity. in it's divine pos
4 sibilities. has been the same, is the same to-
/ day, ana vill be forever
/ Having heard the lessons of the past we
know best now how and what to sacrifice
( The world has need OF those who can enter
into the secret OF something new and good,
whocanclimb to Osome ira ansfgurationmount
and raiso a new battle cry OF progress. Old
battle cries NAV have served their purpose,
! but III the incessant changes of life new
actions make new battle cries a necessity.
J In science, literature. and art. when We
/ desire knowledge, we go to those who under
stand them for qualitative utteranCes.
So in religious experience, in that which
/ emphasizes the side of life. go only to
those who have lived morally, who have felt
religiously, and who have experienced the
/ Divine enthusiasm. Only such can be our
guides and authority.
INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITY.
/ 1t is not enough for us. however. to catch
/ the inspiration and be filled with glory of the
/ past. There must be triumphs for the pres
/ ent. The world viii ask each OF us what
/ have you done? what is your life now? are
/ your hands clean? is your heart pure? Even
/ God would pay more regard to the infidel
Of a pure moral heart than to the licentious
scoffer
/ lie who would help humanity must look at
/ itnotonly from the heights, ,themountaintops,
1 but i'll its depths. One must be able and
/ fer as well as rejoice with those who rejoice.
! We must learn that what touches enc
1 human soul touches another. The depths
| of the lowly are our depths. The heights
/ OF the powerful are our heights, for be-
I meath all lies common humanity. De-
! spite all creeds there is unity All religions in
/ one sense are man made. The proper
attitude should be not what shall do to
/ be saved" but "what shall | do to inherit
/ eternal life," emphasizing the neces-
| sity of action and the contribution of ones
| whole powers to that end.
! AS all growth is blessed, there must be
/ sonnet hing of acknowledgment in life, and
/ the aim should be to make the common daily
! life divine. Why should we not sanctify
| the purposes o all we do, even its common
| drudgery?
| SUPREME MOMENTS IN EVERY LIFE.
Some ofus have no means of reaching the
heights Shall we then have no purpose
until the body goes back to the earth? There
are supreme moments and opportunities
| in every life whatever it is They are to be
| found in honest thought, in daily work, in
the sacred fellowships of humanity. Work
should be regarded not only as means of
making ones bread but as a means ofadding
substance To the daily intellectual life, and
! so all depends on how you live. Those
who cannot find and see God on flower or
| in the face of child, will never find Hir.i
in book or on the highest plains of exist
! ence.
In truth all life contains more or less of
| what is called drudgery. Thirty years even
| of the GaIleean were spent in the everyday
| life of the time preparing for the years of
His ministry.
! There must be something of disappoint-
ment to those who reach the SUBMITS of
earthly life. He who is ascending a noun
| tain, is daZZled by the distant peak, and is
enraptured by the hope of achievement, but
| when he reaches the top it is no longer
! peak. The rocks there are the same as
| those over which he passed in the ascent, the
| earth is the same. The real gain is the
view and this is true Of the intellectual as
| of the material world. No SUBMITS are of
| any value except those which we reach by
| climbing. When we reach them we are so
much higher by the power they had to raise
| US.
| DEFINITION OF GOD AND RELIGION.
| The speaker said that she had no definition
to offer for the word God" He is called
the source of light and power. She held
that God was not power existing outside
of the movements which created the uni
| verse, but was in those movements the
| internal controlling force Religion she
an - I>R st,v1N 20
capacity of the human soul for Goodness,
but that capacity must be in motion and
action All men and women to lead the
| ideal life must have their uses and contribute
what they can of hope and faith and love
| to the progress and improvement of hu-
| manity; and should set themselves to the
perfect harmony of the living, moving
order of things.
'And yet" said Miss &nthony, on the
close of the sermon, 'sfor the last 1000
years we have been taught that women
should keep silent in the churches. st.
Paul, however, gave another injunction
to help the women" These remarks were
| made preceding the offerings which were
asked by Miss Anthony.
The benediction was by Rev. Anna Shaw.
Notice was given by Mrs. Davis that the
reception to the National Council OF Women
would take place this afternoon at from
| 8 to D. m. This reception is rendered
Dy Tue D1SuTlCI w OIleA AssoCldtiOuS. AL
| those who wish to pay their respects to
the council may attend the reception.
COUNCIL RESUMES WORK TO-DAY.
The proceedings Of the National Council
Of Women will be resumed this morning at
| 10 o'clock. There will be only two sessions
to-day, the afternoon meeting to be omitted,
as the reception to the council at the Ebbitt
| House will be held from 5 to p. m. It was
/ .ad fho ni,&fo O,&