Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-09-28

morning, the Rev. Alexander y. Bowser
preacbed on 1.-THE Church: What it is,
and why NO should belong to one''
His text was taken from Acts 4. 81;
aTbe multitude of them that believed
we're of one heart and Of one soun
In the course of the sermon he said:
Many time, it is true, this faith Of
jesus in the supreme power of love,
insisting that good is able to conquer
evil oven in this world, has seemed 10
be ignored by the church. For although
Christians have never ceased to pray
..Thy kingdom come, thy will be done
in earth, as in heaven" nevertheless
they have at times almost universally
doubted the possibility Of their prayer
being answered-at least SO far as earth
is concerned, since they have located
the kingdom of God in a future world,
above the sky, leaving our beautiful
earth 10 the dominion of Satan.
Many creeds and tests of discipleship
have also been imposed in the place of
the simple bond OF brotherly love that
Jesus himself designated as the dis.
tinctiye mark OF His followers, and
which at first made His friends .'of
one heart and of one souli in the sub.
lime conviction that the cross had not
vanquished the Christ-spirit, and that
through death he had risen triumphant
to become the light of the world, the
Saviour of men.
But still, from the beginning even
until now, the power of Christianity
has consisted in the fundamental prin
ciple that the love and truth of Christ
will yet overcome all evil and sin, and
that the kingdom of God will be estab-
lished, not only in the world to come,
but in this world also.
The kingdom OF God. that Jesus
prayed for and worked to establish, is
the reign of Righteousness and truth in
| the human heart; it is the rule OF the
Divine Spirit in the human soul, fill
ing it with the ideal purpose of sacri-
| ticing self for the interests OF humanity
1t is the dominion OF divine love in
human life, making us Christ.like In
| character, ready and willing to do the
will Of God on earth. as 1T is done in
heaven. Moreover, a church of Christ
is any company of men and women
| pledged to worship together in his
spirit and to work together ID His
name to bring aboutthis kind OF living
in any community.
A church of Christ. therefore, is not
|
ancient and orthodox in their
authority; nor an outward temple Of
| wood and stone, built in accordance
with the most approved style of eccle-
siastical architecture: nor yet an i'm.
posing service. with solemn sacraments
and elaborate ceremonies. All Of these
things may be but little else than the
peculiar outgrowth Of special organiza-
tion and denom national policy. But
true church of Christ has always
been, and ever will be, union OF the
friends Of Jesus for the purpose OF keep.
ing alive ID the hearts and minds OF
men the greatN Teachers faith in a
heavenly Father who loves and cares
for every human soul, and is guiding
all mankind in an eternal destiny.
This, then, is the primary object OF
Christian fellowship. the essential pur.
pose of Christian church; and We
belong to such an organization that,
through mutual sympathy and co.
operation in the study and practice OF
the teachings of Jesus, we may both
get good and do good.
Little good, however, will come to
person, through belonging 10 any
church, savo by his own activity. 1t
Is not even enough to attend religious
services with regularity. We must
also worship in spirit and in truth, y
lin spirit, having the mind attuned
to the thought Of God and our destiny
in eternal progress: and in truth, being
in generous sympathy with the aspira-
lions and obligations Of Christ like
life.
When Sunday comes, with its exemp-
tion from weekly care and toll, and tho
bells ring out the invitation to the
Fathers house, the human heart nat
urally longs to unite with others in
hymn and prayer, and thus give ex..
preston to the spirit of aspiration and
devotion in public worship. For
none of US liveth to himself 7" We all
yearn for the sympathy and encourages
ment OF our fellow men. Tho secret
prayer, the silent devotion of the soul
in private, while always good and help
full, does not entirely satisfy our
spiritual wants, and is not sufficient
for the highest religious culture and
development.
realized the truth OF this, as never
/ before perhaps, during this past sum-
mer, while on my vacation in Canada.
On Sunday mornings, as the country
people drove by Cedar Croft" ON their
way to the village church, always
felt an intense desire to Ego with them
to the house of God'' and join with
the voice of JOY and PRAISE in the
services of the day. The building was
plain. the singing homely, The preach
ing simple: and yet was always up.
lifted and strengthened as worshippcd
with those men and women Of another
creed and with different ideals Of life
and destiny; and used to return
home with new sense of the nearness
and help of God, and fresh resolution
SO to live as to make
Life death and that vast forever
One grand sweet song.
, Still, do not say that ii is our duty
to attend religious services under all
circumstances. We should 90 to church
because the spirit in our hearts needs
some deep revealing of trust, and
strength, and calmness, from above"
by which the hotter to meet the duties
and temptations of the coming week ;
and, likewise, that by united worship
we may help others who ARE striving
amid doubt and sorrow to make each
step an onward one. Ii, however, We
ind thar, in the services OF the church,
we neither receive any good ourselves,
, nor yet are able to assist others in at
tanning higher ideals of life and duty
and destiny, perhaps it would be better
sometimes To stay at home. But let rs
always remember that wesshould 60 10
church in order to do good, as well as
to receive help. When We cannot get
any inspiration of strength Or peace
ourselves, We may still, by our PRES
ence and sympathy, do much to inspire
| I NJ ,,sk 81 n