The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-09-09

so was this statement OF Jesus 10 the
Jewish world and 10 every man ana wo-
man today
IL establishes a standard. provides
criterion OF life. but one which every man
is or ought TO be willing 90 accept
III means saving 10 oneself, VIII acceIN
all that which enlarges me and makes
me better. 1 VIII reject all that wmcH
narrows and dwarfs me. -
Men reared under the influence OF ttr
church ofttimes ask themselves can 4
become a Christian, can 1 restrain from
this: can | lead myself 10 do that: can
/ believe this or that?
THE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION.
This is not the fundamental question.
The question that the Christian religion
as taught by Jesus Christ brought home
to every man is this, am willing, Coo
helping me, TO do every thing that IN me
lies TO enlarge all that 10 good Wlthin
me?
Am / willing. to shun all that narrows
and contracts my life and makes me
smaller, less useful mang
That Is the question 10 be confronted.
How often I'm the religious az la the po-
litical world the great principles are iost
sight of under the heap OF petty iormu,
lac and small questions that arise Today
in the greatest OF our American CITIES
men are combating with each on score
OF questions none OF which are vital Is
the police department corrupt or is IL notE
WIN men lay aside party prejudice Tor
public good In the choice OF canuldate
for governor or will they not Important
questions? Yes. But OF more vital inn
portance in New York city, in this city
and every city OF the land Will the hon
est. earnest majority of conscientious
men realize their responsibilities TO the
city government and take the burden OF
administration upon their shoulders. or
or will they shirk IL and leave the man
agement 10 men who have no other mo-
tive than their own selfish aggrandize-
-lent? Can l accept the Bible literally.
can | profess the creeds of the church;
can | become a disciple Of Calvin or OF
Wesley? That is not the question. DO i
want 20 develop the latent power of man
hood within me2 DO | want TO stir up
this image of God and grow into the stat
ure of full manhood
DO / want TO awaken every chord or my
being that answers 10 the best there Is IN
life round about me- DO ] want 10 he
filed with the funess OF life? That is fl
nal and fundamental
Having decided that. having made that
the end and goal OF your striving,you can
well say with Jesus Christ, have over
come the world
The one question 10 be asked about
everything whether IL has the sanction
| Of society or not is. Does Il contribute
| TO n larger gfuller life?
Is 81 right 10 go 10 the theatre, TO the
, card party 10 the ball room? No one will
say that there is anything moral or i'm
! moral right or wrong I'm these things?
| The question is do these contribute 10
| the fulness OF your living? 'Do they make
| YOU better Is there any inspiration In
| them TO nobler things2 That is the
| criterion and every man is best capable.
| every man must answer these things
| for himself.
| Good and evil In this sense are more or
| less relative. What NAV be good for
| some people may be bad for others. What
| NAV he for YOU good at one time may be
| evil at another.
It's less question what men do than
| what their purpose is I'm doing II. Two
| men may enter into n legitimate bust
ness. one with the hest motives and the
| the other the basest You can't say
! the men are both honest and equally up-
right because IL is an honest, upright
pursuit
Two men might practice certain things
that many good people might condemn,
but they might do 70 with opposite mo-
tives Equal condemnation In this case
would be as unjust as equal commen-
dation In the other
THE FOUNDATION OF LIFE.
AS man thinketh IN the heart so is
| he The foundations OF life as the foun-
dations of the hills are beneath the sur
face. Judge lot that ye be not judged.
| But to what end men will ask IS THIS
| larger fuller life. Grant that IL Will en-
able one TO be of greater service. Gram
! even that II win be fuller realization
| OF the end for which God has made us
| What more does IL signify2 To how man,
| men such arguments would fall dead ant
useless? For many men have no desire
TO serve Their interest has no wide
1 nd Itf nh r.
| their individual lives are hemmed. An'
| what means this fuller realization OF TIT
| destined end for which God has mad
Nc? / ann content as | am. l live enough
and too much already.
Even now the sorrows and defeats o
my narrow life are too heavy 20 bear
To expand my life would be 20 expani
my sympathies already overtaxed. II
would only bring me more in contac
with the sorrow and signing OF human
ity.
We hear people say how L wsl
| that I was not so tenderhearte
I Yet we hear the great tender voice O
Jesus proclaiming at one breath that "
( Is the source OF life and rejoicing that |
D the abundance OF the life RE possesses n
j IS able 10 make the pains and pangs an
heartbreaks Of humanity His own and !
= sharing these finds His fullest. deepcs
I iov.
Its not the ear dear 10 the CITY OF WAT
and wrctchedness OF humanity tha
I hears the sweetest music in nature, th
noblest harmonies IN life. It's not th
$ heart steeled against tho weak and hell
. less that beats warm and fast TO all th
x health and JOY OF the world Happines
: peace. content are won I'm this world oul
j. As ono works harmony for himself ont Z
d the discoi without him and within hin
q And the more brain and soul tho moi
q lifc. man has beating within him ~
o better he Is able TO find this divine col
| tent
You say You do not want greater pow
for service. That YOU care nothing aboi
o developing the latent powers within yo
~ That YOU arc not anxious for the pow'
l. that gives one greater sympathies. pur
al loves noblor ideals. Grant ~. But IN 2
ne tho feeling Of discord and discomfort
10 vour Hfe might YOU not rejoice in
IL deeper fuller Joy. There is pea
'n that Is the peace of Cod II paSsoth ?
is understanding There IL 10y, SAYS a n
hle soldier diving upon the heights
C. Quebec. tho 10Y that comes I'm death
10 | having done ones duty The fruit Of n
at | IToiv snirft fe low IL Is the fruit of