The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-03-29
Law OF SOLAR ATTRACTION
&E'. ADDISON MOORE,S SERMON ON
THE FATH OF GOD.

Instructive Children's Sermon-Favors
Signing of Arbitration Treaty-Two
Views in Regard to the Fatherhood of
God Illustrated.
Most impressive We're the services
yesterday morning at the First Baptist
church on Wooster Square. Immedi-
ately after the invocation, the pastor,
Rev Addison Moore, conducted the
beautiful and solemn baptismal cere-
mony of the church.
One very unique feature of the morn
lng's worship was the children's short
sermon Immediately preceding the
regular discourse. Mr.. Moore took for
the subject of his children's sermon,
Ihe Christian the Light of the World,
and by means of several small candles
he proceeded to illustrate the way in
which little light can shine, and it's
increasing influence when used to light
other candles, and the strengthened
power of many little lights all shining
at the same time This childrens ser
mon was so novel, and it's lessons
brought out so naively that it was no
wonder than many others besides the
children were found eagerly listening to
the story of the little candles.
The text for the mornings discourse
Rev. A. Moore selected from Matthew
22:51: Thou shalt love the Lord, thy
God, with all thy heart, and with all
thy soul, and with all thy mind" and
his theme was "The Father of God, or
the Law of Solar Attraction" the third
of hic sQYipc IN no
Society,""
Mr.. Moore said, in part:
1t is improper to conceive OF these
words of Christ, defining self good, as
preceding the general good of all men
The supreme law in the social system
Is love to God. Just as from earth
comes spring time, summer and har-
vest; so from mems hearts warmed by
Gods love comes the great fruit of the
brotherhood of men, and if all men are
brothers, God is Father of all men
This thought of the Fatherhood of God
has been greatly abused. There are.
two views held in regard to the Father
hood Of God. The first is that God Is
Father by virtue of being Creator;
hence all men are equally his children
irrespective of their attitude toward
Him. The second theory says only
those who receive Him voluntarily can
be called His children. Let us avoid
extremes in either case. Note that
there Is truth in both theories. In a
general sense it is true that since God
created the world He is Father of all
men, and in a specific way it is true
that only those who receive the love
of God are given the power to be really
His children. Christ did not have time
to deal in generalities, but dealt only
with specific facts. He revealed ideal
sonship; this then is Jesus teaching
in regard to the F'atherhood of God.
He has gone to the heart of the matter
and declares an ideal sonship belonging
only to those who partake of the Fa-
theirs nature. In doing this He did not
deny the Universal Fatherhood Of God,
for by the parable of the Prodigal Son
He proclaimed once for all that though
men spurn God yet His love ever goes
out toward them. But at the same
time, while they remain in the far coun-
try He cannot gently lead them into
the green pastures or beside the still
waters. Only when men respond to
Him has He love power to make them
His children. If the prodigal will re-
turn He will receive instead of the
husks Of the far country the plenty Of
the Fathers home.
Hence ideal sonship is necessary to
the ideal self. The prodigal came to
himself as a son. Absalom hating his
father can only come to disaster.
Judas, leading double-faced life, can
only go out in darkness and despair.
Peter can only sink beneath the waves,
while trusting in himself, but when
lifting his eyes heavenward he could
walk upon the waves. So Savonarola
in the moment of his terrible martyr
dom looked upon his life as the bright
est possible sacrifice for the truth. So
with Luther, with St. Louis of France,
with Anselin, st. Bernard; all these
had developed their lives into ideal
sonship. Above all, towering above
them all, is the Ideal Son, from which
all the others borrow their light.
This idea also suggests a still larger
development than that of ideal SON
ship. namely, ideal brotherhood. Such
mighty love did Christ have that He
was able to live entirely for society.
Let my name perish, but let my coun-
try live" said Denton. We must not
overestimate such statements. The
same note was heard from Moses: Let
my name perish, but let righteousness
live" 1t was uttered by Paul, willing
to be separated from from friends and
kindred, that he might become all
things to all men If he might save
some. Many time men who have
nothing to gain have leaped into the
social arena with the cry Let my name
perish, but let righteousness live" 1t
is this which has allowed society to
move on, and has been it's great guide.
BY love to God our hearts are touched
and we are brought into touch in love
with our fellows. Because of this, we
plead for the signing of the treaty of
arbitra ton. By love to God and man
we are moved to provide shelter for the
poor and sick. The strong son of God
is lifting the race into fellowship with
the Divine. BY this the race shall be
lifted from chaos to cosmos. AS the
sun lifts the stern hard winter into
bright glowing spring so shall the love
of God bring men into harmony and
peace and love.
The future. What of the future, the
brush of Titan, the chisel of Phidias,
the music of Handel would be poor in
deed to picture the glories that lie in