The Portland daily press., 1897-10-05
is THE WORLD GROWING sETTERs
Rev. Mr. smythe Before the Ministers
Association.

association.
The following address was made by
Rev. T. A. Smythe before the Portland
Ministers association at Y. M. G. A.
hall:
There can be no question that our
moods, or the eyes with which we look at
things, largely determine the impression
they make upon us. Everything looks
bright to glad and hopeful hearts. On
the other hand, the responding and sor.
rowful clothe all things in the hues of
their own sombre spirits. Many people
maintain that the world is going from
bad to worse. The bad are apt to look
| back upon their youth as vanished gold
en- age. 1t is an article In the faith of
one theological school that the world
shall continue to grow worse, till the Sec
ond coming of Christ ushers in the MILE
MUM.
There is much more fault-fnding and
grumbling in the world than thanksgiv-
in g and praise. Apart from all theologi-
cal theories. there is general disposition
to disparage the existing condition Of
things. Some people find fault with
everything that is being done In church
and state. No matter how well anything
is done they can point out'a more excel
lent way" Their gaze Is so constantly
fixed on failures and blemishes that they
overlook the signs OF progress around
them If 10 unit 70 c1ICh IN
admit that there is any real religious
growth or improvement in the world.
There are natural causes which go far
to account for the prevalence of this
pessimistic tendency. The ills of life
touch us more closely than It's blessings.
They are always with us in some form.
The prick of the thorn causes far keen
er sensation than the beauty and fra
GRANGE Of the rose. Much of the grum-
bling is done under some passing i'll.
The great majority Of people are not
happy, and unhappy people are always
complaining people. In times like the
present, when the echoes of Armenian
massaores are in the air and Christian
nations are brandishing the sword, ex-
pressions Of opinion are apt to be colored
by the dark shadows of the hour, without
fully recognizing the progress of by gone
peaceful years.
| 1t is also undeniable that every one who
adopts new theory or fad, on any social
or religious subject, feels bound to dis
| parage and condemn all existing beliefs
or practices which stand in the way of the
acceptance of his theory. For this cause
it is necessary that we know what people
believe, before we ascribe any Importance
to their approval or condemnation Of
things.
| The infdel condemns the Christian re
| ligion as something worthless or mis-
ehievous, unworthy of the acceptance OF
intelligent nen. Roman Catholic writer.
wax eloquent over the failure of Protest
antism, and especially of Protestant mis-.
sions. without much regard to the actua
fact. In 1850 Archbishop Hughes assenteG
that Professionalism had lost all central
| force and power over the masses of man
kind" High church priests, who have
adopted the Romanist conception of the
! church and ministry, also pronounce
evangelical Professionalism failure
Some years ago, the Rev. DR.. Ever, OF
New York, a ritualist Episcopalian, said
| that Professionalism WAS "a broken raft, ;
falling to pieces in a strong sea. Ration
alists, who reject the belief that the doc
trines of the Bible are supernatural rev
elation from God, consequently regard thu
religion that rests on this belief as tot
unscientific for this scientific age. AL
these, in whatever they may differ, agre'
in disparaging the work of evangelical
Christianity in the world, and in max
ing confident assertions that the fac
justify their dark view of things.
I firmly believe that the hopeful feeling