The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-05
Religions Final TEST
DIR. Kent Declares 1t Is to Be Found
in lis Relation 10 Life.
The Theory and Practice of Right
Living Set Forth in the Teachings
and Life of Jesus ns Recorded in
the Gospel a sabbath Morning
Sermon at the Peoples Church.

Dr. Alexander Kent, pastor Of the Peo-
pies Church, took for his theme yesterday
morning Religion and Secularism." He
said. in the course of his sermon, that the
final test of religion must be found in its
relation to life. Life, in the large sense
OF the word is the end for which all else
+ exists. It is the Towering Of the material
universe; that in which the universe has
its only possible explanation.
Or. Kent continued, saying: II We
strive to imagine for moment the utter
absence Of all life on its sensate and con-
scious forms, we shall find it impossible
to conceive Of any end which this infinite
system, or any part OF it. could serve. We
cannot think OF an end or use except as
related TO conscious being. There must be
faculties of perception and sensation to
which things visible address themselves, or
they can have no possible meaning. If it
be said that God made the world for His
own glory and pleasure, We are thinking Of
/ Him as q conscious being, to whose facul-
ties the universe addresses itself, to whose
enjoyment and satisfaction it ministers
and in whose satisfaction and enjoyment i
find its reason for being
There is no possible escape from the
conclusion that life is the end which the
whole machinery Of this visible universe
is serving and that its highest end is to
be found in the highest form of life it is
capable Of producing. or to which it min
istcrs II Is not meant, of course, that
the visible alone is capable of producing
suy form OF life. The visible does not eX-
ist alone. II cannot exist alone, any more
than our mortal bodies can exist without
The auimating spirit, the invisible, vitaiiz-
ing power. The infinite, invisible is that
in which the visible has its being. and by
which all its phenomena are determined.
But all that is phenomenal has its only ex-
PLANTATION in those forms Of life TO which
il ministers, and in those conscious expe-
riences by which living beings come into
vital sympathy and fellowship with the in
visible ife-giving power.
Therefore, / say" DR.. Kent continued.
that the first test of religion must be
found in its relation to that life which
puts man at one with himself, brings him
into harmony with those laws that condi-
ton his happiness and gives him a sense
Of communion and fellowship with the
life OF the universe. No one will question |
that Jesus made this claim for the rel- /
gion He came 10 teach. He sets it forth 1
clearly when He says: 1 am come that 4
they might have life, and have it more I
abundantly. Not only so, it is the warp 1
Of the whole web OF His teaching, that I
which holds the wool or filling of it to- !
gether. And / make bold to say that it is |
the highest and wOrthiest end which any
religion or science or philosophy can pro- ,
pose. For life in this large sense is the I
function OF being. 1t is at once the bless
edness Of joyous activity, delightful har-
mony, and invigorating repOse. The aim
of true religion. then. is life-life in the
individual and life in society. II does not
propose 10 content itself with saving men.
It proposes to save mankind. II has care
not only for the atoms, but for the mass.
Its band Of individual disciples is TO grow
into the organized and all-conquering
Kingdom Of God. It aims at something
more than the rescue Of a chosen few from
a social order left in sim it aims at the
reconstruction Of the social organism Its
ultimate end for his world as elsewhere.
is the reign OF righteOusness-not the
Of love, the righteousness Of
God. The life, therefore, at which it aims
is the life Of the highest. Its injunction
to every human soul is, BE We therefore
perfect, even as your Father in heaven is
perfect Il tells us that this life Of Cod
the life OF the universe-is a continuous
outflow Of service and benefaction; that
nothing which He has made is so small as
70 escape His proyidentisl care and pur-
pose that He is kind even unto the un-
thankful and the evil; that not a sparrow
falleth 70 the ground without His notion.
and that we are of more value in His sight
than many sparrows
In the thought of such a religion infinite
powers and infinite wisdom mean infinite
love and infinite seryiCe-ininite unselfish-
ness. The life Of the highest is a life OF
devotion and service 10 the lowliest God
rules this universe, not for what praise and
glory he can get out of H. but for what
1f himself. his own righteousness, his own
peace. his own Joy he can put into il.
This is the Christ thought Of the highest 1
and we are to be perfect even as he is per- 4
ect. The Christ religion. therefore. is first
, theory Of life. Il proclaims the laws Of
life, sets forth the conditions under which /,
lie may be realized. II presents these as
having their root in the infinite goodness,
md standing in necessary and eternal re-
ations to the welfare Of those on whom
iuty bears. and thus offers motives to the
conduct and character it enjoins. superior
% those offered by any other system. Its
bought OF love as the root OF law and the
source OF pain is the great reconciline
power OF religion. Its thought of life as
he normal activity Of the man in coop
ration with God-the glad experience OF
he child going about the business OF the
ather-is full Of the highest encourage l
nent and highest inspiration. So far as l
aeu come under the influence OF this J
heory Of life a spirit OF sonship and Z
BROTHERHOOD animates and controls them .
nd this spirit is the very soul Of the =
obest human life.
But true religion must be more than a I
heory of life and Jesus not only preached G
nd pracdced He embodied and illus c
rated the truth he taught Life in its I
anger sense was realized in him. In him c
vas life. and the life was. prominently, v
he light OF men 4
We may. therefore define the Christ re- d
igion as that theory and practice Of right q
living set forth in the teaching and life Of @
esus as recorded in the Gospel" b