The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-08-10
AT DAVENPORT CHURCH
INTERESTING SERMON BY REV. DIR.
BROWN OF MADISON.

Two Petitions of the Lords Prayer
Prayer Necessary to All Men-Heaven
Not Place, but Dependant ON Our Will
A Good sermon ON Hot Sunday.
The Rev. William t. Brown of Madi-
son, whose trial for heresy a few
months ago attracted widespread at
tention in religious circles, preached in
the Davenport church yesterday morn
ing.
The Rev. Mr.. Brown is a smooth
faced, almost boyish looking man, and
an outspoken and powerful exponent
of the new theology which he preach
es, never appearing to mince matters
in the least in giving to his congrega-
ton what he considers to be the truth.
There was large congregation pres
ent In spite of the extremely hot wealth
er, and the words of the young preacher
held close attention.
He took as the text foR his discourse
Luke XII, l, 2,-"And it came to pass,
that, ass He was praying in a certain
place, one of His disciples said unto
Him: Lord teach us to pray as John
also taught his disciples And he said
unto them: When We pray say Our
Father which art in heaven. 'hallowed
be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy
will be done, as in heaven so in earth.
II don't know said Mr.. Brown
what the disciples meant by this re-
quest to be taught to pray. Prayer
cannot be taught. 1t is as natural fol
men to pray as it is to do anything
else. Men were made to pray and can
not help praying. Prayer is q petition
asking for something and four things
are necessary for TIA sense of need
desire, assurance of receiving the thing
desired and willingness to take The
responsibility in receiving it, One who
lacks one of these cannot pray. M
prayer has any meaning which is no
founded deep in need There must als(
| be desire. Anyone who prays without {
desire for something makes a mere
mouthing of words. Again we pray TO-
| things which can be realized One wh'
prays for anything else Is mailman
No one prays to have the earth NOV
backward In It's course. Again 1t Il
necessary to incur responsibility; tn
law Of need implies responsibility. On
who avoids responsibility is dishones
and a trifier with sacred things. Onl,
those who have these four characters
tics can pray Our Lords prayer
The first petition in this prayer fol
Thy kingdom come, is one for per
sonal and social fulffllment. A king
dom implies order and this petition
for sovereign idea dominating tn
universe. The petition, Thy will b
done on earth as in heaven means tina
all things here shall be done in &C
cordapce with Gods WILL that ever
public declaration should seek the full
tdllment of that will. Christ Is bring
ing His disciples in this petition fac
to face with the presence of God |
all nature. He is Himself the revela
ton of that God in nature. God
a Christian eternalIy and essential,
The world is the product of Gods low
What then is heaven?
1T can be nothing else than the dc
lminion of love. There is no NOR
harmful belief than that heaven is
mere place and change Of environment
Such an idea of heaven is utterly lacl
ing in moral significance. It neeess
tates the philosophical idiocy OF God |
one place. And 1t encourages a selfis
! struggle here under the belief that d
what one will a change Of place wi
work a change of character. But hea1