The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-03
CONDITIONS AFTER LIFE.
The Rev. DIR. 9. u. McConneil's Views a,
the State OF the Dead.


The Rev. DR.. s. d. Mcconnell, rector o., tina
Episcopal Church OF the Holy Trinity In Brook
Ign. was the preacher. on Wednesday night. nj
the celebration OF the thirtieth anniversary Of
st. Georges Church in Gates avenue. His
sermon which was on the relation OF the liv.
ing to the dead. caused a deep impression anil
will probably produce considerable discussion
in church circles His text was taken from
Hebrews. XII. 80 and 40. and these all, having
obtained n good report through faith. received
not the promise; God having provided some
better things for us. that they without us
should not be made perfect; III. Muccabees,
xii. 40 from the Apocryphal: 1t is a holy and
q wholesome thought to pray for the dead"
This 10 a part Of DR.. McConnell's discourse a,
reported In the Eagle:
What is our relation toward the majority,
the sreat multitude OF those who have tassed
away Is there any interplay OF affection.
any exchange OF kindly Officer Are they in
any way concerned about us. or we about
them2 The text gives us some idea They
without US should not be made perfect They
are not yet perfect: they are not yet complete.
To answer these aus.tLons in,eligently wa
corning. the condition OF the departedr Not
this individual or that, but the, categur,,ni
statement Of authority with regard to the null
The belief Of our Church, and say il care.
ION Of n. Prayer BOX Is not the
belief That belief 10 summed up In the state.
ment that The souls Of believers are at death
made perfect unto holiness and Immediately
show that this is inconceivable. unthinkais.
line 10 drawn through humanity. on one aida
PEI the righteous and on The other Tii'
There are. no righteous aud no wicked. Tho
good and the evil are 30 mixed up in all Of US
that this classification cannot he made. We. all
Va q n n m hal har
righteous nor wicked. We are not ripe for
Judgment Ne man ever gets ripe for judg.
This popular Protestant idea makes OF sins
physical affair solely. 1t ignores degrees ~
not not RomisS either. The Roman catioS
Church believes that tho ordinary baptized
Ierson not In mortal SIN a. as death enters s into
Of destiny lies, therefore. with the Church. W.
this cycle and the final cycle There Is no at.
The s souls are not ripe for Judgment. Mental
intelligcncs continues indefinitely In this eK-
DIR. Mcconnell spoke OF Dives and Lazarus.
eaid they must have been pretty close together.
for they talked to each other. the rich man be-
for he did not know his brethren here but be.
gan TO ask about them there. He also spoke OF
for man that He ran through every -xperisnos
moral UPWARD feS Sad S
stating his convictions in the briefest possible
language and might be misunderstood but
he could not well avoid II. and asked this ques-
ton: ia there any place OF moral recovery
after this life shall have endedf" He answered
1t in substance as follows;
Life is probation, and always will be. The
next life, or any life. l. life OF probation. II
continues and IL complete IL II fuflls the con-
ditons. Il there any place Tor moral recovery
IL there n place whrrs faults may be corrected
and a new life begun? My answer is this: Lite
is growing, In this or any other state. Growing
is changing for the better The human soul
remains n human soul. and the essential. In
TT nsic soul s morally moving toward one OF
two goals-cohercnt Righteousness or incoher-
ent wickehness. | cannot conceive 81 m eX-
istence where moral growth Is not possible.
We die as men. and when we awake con-
seriousness we awake as men. The possibility
OF recovery must exist as long a. the human
soul exists aud wherever II exists. Some may
say that 10 live by this doctrine would make
men slack here. do not believe It,. Neither
do believe in the sharp dist notion ofthe bliss
of one and the torment Of the other. and 1t Ia
not believed by anybody.
catholic. are tree To- walk step by step with our
beloved all our lives: TO stand by them in the
dry bed Of Jordan. ark in hand prayers on lips:
see them rass into the shadow. then turn and
pray: Il tighten their darkness. beseech
Thee. q Lori. and by Thy great mercy defend
them from all the pers OF this their nieht. aud
bring them and us together into the light OF
Thy glorious resurrection. through Jesus
Christ. our Lord. >"