The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-09-23
NEEDS AND DESIRES
Of A LARGER LIFE.
Deception Denounced and Funda-
mental Truths ExpOunded by the
\ Rev. A. E. KrOm at BenefiCent
=.
congregational Church.

seeking first the kingdom OF God. These
other things have not been added unto
US
Search well your hearts and discover
what your desires are and then you shall
have in your possession the key that will
unlock the mystery of your strength or
weakness.
But II IL Is necessary that a man seek
deep In his life to find life's ruling de-
sire, in other words, to discover what
he is. IL Is just as necessary that man
SO study himself as 10 discover his needs
and then learn. not only what he is but
what he ought TO be.
SCIENCE AND RELIGION.
II would cast reflection upon the best
thought, the wisest intelligence, OF the
age TO pause here 10 prove that man is
"A spiritual being and that his greatest
need lies in the recesses of his soul.
Well we know the rapid advances that
physical science has made In the last half
of the last century.
The priests OF science have not always
been true to tn nobier instincts of the
soul and n cross materialism has been
proclaimed as the ono true Gospel OF tho
age
Philosophy. however, has come well
nigh reclaiming her old title OF hand
maid To religion" and with her fierce de-
nunclation of the materialistic tendency
of our times on the one hand has assert
ed with no uncertain voice the spiritual
nature of the universe and man on the
other.
Despite the rapid advances OF material
wealth and the popularity OF physical
science there has never been time In
the history OF thought when II has been
so true that "the fool hath said I'm his
heart there is no God"
To insist upon the deep current OF spirit
ua; things that sweep through the souls of
men would have been more necessary two
weeks ago than now.
What a revelation OF spiritual virtues
the nation has given forth to the world
In the past few days.
Love and sympathy. loyalty and devo-
tion to the right, prayers and tears, have
poured forth in the hour of our great sor-
| row.
Tho man who has felt none of these
| things has been denounced by his fellow
man AZ inhuman.
These are but glimpses OF the deeper
| nature of men.
Life Is usually better than lifes creed.
| There are men who profess 10 have no
| faith I'm the things that are eternal. In
/. the presence OF hard. stubborn facts they
mock at ideals
The faith and hope OF men are pro-
nounced false and belonging 20 the realm
OF fancy and superstition. The claims OF
Christ as an authoritative guide TO life
are rejected; yet how often we SEQ such
men living with a fine and lofty ideal,
with strong faith and undying hope and
the example OF the master a powerful
influence In their daily walk and talk.
With their lips they profane some OF life's
holiest symbols but live as though the
things symbolized were the most real and
lasting things in HUMAN experience.
Such men deceive themselves as TO the
true nature and constitution of their
souls.
FUNDAMENTAL TRUTHS.
While we lay it down there as funda-
mental truth that the warp and woof
OF life is spiritual. II Is equally true that
all men are not conscious OF their spir-
ituai need.
The lame man needed healing he desired
silver and gold. Humanity needs that
which is spiritual and eternal. humanity
seeks the material and temporal
As a nation how We have sought IN the
past few years the material and tenn
poral things. How conscious we are at
this time OF need not OF more wealth.
better markets. richer mines but OF more
virtue. better men. richer characters TO
the end that our material possessions may
be preserved 10 MS.
Adversely. sorrow these are great
teachers. they help men and nation TO
get their bearing and become conscious
OF the way they are going IL IL not the
mere sense OF disappointment. a defeat
that leads a nation or a man 70 repent
ance and tears: but because these things
lead the nation and the man back from
external things 20 their own inner life
and then the need OF that life, too long
neglected. becomes manifest
II Is Just this lack OF sense OF the
need OF that which satisfies all the nobler
functions OF the soul that constitutes
thu danger OF the church and the truths
n represents.
Trembling. fearful souls have believed
that IN the ilberalizing Of our thought
the free critical study ~ the Bible and
the relaxing of theological formulae
there was danger not only 10 the adj
vance but 20 the very existence of chris
tianity itself The danger lies not here
The church has always thrived best
when criticism and attack have been
most free
which our noblest Institutions have
grown and borne their fruit
The danger 20 worthy institutions is not
In the searchlight Of a criticism. how
ever antaEonis'ic n NAV he the danger
Is in the shadow OF neglect when II Is be-
lieved that the need for its existence has
passed away.
Forgetfnlness. not abuse. is 'he grave
In which 90 many things lie buried
It's tomb built In the bowels of
| frozen earth.
The one fact that thwarts more than
| all others the advance of the church is
( the feeling IN the minds ~ thousands
that they DO not need the church.
| Nor Is this 30 appalling as that other
| fact that men DO not feel always and uni
versallv the need for the virtue. the char
acter. the self-sacr'hcing manhood of Je-
| sus Christ
| FULLNEss or LIFE
The need for those things f. thers but
the desire r. lacking. To make tho need
harmorize with the desire % make them
blend and become one. 70 make men
| yearn FOR the fulnexs ~ life-that r. the
| great duty of modern chYisterdor
| To create new motives instead Of the
| old ones is The rercuiesn task. To press
out the old iusts OF the flesh and 10
make men cry out for one 20 live is
| Christ.
This Is the work ~ all true education
Men do not by nature love knowledge or
| wisdom
II