Evening journal., 1900-04-30

represented in the large gathering In /
the Opera House last night, whore the
regular church services of Epworth NJ /
f. Church were conducted. The Rev.
#. B. Short preached an eloquent SER
mon on pure and Practical Religion,
and the choir Of thirty-fve voices gave
an excellent program. Mrs. Emma
Saxton was accompanist and John
Wallsmith, cornetist Mrs. Miriam
Sheppard Davidson, Of Dover, was the
soprano soloist.
SERMON ON RELIGION
Mr.. shorts sermon was as follows:
James /. "a: Pure religion and un-
defled before God and the Father is
this. to visit the fatherless and widows
in their affiiction, and 90 keep himself
unspotted from the world
Mankind is attracted by and inter-
ested in the beautiful, the good, and
the true. The beautiful, broad stretch
ing landscape. with its singing rivu-
lets. winding streams and lowing
herds: the roar of the mighty deep. as
one byone its foam-crested waves dash
ed against the shore; the majesty OF
rugged snow-capped mountains which
have stood as the silent, stern senu-
nels of the ages, watching the coming
and the going of generations, the rise
and fall of cities and empires, and the
decay of nations; these and all else in
Gods great universe call forth the
highest degree Of appreciation that
mankind possesses. The beautiful the
good and the true in our fellowman are
our pride, our joy, and our boast. The
false and the spurious We abominate
despise and reject, and this is true in
whatever field or department Of life
we find such qualities and conditions.
But there is one department OF life
Qf life may be divided into such),
where the spurious and the false are
the most despised and the most surely
Rejected refer to the religious. We
admire the beauty OF the flowers, the
innocence Of childhood and the stern
ness OF truth: so also do we look with
delight and gratitude upon every life
made beautiful by the Supreme aim TO
help mankind and to please God the
Father of us all He who thus lives
and tolls is indeed a religious man, and
in the chambers Of his conscience is
echoed and re-echoed, Thou art my
beloved son IN whim I am well
pleased By nature man is a religious
being, but his religion may be true OF
false. There Is a truly religious life,
there is also a false religious life-e
life presumptuOus and hypocrtical
Such twas true when St James lived
and such S sometimes true-alasl too
true-in these days. ! am addressing
an audience this evening that repre-
sents in some degree every denomina
tion in this city. and we all have oui
respective doctrines. AS to some O
these we agree TO differ, and as breth
ren we part; but we do not part. no.
differ as to the results Of the truly re
ligious life-as to the fruits Of 'pur'
religion" May I not also say that s'
far as the absolute requirements neces
sary to pure religion are concerned W
are-Protestant and Roman Catholi
ahke-agreed? Let us see.
OUR AGREEMENT.
We all believe in God as the Create
and the preserver Of the universe: W
believe in Jesus Christ, His Son, on
Lord. who was conceived by the Hol
Ghost born of the Nirgn Mary, suffer
ed under Pontius Pilate was cruciheC
dead and buried; we believe that II
arose from the dead and that He eve
liveth at the right hand of God th
Father TO make intercession for us. w
believe that sin is in the world an
that Jesus Christ is our only Saviour
we believe that He will save all VIII
come to Him by faith. and help thei
into nobler manhood in time and sain
hood in eternity. We believe that pun
religion is best for the individual. an
for the race at large. We believe ths
Jesus merits our worship, and desire
that we shall bless humanity an
thereby honor Him. We believe in n
reward OF the righteous, and the pun
ishment of the wicked. These are u
most essential elements in pure relii
ion. and herein we all agree VIII
then, so many different churches an
denominations?
To my mind these various denOmin
tions represent the varied ways
which we approach Jesus Christ a
cording TO our own conception,
whose grace we hope to reach the eli
Of our God and lay at His feet son
precious sheaves. No demon
nation is the sole exponent OF all Cod
truth; and every member of eve
church Of every denomination shou
be earnestly seeking for that light
which all the nations of the earth sh;
come TO see the beauty Of the LOr
and trust in the power OF His migl
Oh. that God might soon raise us
men in every sect and denominatil
that would lead these battalions of po
pilgrims into one mighty and invin'
Bile army. at whose head shall ride I
King of Kings and the Lord of Lor,
When that day shall have come-a
Il Is fastening on-the strongholds
darkness shall be invaded, sin erai
Gated. the evil one dethroned. a
every Christian of every denOminati
shall join heart and voice in that cor
nation song.
"All hail the power of Jesus nan
Let angels PROSTATE fall
Bring forth the royal diadem
And crown Him Lord Of al"
My friends. we may emphasize
cardinal doctrines of our church. a
may find that we can come closer
our ideal OF pure religion through c.
tain forms of worship land this