The times., 1899-12-18

President Mckinley was in h5s a.
cuztomed pew at the II O'Clock service Of
the Metropolitan IL z. Church. Yesterday
morning. Bisaop Hurst conducted the de-
roionai exercises. The sermon vas
preached by the regular pastor. Rev. Frank
II Bristol who took for his text The
words Of John and Luke "WnJ thou be
made wholeg' John v.6; and What wilt
thou that I should do unto thea'. Luke
GViii.8L Or. Bristol spoke OF the 5euravity
OF the world at the time Of the Saviolr's
coming. and the difficulties to be overcome
by him in teaching the people tina ter
spiritual welfare was Of greater Importance
than fheir temporal existence He sad:
There was always something deeper in
Christss question than appeared to the or
dinary. person. NateriaIism was the dom
inant philosophy OF the time, and the in
tellecJual and spiritual in man had for
centuries been a slave 10 the animal in his
nature. Jesus. therefore, sought to incul-
cate in the people the spiritual thought
OF God The people Of that time Wee
thinking Of things material and thought
only Of their physical condition. One
would think that a soul would occasionally
rise out Of the darkness, but no, they
chose the path which they had always trod
and preferred ignorance OF God to the
blessings which Christ came to confer
When Christ cured the blind and the
lame they accqSted his ministratious as
miracle from a physical OF material stand
point and did not realize the spirit OF
Christ which made them whole.
IT is true that several came 10 Jesus
il the spirit Of enquiry, seeking 10 lean
the truth but in no instance did ne find
their spiritual condition higher than their
physical II takes human nature a long
time to find that their physical ills are
not their greatest. The doctrine Of some
is that the highest ideal in the world is
10 cure disease. Not that the art Of hea--
ing is not a beautiful one. but Jesus had
. higher mission. il was the soul that he
Sought 10 cultivate. Christ knew q man S
failiugs. his besetdng sin, his egoJism, and
follies
Jesus found men who were blind. lame,
and infrm and in each case be found that
these things were hampering them and
keeping them from achieving their proper
work in the world Jesus came TO heal and
perfect al men. II their physical defects
hindered them from occupying their proper
place in the world. then their spiritual
defects were a greater hindrance.
DO physical defects keep a man from
entering the race for existance2 No, if
his spiritual nature acc0rds with Christs
teachings. il may not be for anyone but
the soul 10 know what these defects a. e,
but as a rule, men think they know
themselves. Happy is the man who IS suf-
fcientIy enlightened by the Spirit OF Christ
to know his own failings Your neighbor
often thinks be knows them, but he is
as often mistaken. II should not make
man discouraged TO learn the truth about
himself. He is, indeed, in a sad condition
who is afraid TO have his faults revealed
Goo pity the man who has had his sspfra-
1i0us dragged in the dust and who has not
h. an eternal longing in him 10 know
ClIIst Even the blind man was not with
out his aspirations. The man who is so
seuostic and egotisticaI az 10 not see The
truth is Ike the bat in his dark cell who
is frightened into deeper darkness by every
ray OF light which penetrates fl.
Christ IS here" continued Dr. Bristol,
"to make Us whole TO kindIe the fame OF
hope in our breasts. 10 make the bind
see. and 10 lay a balm on the spiritual de-
feels Of men
In conclusion, DR.. Bristol said that the
secret OF the lack Of happiness was that
there was not the spirit OF Christ in the
hearts Of people OF no heaven upon their
horizon. LET me ask" he said. Cannot
Christ DO something AT least let MIN
bring JOY into thal heart which is filled
with Disappointment