The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-06-12
WORK AND
Rev. III. b. Longs Sermon nj
Congregational Church.

Congregational Church.
Rev. II. B. Long, OF the Peoples Consre-
| sational Church.. took for his text yester-
day morning: go work in my vineyard"
Matthew xxi, Is.
''The vineyard of human toll INCLUDES the
vast world of man said ne. could We
this morning be- lifted up far above the
| sands who. forgetful Of self. are giving their
lives to others. we would feel that we are
an age Of ideas. The daily papers. and
weekly and monthly. magazines. the choice
hooks OF poetry and prose, are the doors
through which the millions pass up into
modern life. The printing press has set up
a new king. That king is public opinion.
The work Of today is to refashlon public
self: What am 1? What am ] doing? what
will / do? Man must read his mission IN
an Inspiration toward the most heroic lives,
and then TO put into actions. and words. and
deeds all that has BEEN inspired within. and
of bad habits. or ruled by wrong ideas. a
new future. with new CONVICTIONS ana new
hopes. is to create a new public opinion.
THE work of this age is to produce a
more perfect man. Greece failed in this
because she had no true conception OF
man or life. Rome struggled after Justice,
but while compelling others TO- do right the
Roman himself was selfish and hard-hearteo
AS the centuries pass man discovers MS re-
lation TO man. Civilization is the fruit OF
that discovery. This being an age of devel-
oping manhood. it asks for heroic souls.
We call Il an age of progress. but the true
idea of progress means a movement toward
a higher. a diviner life. II is the advance
| ment of the essential man toward that idea
we find in its completeness only In the cnar-
acter and teaching of Christ. Man pro.
crosses when he discovers the true law OF
his own soul, and perceives that that law
Is the law of society; In the political wor,d
truth. and liberty. In business life man must
see that by faithfully. honestly and earnestly
the well being of mankind AS man labors
| for man he gains a more perfect conception
of the relation OF mans life to the world IN
which he is living. He seeks to subdue the
| world. Nature is a great teacher. Great
men hear the voice OF nature. and they
teach US that otr souls are constantly
learning. Nature has always been ready 10
give herself to true men, and she has al
ways known such men. The world knew
Jesus. it knew Columbus and NeWton'
1t knows the inventor and discoverer. ana
always sees in such men a more perfect
| manhood. The real culture of power Is
ment of a more perfect humanity, all can
| play a part in Fastening this. Every man
ness. Emerson said: We must be men; and
TO be men we must be spiritual Great
souls inspire us. lead us to fellowship with
friends of our virtue. of our intellect and
of our strength. There is only one way by
which to test a great manhood, and that Is
by it's power to charm and command the
souls Of other men, We should feel that
cur supreme purpose in this world is to ac-
quaint men with God. Then we will be to
men divine souls: he to them thought and
virtue: be to them inspiration and friends.
The world waits for men to be what they
ought to be. what they can be. All the
struggles and work Of the great past have
simply been preparing man for nobler and
grander ump We can fashion the mil
lions of people for righteousness If our faith
fail not. The present is the arena of toll.
Christ comes to US here and now. To-day is
the time to be active. kind and generous.
No bird can race in the great blue sky
against a noble soul. An eagles wing is
slow compared with the flight of love. A
religion Of love should be sown broadcast
lips should become eloquent. great courage
ought to- produce great action, and from
Christlike action will come a great society"