The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-09-03

"a Sermon by Rev. Douglas Putnam
Birnie.D
l Cor. 1920, But now they are many
members, but one body" 1t goes with
out saying that this church and hel
minister are in hearty sympathy with
this movement for cooperation in
Christian work. We stand ready by
word and deed 10 aid in it's accomplish
ment. We need to understand first of
all that it is not a matter of machinery
but Of spirit. Behind all common effort
there must be the one purpose.
Our first concern then is with the
unides Of truth. Here is the place for
emphasis, here is necessity for cult
walton. Jesus tells his disciples of the
one vine and the many branches, unity
with variety, one spirit, one purpose,
one source of life BY no word of Pope
or Bishop, by no vote of conference
or presbytery are the disciple one. No
bundle of twigs is a vine There is
one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one
Saviour from sin, one Master who leads
the way, one work to be done Paul
uses the illustration of the human
body with its many members. The
hand is not the foot yet common life,
and one purpose controls all the parts
| can work with my Roman Catholic
brother as far as he will permit though
[ may differ with him on many a point.
l am ready to do what [ can to aid the
Salvation Army while many rule of
the organization does not meet the ap-
prevail of my judgment. There are
other ways of aiding them than by |
marching in the procession. In all the |
differences of method. in all the varia- |
ton of definition, we must never forget |
the vital unity
Now how can this one spirit manifest |
itself in the activities of service? How
can the unity for which the Lord pray
ed become present fact? l do not be-
lieve it will ever be accomplished by
debate. You will never argue men into
unity, or compel them by logic that
has been attempted and it has failed.
The hotter the discussion, the wider
the separation. Some hOpeleSSly fold ;
the hands and wait for the kingdom
to come somehow, and say that moth
ing can be done now; neither in
dreams or debates do we place our con- !
fidence. The solution lies along lines
with our reach today. Emphasize the
unity of faith dwell upon the supreme
vital truths, and carry these into the {
possible activities of life. Do not wait ,
for men to agree with you in defini-
ton but take hold of some common
work for God with them and you will ,
be drawn nearer together as you do ,
the Masters bidding, and when the ,
labor is over, each will have the deep y
Ell respect for his brother. Each Will
be more willing to allow his fellow the ,
liberty of thought which he claims for !
himself.
l would suggest three lines of
thought in which children of the one
Father may cooperate today: Mutual
acquaintance thus begun will lead to
better feeling in the future. The
city is four square, gate on !
every side, one opposite where you
stand. So child of God may enter the
kingdom by a gate you never have
seen and the Master be ready TO vel
come him as he comes from land not
known to you. ,
The first path of common effort is
that labelled charity; the care for the
Door. the afflicted, those in distress.
|
orders and lodges. the benevolent So
,ieties. Some steps have already been !
aiken toward more intelligent cO-Opera- ,
ion The secretary of the American
Relief Society has consented to act as
2 medium of communication, so that no
worthy person in trouble be passed by
and no fraud be perpetrated by a clever
scamp. Surely there is room here TOT
Christian intelligence.
Let me name another opportunity I
,or union in effort, the children OF the ,
street. .
The is not a question OF food and
,IOtbing hut of character. 1t Is en-
Ieavor to so train. and guide these t
children that in the years TO come IhSS
will not be paupers or CRIMINALS HeI'u-
or idle nor dissOlute. Here at WoIk
are the Sunday schools and the NarIeu !
for children cOuneCIe" !
with the churches. The free klnuGI-
partens are doing good. service ana de-
5erva vour aid and sympathy. Give
vO11r money. but do something better,
oO into one of these schools and nave
= look at the children, give them the ,
aid of your counsel as well as OF YOU
Docllet book 1t looks now as though
rbare would a park at Palama or at
least a play ground. That IS GOOD puS
do not imagine that few acres IN r.
which to play VIII make SdInIS u OH0oI
street children Green grass has not
done it for your children. The park s
is opportunity, that is all. Read what
has been done by Christian intelligence
in the use of the play ground IN the
ia stern cities of the United states OF ;
4 nerica and try the same thing here.
no Won try it. not wait for some one
Else There have been recently open
ed rooms in the crowded parts of the
civ. where the children and young
neoDIe are welcomed in the evening. t
Games. books, papers, are ready for +
their use. They come and go as they
please Palama chapel is open in this