The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-01-03

The congregation Of st. David's Epis-
copal church, West Scranton, are once
more in charge of leader. Rev. T.. j.
McHenry, late of Great Bend, Pa, be-
came rector Saturday morning. ana
yesterday conducted the usual church
services. Saturday morning at 6'3o
o'clock the new rector celebrated holy
communion.
In addition TO the other serN ices yes
terday be preached two forCeful SER
mons The morning sermon was, in
part as follows:
st. Matthew gives us this new COM
mandment. the old one enlarged, in the
nineteenth verse Of the nineteenth
chapter. Thou shalt love thy neighbor
as thy self The building has its found
ations. ard the tree its roots. We do
not see buildings or trees suspended in
midair Nor do we ever see builder
attempt to begin at the top and Dulld
downward We go into the field OF
law, medicine or sCienCc-there rs
fuurda tiOr. AS q lawyer will go to MS
Blackstone or the physician To his Ma
toria Medica, so the Christian must go
10 his Book, tn Bible, and study
among the gems. innumberable, for tht
one stone, hard and firm, yet beautiful
which via make such a building that
will stant, and none Nf its polish
diminish. such corner stone or found
alton for Christianity is found in our
text, Love your neighbor as yourself.
ORNAMENTAL VIRTUES
Romans submits several virtues out
fundamental. bat all of them grow out
of this one: because it is difficult to
1Nyrt tlNs.
way Of the one Law. love This pre-
sents itself today for our consideration
in the forms Of who is our neighbor?
The extent of the love for him.
The words We have before us are as
old as tn world itself The Lord first
sroke them to Moses in the general in
stgucton to the Hebrews. then he said:
Thou shalt not take vengence nor bear
any grudge against the children of thy
people, but thou shalt love thy neigh
Dor as thyeelf I am the Lord The
principle here was fundamental. God
had laid upon the Hebrews the task of
keeping before the nations the knowl
edge of Him.
THE story of the samaritan gives
heartlessness and indifference when
duty was not concerned. but attention
and humanity when the bowels of
mercy are opened. The samaritan, the
dcspised one, did not pass by, but
stopped, looked, then took up and cared
for. He was not neighbor TO the man
according to the Jewish sense. There
was no reason, in that light. for him
to stop, much less to care for the help
less one. But when the idea of law
was removed, when compassion could
be open, then the question presented
itself in a new phase. He did not be-
long to the same family or tribe, but
he was man. The same God ruled
both. The same mother earth nour-
shed both.
Our neiGhbor then, contrary to the
Jewish idea, is any one with whom we
come in contact. House, streets, rivers.
or even states or colOrs do not separ-
ate
SELF-SACRIFICE.
He who would sacrifice life itself
for the good Of fellow-men are men
who I'LL us with an holy awe. Such a
one becomes sublime. He fills up the
measure OF the law, love they neigh
Dor as thy self. The question, how
over, presents itself, Is this full
measure? History abounds with eX-
amples of men who would dc great
things. We are ali ready to be heroes
i'm such a sense. Does not the teach
ing of Christ, while no, deprecating
such ambition, eXtoi the smaller
things?
The love spoken of in our text is
such as will never make man famous.
1t is tnat which will, ON the contrary,
DO that which it prompts for the sake
of realizing the kingdom of heaven. 1t
VIII do the little things. 1t will follow
Christ in His daily rounds.
Love thy neighbor as they sell.
We have surveyed the field this morn
ing. Our nelghbor stands before us
Tor recognition and there is no limit
10 the recognition. We are far. far
away from the narrow limited sense of
the word. Your neighbor is across the
llNer in the next state, wherever you
may he, Just as well as here. His need
ms feelings require your interest. c
how beautiful would the world become
II we realized this. How different
would ii be. No more harsh or unkind
words or deeds: no more Injustice
every one seeking to promote the
others interest, How harmoniuusl,
the colors of the picture blend; how
Ehristlike."