The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-10-23
ligious impulses, if he would be eff
cient in his sphere.

cient in his sphere.
Science is good thing, but there
are organizations for the promotion
of science in almost every branch of
it, and it is out of the line of the re-
ligious teachers work TO teach it; he
should therefore use it only in his
instruction, when strengthening the
religious convictions of bis hearers
Every man to his work. The spirit
ual is first in Importance, not most
apparent, but the most essential in
mans progress and uplifting, and
temporal prosperity. The voice,
which religious teachers. Christian
teachers should hear and heed, comes
down through the ages thus: "But
seek ye first the kingdom of God and
his righteousness, and all these things
shall be added unto you"
Religion, Christian religion, imparts
the choicest of present blessings, but
material blessings do not impart,
strengthen, and purify religion.
Christianity is "the eternal religion"
the kingdom of God and his right
eousness, which is the thing first to
be sought and first taught; eulogized
and held aloft, expounded and pro-
claimed first, last and all the time by
teachers of religion, ministers of
the Gospel of Christ. More Gospel
sermons, breathing the devout, duti
full, loving dependence upon him
who is able to and does bless us more
than we can think to ask of him, in
stead of SO many pretty literary lect
ures as cold as pure intellect alwaysis
There are literary and lecture lyce-
ums in almost every town to furnish
such food, but no other institution or
men to furnish the religions, and let
the preacher devote himself to more
important work.
Make religious, Christian church,
and temperance, sobriety, honesty,
purity, reformation of all wrong, will
be added to it. Not as the work of
the church but as the result of the
church's work upon the people, the
effect of the pure Christian religion
instilled into the people by the
church and its pastor.
o, Church! o, Minister! o, Peo-
pie! Seek ye first the kingdom of
God and his righteousness" and ma
terial blessings will follow. 1.-THE
kingdom of God" is his remembrance
and reign in the human soul as ex-
emplifed in the deep, reverent, low
ing religion of Jesus Christi And so
"his righteousness" is that exempli-
fed in Christ's answering perform
ance OF good deeds in love. Seek ye
first these and ye need not be un-
easy about your shortcomings or the
sins or wickedness of the world. Give
the world true religion, and it will
be true; wrong will flee from it.
Let the church then use all it's en-
ergy and effort for the single purpose
of cultivating and purifying the re-
ligious element in our nature; giving
reverence, devotion. and love for di-
vine things, and not be lost or for
gotten in the rush or whirl of ma
terial interests and propagandism
Do not permit it to fritter away its
energies by scattering in other fields
of labor; but hold it straight to the
single interest of religion, pure de-
votion, divine recognition, loving de-
pendence and cheerful obedience to
the Divine Father; that it may sue
cessfully prosecute its work of elevat-
lag the children of the Infinite one
INDIANAPOLIS, IND.