The Portland daily press., 1900-03-05
He Is a Most Eloquent and Force full
Speaker.
Dean Stills the Rector Of
st. Luke's.
He Accepted the Office and Asked
Cooperation Of His People.

At st. Luks's cathedral yssterday
morning before very large oongrssa-
tion Right Reverend Bishop Goldman
ORE cached his first eermon In this city.
taking his text from Sslvations 10. "If
any man preach any other gospel unto
youth and that ye have received, let him
be acoursed."
Bishop Goldman has clear and pene-
tratipg delivery, his very word being
distinctly heard and his central thought
was well drawn distinction between VI
think" and "believe." At the outset
he faid that we can learn OF God In
three ways, first within ourselves reflected
as ina mirrcr, second in nature and
third in the Holy Bible where We are told
Of Gods sure way to heaven. Studying
about God In these revelations. one man
comes to one conclusion. another to
another conclusion and We find the world
full of different opinions about God and
duty to God. One says 81 think" and
another 81 believe" and some liberal
minded people urge that each man should
think as he pleases. The latter leads to
degenerate professionalism" Thinking
by himself makes the man fool. and
~ think" Is soon lost In uubelief and
leads to nothing. 1t Ia the consisted
fool who says AZ think" but 1t 10 tho
humble Chrlstian who says II believe"
The former claims to be his own :eacher,
the latter sits at the foot of teacher as
pupil.
Bishop Goldman referred briefly to
natural selection Q solv ed by Darwin
and dwelt upon the fact that God could
have lsft us to study. each man for
himsslf, and point ed out the difficulty
Of a religion which was only the product
Of q human mind. God had. however,
revealed himself by sending to US
a teacher.
Who is he who dares to say there is no
hell, NO trinity, etof 1t is he who relies
on his own private opinion. The preacher
referred to the confusion of opinion
which arose among thoss who say 81
think," and sxhtorsd his hearers to
listen to the creed Of the Holy Catholic
church. This Is not opinion but rather
the teaching of the Grand Old Mother
church a summons to conform.
Bishop Goldman said he did not wish
the laity to understand that they were
obliged to take every Interpretation OF
scripture from the preacher, nor did he
want them to understand that they were
to do no thinking, for thinking was
the noblest use to which human intel
lect could be put, but he did wish them
to conform to the teachings Of the church
as embodied in the book of prayer.
He compared the attitude OF the true
believer in the oh urch to that Of the child
at the feet of its mother. ami thanked
God that this to worldKof disputing and
contests, the: Mother church had sent
Christ as teacher and his gospel which
the apostles and which st. Paul taught.
1t 10 def mite gospel and q definite faith
which for 1900 year has been tested.
He described the light house on tho
waters against which sssbirds rush only
to be destroyed and compared this to
Gods church, against which in vain have
beatsn the herssies Of 1900 years, for the
gospel preached by the church still
shines still speaks and still teaches.
During the morning service Dean Stills
read notice Of his election to the rector
ship Of st. Luke's parish, and in Ak
pressing his acceptance Of 1t, referred
to the increase Of responsib ility due to
HE election to such position. For nearly
twenty years he had served the cathedral
In association with the late bishop. and
he asked the CO. operation and prayers of
his psople IN the work which was now
added to him.
In the evening Bishop CodD'an preached
a most thoughtful sermon at st. Paul's
church where the services were largely
attended.