The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-09-30

preached another powerful and eloquent
sermon al the morning service, yesterday
and Notwithstanding the unpropitious
weather the congregation was large and
duly appreciative. The music was IN NJ
Keeping with the impressive service ana
the reverend gentleman spoke az follows:
.pahold 7 stand at the door and
knock" Rev. 3:20.
-r-fre church OF the Laodiceans Is Inn
mortal. II viii live in memory with the
Temple of Jerusalem, ST. Peters at Rome
and the Antwerp cathedral
It's right 10 immor atty. unlike the 9TH
eys mentioned Is due less 10 it's strength
than 10 its weakness.
II images 80 we'll many institutions or
modern times that ones own church rela-
tionship often keeps IL fresh I'm thought.
III was neither hot nor cold. it was luke
warm Yet at It's door we find the waiting
spirit.
Behold I stand at the door and
knock" We read this from the book CALI
ed Revelation. The text itself is revela-
aion. II we follow its trend of thought
we shall find Il becomes revolutionary. 1T
hammers tradition, il batters the door OF
Some pet theologies. Most OF our great
system makers in the realm of theolo-
gical thought have left this text out or
their calculations. i see no star In Cal
wins institutes that directs us 10 foot
tion 800.
The Lisbon earthquake I'm moments
time undid the work of centuries.
Destructive agencies work fast, how
ever Insignificant The inventor thinks
after years OF toll and labor that he has
made a great discovery.
But Just as the completed work Is most
expected he finds one small miscalcula-
ton that thwarts his end and sets at
naught the labor of years.
Men build castles Of thought that Babel
like dare to pierce the Heavens, but ere
the dome is gllded one false idea at the
base makes the whole to totter.
SCIENCE, PHILOSOPHY. THEOLOGY.
For years and centuries We have been
fnyenting ways and means by which
man by searching might find out GOD.
Science has been busy seeking him hrst
in isolated incidents then in fundamental,
eternal laws. Philosophy has spun her
subtle webs of thought by which men
might be led to the realm OF spirit.
Theology has too often taught us that
the few might find time but that the
mass must seek in vain.
Behold the truth of our text. The seek
ing IL not mans duty but Gods pleasure.
God seeks man. The spirit waits at the
door Of our hearts.
The shepherd leaves the ninety and
nine and goes TO find the one that Is lost.
Revolutionary, upsetting our pet schemes,
fhwarting the opinions OF the few; but
bringing hope and cheer TO millions; God
waits at the door of every human heart
and seeks admission there.
Wonderfully does this thought simpnfy
tne scheme OF salvation.
IL does away with all ponderous ma
chInery No need for a theology that
merely teaches men how TO find God, Tor
a priest to sbring the divine into touch
with the human. IL does away with sub
sle distractions about God and brings us
dace TO face with the facts OF our own
Hives. The destiny of man no longer de-
pends upon some arbitrary fat of the d.
vine will Man Is henceforth arbiter or
his own destiny.
IL into his life there enters no peace or
hope or goodness the fault is his own
und not I'm the constitution of things.
But this thought fraught with blessing
has its danger.
Every blessing has coiled within IL the
Uting OF curse.
There is no hope so bright that II IL
not shadowed by a cloud of despair.
In nature and In human life roses and
thorns grow together We must expect
the night TO follow the day.
The red tints OF the setting sun may
soon be blacked with cloud This is not
pessImism but fact and caution. DO not
believe that this great blessing OF the
Divine waiting upon us lessons our duty
or our responsibility. This good news
may lead some soul 10 say the path &c
Hcaven is so easy that one may wait and
tread A at leisure.
The worst disguise anything can as
eume Is that II presents no difficulties.
The arms OF the iron-hearted Duke o
Alva were destined 10 be disgraced II
ahe first battle in the Netherlands be
rause his soldiers underestmated Flemisl
A.
Behold stand at the door and knock.
The spirit may seek us but as yet th'
spirit r. without us. The source OF good
ness lies just beyond our doorsteps bu
D. r. beyond.
We are dependant creatures. No maj
ran live 90 himself alone. TAe man wh'
depends only upon himself soon becomes
hankrnpt That ths is so requires NJ
proof. II belongs 20 the nature and tn
sorstitution OF things. What a wonder
aui creature is man" True. How mucl
more complex than the animal or vegets
bic world beneath him. But he depend
an that world for existence. lie ma
xnecr Al It's simplicity but its eNistenc
u necessary TO his complexity.
MANS SUPERIORITY
The mind helps man 10 transcend brut
vreation. but the mind IL empty apar
from the sensations from without
A. Kant has said. Thoughts withou
content are empty.
The content of our thought comes froI
the outside world.
The power of speech is alone man
splendid possession. We inherit this frol
she centuries.
The worlds environment makes or mat
she Intellectual life.
This close intcrdependcnce of man an
che world IN the physical and intellectu'
realm does not cease IN the realm
spirit.
The food that noarishes the soul an
snakcs n Strose lies outside the narry
round ~ mans life as surely and certain
IL a. The food that sustains body an
mind TIE remark seems commonpiac
Fut human actiOr makes " necessary
Men oft-tiuIcs i've a. though they wei
eunicicnt unto themselves.
The, take advantage of the materi'
ard Intellectual blessings that are abot
them. To the spiritual they close the doc
81 their hearts
We shall never grasp the signihcanc
81 shutting God and all goodness ont T
our lives until We pause TO consider tha
With the same door With which We shl
God out We snut ourselves in
lr q,