The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-09
A REWARD FOR TEE JUST
Discourse of Bishop Waidron at
the Metropolitan NJ. E. Church.
The Industrious Man Wins In Busi-
ncss-The Dilicent shall Stand Be-
Be Preferred Before All others
Equity of the Arrangement.

Metropolitan Memorial NJ E. Church
was crowded to its utmost capacity yester-
day morning by visiting members of the
conferences now in session in this city, by
the regular congregation. and by strangers
drawn thither to hear the sermon of Bishop
John NJ Waldron, of Cincinnati. Seated
with Rev. Frank NJ. Bristol, pastor Of
the church, were Bishop Waldron DR.. Ed
wards, and DR.. Baldwin. presiding elders
of Baltimore; DR.. Leonard, of New York;
Dr. Price, of Martinsburg, W. Va, and DR..
Monroe. secretary of the general confer
ence. Within the rail also sat a number
Of the members of the conference. Presi-
dent Mckinley was an interested listener
to the sermon.
In opening his address Bishop Waldron
said that it was particularly appropriate
on this day to remind ourselves of that in
cident in the life of Christ differing from
all other incidents in his life, in that the
Man of Sorrows who had not place to lay
his head was received in Jerusalem with
a srout of triumph and recognized as the
King of Israel. While not intending to
study that theme in his sermon. Bishop
Waldron said he had chosen one which
he thought was appropriate to the occasion.
Accordingly. he invited the attention OF
the congregation to the following words:
And we know that all things work to-
gether for good to them that love God, and
TO them that are called according to his
purpose" Romans. viiI:2s.
Bishop Waldron referred to the book of
u
the most interesting, in the New Tesla
ment. To his mind it was like the ascent
of mountain by slow stages AS one vert
up the view frightened and the outi>"a
extends' until, as he reached the top, he
could icok with unobstructed vision over
the whole scheme OF redemption and Of
Gods revelation. 1t was an uplifting to
faith, he thought, to read this chapter
thoughtfully.
Turning to the text, Bishop Waldron re-
marked that the first thing one would
meet in repeating the words of the apes
tie to the average man, would be a chal-
lenge of the statement made. The eX
perience of the world and the observation
of men would seem not to bear out tie
truth of the language used. r.. The chal-
lenger would object to the dJseriUina-
ton which the text implies, and he would
be likely to resent what he would call
the injustice of such religious dogma.
The text does not comprehend the whole
race. but very small part of it. and
the Bishop said the challenger would ar
que that God is a God of Love, that the
sun shines alike on the just and the I'M
Just; that God is no respecter of persons;
that in his belief the Divine Being could
not and would not discriminate thus
among his own creatures.
The challenge, the speaker admitted, was
forceful. but he thought it was not well
grounded on a complete understanding OF
the apostles teaching. God is revealed
in the works OF nature, the Bishop sad
and he is revealed in the Word; 10th
revelations harmonic when both are
properly understood. Gods thought in
nature is in harmony with this divine
thought and there is no conflict" The
speaker then quoted passages of Scripture
to show that ii is law of God. laid down
in his holy word, that the industrious
man wins in business, that the diligent
man shall stand before kings. and that the
upright man shall be preferred before 9TH
ers- This. Bishop Waldron remarked. IS
the way of the world. Everybody recGg-
nizes it in ordinary affairs. but it reveals
bread and clear discrimination among
men which is generally regarded as just.
So it was with the text. thought the
Bishop. The discrimination here made
was based upon character. AS the indus
trious man wins in business SO here the
man who loves God is the recipient of
privileges. One is as just and as equita-
BILE as the other.
In his teaching here, the apostle"
said the Bishop. has gone beyond the
point Of speculation AMI speaks with as
surance. In saying, And we know
Paul is not dealing with philosophical
subtleties, but with the verities of expe-
rience and the substantial things OF
faith.
All things here spoken OF we must take.
the speaker observed. as a very compre-
hens!ve statement. 1t refers to a being
Of complicated environment. II means
food and raiment and all the material
things of which man stands in need: in
short, it refers to physical conditions. 1t
refers also to a being with intellectual
powers relating him to the material world
and to is fellowmen. IL refers too TO d
being with spiritual powers. and the text
properly interpreted means ''all things"
in all these spheres-the material world
the social world. and the spiritual world
We sometimes feel, the Bishop con-
tinued, that there is no helpful relation
between the material world and the
spiritual world. Indeed. the religious life
is made more difficult on account of it.
and We cannot expect much thai is helpful
in the natural world about us. If we can
find out, therefore, that there is a help
full relation between the physical world
and our spiritual welfare, the Bishop
thought il would not be necessary to pur-
sue the other lines of thought suggested
by the text
Bishop Waldron then said that the text |
was sometimes wrongfully made to refer
to the providence of God in times of trou-
bic. People applied it to death. to sor-
row. 10 disaster. and to the Ills of life. |
and then said that these things work to-
gether for good TO the believer. 1t was |
true, the Bishop said that the special |
providence of God works good to the be- |
liever but il was wrong he thought. TO |
apply any such teaching to this text. !
The Bible teaches that the hairs of our |
heads are numbered, and that not one of |
them can fall to the ground without the |
knowledge of the Father. But this text |
does not say that God overrules and dis !
penses the events of life so that they con- |
tribute to our well-being. The "alI |
things" here meant. the Bishop said. were |
he material world, society. and the spirit |
ual world together. II is the constitution |
OF the world in which the man finds HIM |
self II is a creation in which all de- |
partments. all forces, and all the agencies |
of the divine mind work together for good |
to the creature.
The world was created for Just such a |
being as man is. 1t is designed for an in
tellectual being said the speaker. and it |
was designed for moral being. The |
world was created. he thought by him
who came to redeem man and for the pur-
pGSes OF that redemption. The scheme
Was in the divine mind in all its detail
before it was worked out in the creation,
in,