The San Francisco call., 1896-04-08
RELIGIOUS THOUGHT AND PROGRESS
An EpitOme Of Sermons Of the Week
Throughout the Land.

Following is summary OF the principal
sermons recently delivered in the United
States and Canada by the leading clergy
men, priests, prelates, religious teachers
and professors of the Christian faith. In
every instance the full text has been care
fully read and abbreviated.
BROTHERHOOD.
True brotherhood is the cure for all evils.
both individual and national, social and po-
litical-Rev. F. c. Gift, Lutheran, Scranton, Pa
GAMBLING.
The growing American vice is gambling. 1t
pervades all society. 1t is formed in child
hood-the boy playing marbles for keeps or
shooting craps Nearly every tobacco, store
has some gambling device, which plainly is
prohibited by law.-Rev. c. B. Mitchell, Meth
odist, Kansas City, Mo.
R.w EMERSON.
The first article of Emerson's religion was
the existence of mind in the universe, and his
second article was the fact of mans relation
ship to the original mind, from whom man
derives all heroisms, character, virtues, as
pirations. A more devout believer in God
never breathed. His God-consciousness was
the foundation of his faith and OF his life.
Rev. A. w. Martin, Independent, Tacoma,
Wash.
CHRISTIANITY AND WEALTH.
The atheist OF to-day is indebted to Christian
children. 1t has been said that the difference
in value between the real estate in the heart of
Africa and the heart of America is just Chris
tianity. Christianity is preservative. of the
wealth OF the world. in counteracting the
forces which destroy it-Rev. ]. A. Story, Meth
odist, Springfield, Ohio.
CARE OF THE SOUL.
In the midst OF our business affairs we are apt
to forget the eternal interests OF the soul. We
are justified in laboring for the body to keep it
in proper health, and we do this to accomplish
temporal end. Why not lay aside some OF
our time in putting on garments for the soul,
which Is eternal and lives fOrpVpr?-Rpv. nj II
Dunn, Catholic, Wilkesbarre, Pa.
REFORMS OF SLOW GROWTH.
Growth is a SLOW thing. Trees look the same
from day to day, almost the same from year to
day. 1t is the same tomorrow. There are
only a few inches differences in twelve months.
Causes and principles grow more slowly than
trees and children. Expansion is not an in
stantaneous process. Reforms are not yet run
by electricity.-Rev. w. H. Moore, Presbyter-
ian, Doylesville, Pa.
RELIGIOUS IGNORANCE.
l have no patience with the Christian igno-
ramus. man has no excuse for being ig-
norant of the Bible. If he can read he can
know the Bible and not be humbugged by
every sort of silly doctrine that may be
preached. 1t is a shame that every doctrine
under the sun has its followers and all because
of the ignorance of its disciples.-Rev. Paul
Whitehead, Methodist, Richmond, Va.
AGNosTIcIsM.
Agnosticism is Greek word, meaning not
knowing, ana strictly might be applied to
state OF mind relating to all manner of SUBJ
jects of which we are ignorant; but is used
solely with reference to objects which we call
spiritual-God, Immortality and so on. There
is very little pure agnosticism in the world
Many who call themselves agnostics are not
properly such.-Rev. w. r. Lord, Unitarian,
ST. Paul, Mimi.
THE CONFESSIONAL
Confession may be said to be the safety valve
OF conscience. The priest in the confessional
can keep secret. When any person has told
his sins to the priests those sins are as though
they had been buried in the very depths OF the
ocean. priest will STAND any torture before