The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-06-13

INDIVIDUAL INTERPRETATION.
This gospel, primarily for the individ-
ual. calls at this time and place for in
dividusl Interpretation. | take II that the
spirit OF this hour IL the true spirit Of
Professionalism. You are anxious that
speak forth what i verify believe. You
are not concerned abort what other men
have thought. For unless | mistake the
mission of the preacher I'm this age OF
unrest and dire perplexity II is for him
to interpret less what Augustine, or Cal
win. or Luther, or Jonathan Edwards
have said than 10 return TO the fountain
of truth. the message OF Jesus TO the
world and speak that forth without
fear as God gives him insight and wis
dom.
when ! read this message l find it
to be a gospel. plain and simple.
"A message OF practice TO practical
men. 1t is good news TO a world that
is wandering and oft-tlmes lost In the
mazes of an evil life,
ut affords the possibility for an elab-
crate theology, for it deals with the
fundamental questions OF life and life's
relationships Yet, while II contains the
possibilities and kssn words of such a
| theology we find no elaborate system.
proceeding on ths4asSnmption that
man verify believes only what he In some
1 measure understands and that practice r.
i'm harmony with and the outward expires
| sion OF faith 1 hnd my task wonderfully
\ simplined. I shall attempt. therefore,
| from practical standpoint 60 state the
| essential ideas IN my theological posi-
| ton.
! Ills GUIDE JESUS.
My guide even for my method. will be
| Jesus. rather than the schoolmen. When
| we learn that the Master comes speaking
OF God as Father we md ourselves face
TO face with the cardinal thought of the
teaching and with an idea that was
familiar 10 Jesuite ears. But Jesus gives
IL new significance, The writer's of our
Old Testament had not been able TO en-
tirely divorce themselves from the nation.
al idea. IL was Israel that was 10 bs
redeemed and saved ana God was tht
Father OF the nation.
1T was for Jesus 20 make plain for mer
that the relationship OF God to the In
! diVidual soul was that OF father II
was not only the corner stone hut IN,
very essence of his teaching. All els,
unfolded naturally from that God wa
no longer irst OF all law giver or Judge
but first OF all the Father of the individ
uai. His Law was a Father law: his jus
toe Father Justice. If he furnishe,
men for sin II WAS as a Father furnishe
and the sting was tempered with fathorl
| pity and mercy.
1t Is the thought Of God that mean
: most to me. In my weakness and sin
? comforts me little 10 know with Herbei
Spencer that God Is an eternal enegery
or with Matthew Arnold that lie il IN
a power that makes for righteousness
But IL does comfort and uplift TO kno'
with Jesus Christ that he II my Faths
? and that IN my hour of greatest need nj
Z arms then extend farthcst toward m
x and that there hts care a. greatest. n
Q pity tenderest
Z The relationship 90 Jesus 60 God.
have conceived II UTight a. Involved
y that expression. II God was Ills Faith,
r then he was Gods son. And who sha
= penetrate into all the mysteries ~ IN.
n relationship.
q This relationship bound them into
eternal unity. So perfect was the boz
J. that Jesus could say 7 and my Father n
b Gods spirit was hts spirit. Gods wi
b his Will Gods mind hts mind
N God was IN him both 20 will and do
le his good pleasure
d 1t Is this relationship between ca