The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-22
SERVICES FOR THE AGED
REV. IT. A. GOODWIN, THE PREACH
Err, BECOMES AN OCToGENARIAN.
A Strong Sermon On "Sowing and
Reaping"-Rev. c. L. Hare Is
Against the Theater.

Services at Grace NJ. E. Church yesterday
we're especially for the old people, and the
occasion called together not only the aged
members of the church, but large num-
Der from other Methodist churches in the
city. The hymns used were chiefly those of
earlier times, such as How firm founda-
ton and "Blest be the tie that binds"
The sermon was by Rev. T. A. Goodwin,
D. D., who celebrated his eightieth birth
day by preaching to the large congregation.
His theme was Sowing and Reaping," his
text, Whatsoever a man soweth that shall
he also reap"
This TRUTH" said the preacher, "is as
unvarying in the moral world as in the ma
terial, and one may as we'll expect to reap
wheat from thistle seed as to reap the re-
wards Of virtue from life Of dissipation
and vice This law is so unvarying that
in the days of Job, ante-dating the days of
Moses, it was promulgated that they that
piow iniquity and sow wickedness shall
reap the same The truth stated recognizes
the dual nature of man. the body and the
soul, mysteriously blended for awhile, yet
separate in essence; mutually dependent
while together, yet distinct, not only now,
but hereafter; the one mortal, the other inn
life is the seed time the afterlife the har-
vest, and that harvest depends upon the
Improvement of this seed time and not. as
soine enormously teach, upon any act of
iaith IN the dying hour or any intercession
VI PRIEST or confessor. Whatever is implied
Ia the doctrine of forgiveness there is moth
ing winch abrogates or even modifies this
eternai truth, that whatsoever man SOW
r ren aha1 shall he also reap. 1t is a most
repItnensfDle Pigment of the middle ages
Wnlcn nnds no authority in the word of
Gou, lhat a man may be wicked and dis
inod az ms Gays, and yet by some unde-
une6 act at the last moment may escape
the fruit Of his life's sowing. It is a traves-
~ upon COD S truth to hold crucifix be-
Iore dying man and assure him that by
gazing upon it he will escape the penalties
OF MS Wickedness. When the spiritual adj
wiser or condemned murderer, within a
rev Gays OF the date fixed for his execu-
tlon, called upon Governor Williams to in
slst that be should not postpone the hang
ing, even day, unless he intended to COM
mute The penalty TO life Imprisonment, be-
cause he was prepared to die now, and
could probably remain prepared few days
ne only applied to concrete case, in a
homely way, the absurd abstract notion too
commonly preached from the pulpit. There
may be something in a death-bed repen-
lance and profession of faith in the Re-
deemer when the power to pillow iniquity
ana SOW wickedness no longer exists, but
ready SoWn. What that is does not come
within the scope of this discourse. BY so
much, therefore. as the preaching of the
doctrine of pardon so as to give encourage
ment to the sowing of wild oats the liv-
ing of wicked life and the neglect of a
life of virtue and usefulness it is to be de-
plored.
ITO sow to the flesh means in the school
period of the present life, career of tru-
life 1t means the pursuits of such aims as
minister only to the qualification of the
senses. 1t need not necessarily imply
vicious habits or immoral practices. It
need imply neither poverty nor riches. 1t
means to seek to crafty the material man
at the expense of the immortal. To sow to
the spirit means in the school period q de-
votion to such mental discipline as will de-
velop the mind and heart and prepare both
for manhoods day and duties. The life
life, and as sowing to present pleasure in
childhood dwarfs. manhood If 1t does not
fication of the flesh win forever dwarf if it
does not otherwise embitter the life that
is to come.
of each type. We can recall those who in
very childhood foreshadowed the coming
man; and we have seen the fulfllment of
the law that whatsoever man soweth, he
shall reap. Two conspicuous, yet opposite
Bible characters illustrate the text. Solo
mon gave himself to pleasure. Read the
second chapter of EccleSiaSticS, and allow
him to tell his own story of sowing to the
flesh. Nothing was lacking to complete his
sensualities, yet he pronounces his life a
failure-'all is vanity and vexation of
spirit Paul was representative of those
who sow to the spirit-those who live for
others. Let him recount his experience in
the sixth chapter of Corinthians II. Instead
of gardens and riches he had prisons and
stripes. His summing up of his expert
ence is as itemized as Solomon's. but his
estimate of the result is quite different.
Ills life was no failure. 1t was one per-
petual conflict but the end was satisfactory
IA crown of righteousness; life everlast-