The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1900-11-09

love for God and man, DR.. Jesse A.
Clifton of the Methodist church, Of
Sumter.
DR.. Clifton made an eloquent talk,
and II short synopsis would not do him
justice, but space forbias us to give
more. He spoke in part as fovvows:
1t was the proud boast Of the French
philosopher, Noltaire, that Christian,
ity would die in the evening Of the
nineteenth century. That boastful
scholar has passed into dreams and for
gctfulncss, aud his name but fingers rs
an odium to the iuhcritors Of the ear n.
The yinc.clad chnpclS Of the world still
lift their spires to the towering hcav-
ems, and the deep throatcl organs send
ont the music OF invitation to tn" chill,
drrn Uf men. Revolutions still rock
the rrCkinE gloHc. Society adop'S and
then rCvCrsrs It's maX!mS. Political,
social and civil Cdicte rise, live q day
and pass away. All things change.
Mutation is written on everything.
san ana mo0n hut set u rise, round
aud round tn" seasons -. Aul yet in
all this rlrnrr one thing, thank God
on high, rem ,in1 unchanged II"
Church in il, grand and glorious pur-
pose stiil hirssrs the world, and every
hill top uttr>tS is allegiance and frulty
to truth.
We com" this afternoon, dear frirnd,
Of historic Old Newbrrry, VIC come to-
gcthCr today representing every clc-
mcnt OF society here, and jOiu with one
purpose in the ,nsrcratiun Of our Spir-
it ami 0ur means to the high and holy
"u0 ot erecting another church against
which the gates Of hell shall mover pre-
vail. invite your attention in the
discussion OF two or three thoughts.
The first and rS-cn,iHl element Of
;rut !, lis simplicity. You notice al.
ready thr simplicity OF organization
tina, was in the mind Of the great
Teacher. lie did nothing that there
>uuu,l he complication in the human
mind in the establishment rf the,
cAurrn. Iuu recognizes the simplicity
o. this plan N all religion. TO int"l!i-
gently understand from Il lijhlc stand
point : simplicity itself. Ilo~ often
have We confused the minds Of the
children Of men cnn'clniuH the sim
N!e>t things lua; Goa has given lis !.
SAY that all truth Is simple. As an
"a .. = hrt "A u
take The most splendid AMI mos: mag
u.tircnl essay Of M"cau!ry, and il You
Will take the pains 70 reduce that "s.
say TO is last araly$is ynu Will find
English alphabet Of twrntt-siX charac.
tors. The grandcst problem in mathc-
nlaticS today, when reduced To It's last
analysis, consists Of so macy circles
right angle triangivH, And 80 it is in
reference to all traih. The essential
element is simplicity. lio" marvel
lous to these who reflect in modern
gravitntion. Aud yet that great dis
covcry Of Ncwton's was bat the rXrr-
else Of the powers that God has given
to every man on the earth Of common
observation and of drawing IL conclu-
sion.
All that is necessary to be Il Christian
is simply to surrender what we know is
false, accept what God teaches is true
wi al ,F Il lrrn.
ing the truth. We find the "peurl Of
great price," we sacrifice nothing bat
what il hurtful, and embrace all that
is helpful. This, my friends. is the
great idea of the Teacher. lie says to
MS the kingdom Of God is Mt hand, and
meant the spiritual truth that takes
possession Of our spiritual nature brings
Ms into harmony AId unison with the
kingdom of God.
Aud nov, my friends, in discussing
this let me call your attention to two
or three facts: First, the adaplability
Of tho church to meet the wants OF hu-
manity. Now look at that just little
further. The adaptubility Of the church
Of God to meet the wants Of the soul is
Il marvellous truth in human Cxpcri-
cncc. II is no small thing to be idpn-
tilted with Christ'A church in the world.
1t is no small thing, but it is graDdcr
thing to src through all the forms the
spiritual truth that Christ came to it'll
part to you and TO me, that we get out
Of this darkness into the sweet light Of
his own divine love. We find that God
has in his mercy permitted the differ
cnt forms OF the Christian church to
| exist for the specific purpose OF meeting
| the dcmNnds OF the alaptability OF our
nature 10 the Gains that Goa makes
through these churches upon the allie
gicnCc OF the soul. II would not do for
all the churches to hr furtlulatCd into
one single church. AS grand as | think
the Methodist Church, aver that |
think il would hc Il misfortune for all
the Christian denominations Of the