The herald., 1897-03-15
UNITY CHURCH
DR.. Thomson on "0ed's Duty to Han Accord
ing to Christ,


The pastor, ]. S. Thomson, preached
a sermon on Gods Duty to Man. Ac
cording to Christ" taking the text: IF
ye, then, being evil, know how to give
good gifts unto your children, how much
more shall your Father who Is in heaven
give good things to them that ask him. "
Matthew will
The hen feels the claims of her chick
ems upon her for love, care and food. She
would die to defend them. Why shouli
we not suspect that the Being who has
planted this love in her heart would res
ognize the claims of his own children
upon him for love. mercy, care, and all
the blessing Of life? Has a mother hen
more love for her chickens than the au~
thor of all love has for his offspring.
Savages and barbarians acknowledge
the claims of their children upon them.
and they would die to save their chill
dren. Some people strive to show tina;
it is wonderful that God loves us; but
would it not be wonderful II he did not
love US? He is responsible for our exist
ence in this world, and he is responsible
to his own conscience for all the needs
of his children. Christ illustrates the
love and care of God by showing that a
wicked parent would not offer a stone
for bread or a serpent for fish to his
hungry child when the child asks for
food. He teaches in the text that God
is infinitely superior in his love to an
earthly parent. Gods wise, loving aui
merciful dealings with his children
prove that he recognizes the claims of
his children upon him for all the things
which they need If God is as good d S
Christ, who taught and lived the Ser
mon on the Mount. who healed the sick,
blessed the poor, saved the outcasts, and
died praying for his executioners, we
would feel perfectly safe in trusting
him with all our interests here and here
after, for Christ could not be unkind to
us, nor Indifferent to our troubles, nor
could he send any one to eternal mis-
cries. When he died he went into hell
with his gospel to save the imprisoned
spirits The god of Moses. or Of Joshua,
or of Elijah. or of Luther. or OF Augus-
tine, or of Calvin, or of Wesley, or of
Mohammed, makes no appeal to loving
heart. He does appeal to the fear Of
towards, who worship him to escape mis-
cruelties. God in Christ commands us
to love, bless and pray for our enemies.
and Christ grandly illustrated his own
divine doctrine in praying for his muir
derers. Does God command us poor.
weak and ignorant creatures to do this.
IL he does not love and bless his enc
mics? We are ordered to forgive our
enemies without being paid for our par.
dons, without asking for an Offering; but
the orthodox God demands the blood I
an innocent person to make it possible
for him to forgive. It Is plain that God,
jf orthodoxy be true, asks us to be bet
ter than himself. Christ delivered that
beautiful parable Of the prodieal to show
how God is waiting to receive his re-
turning children, without receiving any
sacrifice or offering or pay. According
to orthodox speculations God has nov
prepared an eternal hell for the count
less millions OF sinners who are to be
born. He has power to prevent the ex-
istence of these millions. He foresees
all things, and he must see what these
millions will do. Then why does he let
them come into existence with such a
fate before them? Every man has. to
suffer just and adequate punishment
for his sins, and his punishment Is to
teach him lessons in morality. and to
purify his heart but no morality, except
an insane one, would damn his child to
eternal misery. Is God less just and
loving than an earthly parent? The
conscience of no parent would sanction
such crime. Is it right to teach that
God has no conscience? If he will not
keep the spirit of the Golden Rule. by
what right does he command us to keep
it? Are we just actors in a demons
tragedy to amuse the infinite spectator?
Are we toys in torture to please the pass
ing whim of an Almighty Cruelty? Does
eternal misery please God? Is his jus
tice of such a nature as to be satisfied
with the eternal tortures of countless
millions? The theology which strives
to justify such speculations is a bias
phemy of Gods wisdom, love and mercy.
1t is a sin against the Holy Ghost.