The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-12-11
Human Cooperation Necessary to
Divine Plans.
In T his Way Only Can
Race Become Perfect.
Mr.. Payne Assumes Boston Pas
tOrate Sunday.

Rev. Thomas B. Payne, pastor Of the
westtrook Uuiversaliss church, preaohed
his farewell sermon yesterday morning
before eood-s'zed congregation.
Rev. Mr. Payne has received and &C.
cspted call to become assistant pastor
OF the Every Day church of Boston Of
which Rev. George l.. Perrin 10 the pastor.
Rev. Mr.. Payne spoke yesterday morn
ing on the topic, 1--WE are co-laborers
with God" taking his text for. / Cor.
$50: For we are iaborers together with
God.
He said, in brief: "The very summit
of our conception of human dignity and
worth Is reached In this declaration Of
Ct Paul, that 1--WE are lAbofers together
with God" Life 10 80 full Of the trivial.
the insigninoant. the worthless, We are
In danger of forgetting this. To be un-
Impressed with this truth, Il to live and
work In an atmosphere OF discourage
ment. hopeless ness and failure.
My friends. Iyou and may be CO.
laborsrs with God In ways that, as yet.
we have little dreamed Of. Strange as it
may seem to us, the plans Of the AL
mighty Himself, In important partiou-
lars, are absolutely dependent upon our
cooperation for their fullhlment. 10 SOC
this ami to feel this is TO see . meaning
and dignity In human life that nothing
else oan give.
Let me- point out to you this morning
some parts Of the Divine plan In which
this human cooperation IL absolutely
essential
II is Gods plan for humanity that It
become finally physically perfect. Now
great as God Is, He can never bring this
to accomplishment without our help. He
furnishes the material without our help.
He furnishes the material with which TO
work-our physical organization. He
works upon It. But we also must work
upon it. We must know It; we must
control IL; we must develop It Paul calls
our bodies temples Of the living God. As
such we should treat them. God can
never bring the ra,e to physical rerfec-
ton until men. all men, cooperate with
him, osasing to make Of their bodies cess
pools into which only the filth Of life
goes, and out OF which only hlth conse-
quently can come.
God Is dependent upon the cooperation
of men for the unfolding of his truth
Of human brotherhood. Observations
and experience support the declarations
of Scripture that humanity's best welfare
Is found in mans living togethsr as
brothers. II one mem Der suffers, all
suffer- Are we doing this In pranticef A
very few are trying to do It. The bulk
of our race Is prsying one upon the other.
Today great nation to whom humanity
las been looking for inspiration in Its
physical, intellectual and spiritual saliva
tion is engaged in the greatest act of
International piracy" of the century. 1t
Is the greatest blow of the last 80 years to
optimistio philosophy.
Again God Is dependent upon men for
the realization of his ideal OF Individual
righteousness for each living soul. The
ignorant charge Is continually being
made against Universalism that 1t
teaches God can save men in spite Of
themselves. OF course We teach nothing
of the kind. With us salvation Is charsc-
ter, and that is the joint prodccS Of
Divine and human cooperation and. in
deed, can be achieved In no other way. II
is a great and thrilling conception that
we all can become s'perfect even as our
Father which 10 In heaven Is perfect"
And, finally. God is dependent upon
your cooperation, dear friends. for the
or the work In this COM
munity, through this church, that he de-
sires to do. And this is the last word
wish to leave with you as your pastor. II
you do not work with him it must re-
main undone. How can you aid in itP
"a, BY an Intelligent understanding Of
the Gospsl preached here; e. } by preach
ing that Gospel. not one day only, but
seven days In the week; (3), BY living the
faith you profess. That faith Is summed
up in the one word. Glove" Every dis
oourhgemsEt. every difficulty, every OBJ
stacle, must be looked at through 1t.
Personal likea aislikes, prejudioss and
hatreds will vanish where the love Of God
and Christ is, and there God Is and his
work IL being done. To be true laborers
with God, that Is the one thing Of all
others covst for you. To this end may
the love and peace of Christ abide with
you, In your hearts. In your homer, In
this, his church, and in this city.
Rev. Mr. Payne hns been lccatsd In
westbrook for the past three years, re-
signing passionate at Rumford Falls and
Lewiston TO accept call to the Univer-
salist church of Westbrook. MIR. Payne
in accepting the call as assistant pastor
Of the Every Day church OF Boston. will
be required to preach occasionally, and to
have charge of the Sunday school and the
young peoples work, making sick calls
and general oversight of the charitable
work. He Is TO remain In Westbrook