The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-04-06
NEW BAvEN MORNING JOURNAL AND
REV. WILLIAM w. McLANE, D. D
Preached at the Union Congregational
Services.

Preached at the Union Congregational
Services.
Rev. william w. McLane, ID. D., of
Plymouth church, preached the sermon
yesterday morning at the union services
of the Congregational churches held in
celebration Of Good Friday at United
church, Other clergynen who officiat-
ed were Rev. DR.. IT. u. Munger, Rev.
Frank R. Luckey and Rev. DR.. w. w.
Leete
DIR. McLane chose for his text John
Kill, S1-33: "Now is the Judgment of
this world: now shall the prince of this
world be cast out. And I, if be lifted
up from the earth, will draw all men
unto Me-" (This he said, signifying
what death he should die.) DR.. McLane
said in part:
There are some days which cannot
be forgotten, some days in the life of
an individual which so shape his course
that they must be remembered. There
are such days in the life Of nation,
and in the history Of the whole human
race so indelibe that their recurrence
brings a perennial remembrance. Such
a day was that Of the death of Jesus
Christ and since the time of the print
tive Christian church it's annual rccur-
renee has been celebrated. Such is the
import and significance Of this day that
the Protestant churches, since the time
of their reaction and protest against
Catholicism, have grown to observe 1T
more and more until 1t has been finally
set apart from the regular affairs of
life and business for the simple observ-
ance of the death of Jesus.
LET us therefore consider some of
the truth that Is set forth in the text
where Jesus says, Now lis the judy
ment of this world Jesus has said,
1t is true, I have not come to judge the
world but to save the world Yet to
save the world involves by its very ma
ture the true judging Of the world. The
fruit, whether 1t be bitter or sweet, pro-
claims the nature of the tree; and the
deed, beneflcent or malignant, reveals
the spirit which prompts it. The as
poets of selfishness and the greed of a !
little child may be amusing to us. but |
when they come to fruttion In the ma
ture man how baneful they appear! 1t |
was only when the selfishness and self
seeking disposition Of the disciples be-
came degraded into that spirit which
betrayed Jesus that the true character
Of their selfshness, their covetousness
and cruelty became manifest. In the
events which led up to His crucifixion
the selfish religious, political and mill
tary spirit of those times became evil
dent. And are not the greed of
gain, Of political and military conquest
The sources out of which spring the evil
If the world to-day as in all times?
They are the very principles which are
Christ again.
THAT spirit which would put to death
n order to destroy one so loving so
and serviceable to man as
Jesus must become apparent as the
power that would dethrone all good for
he sake of self Men believe that sin
S an evil thing when they suffer the
of their sin. The crucifixion of
Christ reveals the consequences of en-
nifty against God 1t is the lifting up
II the crucified one from the earth
which has been the revealing to men of
heir sin. So, when you and l come to
he cross of Christ bringing our selfish
less and usefulness and greed of gain
nto the life of that cross, we come to
ealize our sin and join the multitude
hat are Judged and made to see our
and to feel the need Of
ur salvation.
Jesus says, Now shall the prince of
his world be cast out There is a spir-
tual sphere larger than this material
ne in which the powers of evil work,
nut 1t is sufficient for us to know that
We are dominated by the spirit Of sell
shness, and that Jesus Christ becomes
or us the means of casting out this
pirit This is the revelation Of the
race Of God If Jesus had been mall
factor we might certainly have disap-
roved of the method Of His execution,
ut we would have felt that He had
ONE to the natural end Of His course.
{ He had been merely a martyr who
Guild not change the conditions of His
cath we would have admired Him.
tut that He suffered for us, that He [
to a death which He
I, Nf