The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-10-04
RELIGION IN CULTURE"
SUBJECT OF REY. ". F. DICKER- MANS DISCOURSE YESTERDAY.

New EngIand-True Religion and Un-
 defiIed-The Discourse in Full.
 At the Church of the Messiah, yester- day morning, the pastor, Rev. w. F. Dickerman, preached very able ser mon on the subject Religion in Gull ture." The church was comfortably rendered by the church choir. Rev. Dickerman took his text from ii. Peter. third chapter and eighteenth verse. It reads: Grow in grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" Rev. MT. Dickerman spoke, in part, as followsi
 Among the modern substitutes for religion prominent one is culture; but by this we do not mean the light and truth, true wisdom, but that show of it which stimulates knowledge, but is in reality only a shoddy affair made up for dress parade.
 There is greater interest in reliS- ion as a form or as a philosophy than ever before but as an experience less than might be wished. The study of comparative religion, so common now, often shows comparatively little relig- iousness.
 'The scientific study of religion has become an accomplishment Its repre- sentation, according to the oanons of taste, constitutes a department of cul- ture. More grace in speech and de- pertinent is needed. Too much ances- tral boorishness is still in our blood. Culture of the intellect and refinement in dress do not imply large heartedness, fidelity or genuineness.
 Devotion to righteousness is not al- ways accompanied with brilliant gifts and elegant manners. These may but serve as a beautiful, screen to hide a cold and selfish heart. To affect an in terest in religion on general principles, is quite the thing to do, and an utter disregard of church affairs in some communities is tantamount to breach in good form.
 ''It is surprising what art can do to- ward making a distasteful religion toll
 able to fastidious people. Let me whisper in your ear the secret of mak- ing your homespun religion popular among the genteel--make 1t aesthetic. The marked liturgical tendencies in New England among churches of Puri- tan traditions are accounted for, in large measure, by the increase of what is called culture.
 We much doubt that the exodus to- ward ritualism is in search of better means of grace. Ritualism is on the increase throughout New england. The oldest Puritanical church is hardly holding its own to-day. It is supersed- ed by the church where forms and this showy sort of religion are used. Grace is culture, but culture is not grace in a religious sense.
 This great transmutation of piety into aesthetics finds a most striking illustration in the almost entire trans formation of camp meetings into sum- mer schools of science art and ltera- ture, with contingent of sermons thrown in to prevent it's complete sub version by the saints, who persist in wearing fashionable bathing suits Camp meeting grounds have become nothing more than modern watering places.
 We can understand how excessive refinement may enervate the most rugged faith. You may refine thing too much. Even religion mayhbecone allotropic when evaporated into aes- thetics. The sweet simplicity and har- diness of the wild rose are lost when it's petals are multiplied by culture. So the paraphernalia. of worship may be multiplied and refined to gratify the most exquisite taste until the hungry soul finds little left but the tleecy clouds of evening, the fringes on the north star and the dawn on angels wings.
 "It was said that the priests of Mer- cury laughed in each others faces when they offered the sacrifices; but the ministers of religion to-day may well weep when they find in their hands, not that which they would choose to give their hungry people, not the bread of life, but beautiful stone resplendent gem perhaps, but still 8 lifeless stone.
 Let us be true to our convictions. Tc be unfaithful to our own convictions is simply infdelity. Let us march to mu. sic as we hear it, not as some one else hears it."