The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-15
SPOKE TO TWO CHURCHES
SERMON BY REV. CHARLES e. DUNN,
OF FREEPORT, ILL.
His Audience N Union of the First and
Second Presbyterian Con-
Eregations.

The pleasant weather and the union of
the congregations of First and Second
Presbyterian churches combined to nearly
fill the former church yesterday morning
and last night Eloquent sermons were de-
lvered by Rev. Charles f. Dunn. of Free
port. H. Mr.. Dunn is a man of dignifed.
scholarly bearing and possesses 10
marked degree the ability to use classical
diction. He took as the text of his dis
course in the morning Psalms xiii. 2: MY
soul thirsteth for God. for the living God"
Mr.. Dunn spoke in parts as follows
I'm these words David gives expression
to a deep and religious feeling, and it is
somewhat remarkable, considering the cir
cumstances under which they were uttered.
There is much in these words of David that
will help us in answering the great ques-
ton. What Is religion? / have been in
terested in reading a book written by one
of our leading thinkers recently, wherein
he says religion is the personal influence
OF God coming in upon man. He reasons
that the acceptance of this idea solves
all the perplexities of religion just as the
acceptance of the fact of gravitation con-
trolling our thoughts of the universe brings
all the complicated and apparently contra
dictory movements of this great universe
into an orderly system NOW am not pre-
pared 10 say that this writer is wrong.
would not for a moment detract from the
thought that the personal incoming Of
God upon my soul and yours might form
OF itself very succinct as well very
comprehensive definition OF what religion
is. But il has occurred TO me that this
thought is possibly too objective. that there
is something in the human mind that cries
out after God and that yearns for Him, and
that true religion in its larger and more
beautiful significance is something which
al
the thought OF a great God coming out of
the infinite and moving IN upon the souls
OF men; put II must also include the yearn-
ings or our hearts, the outgolngs OF our
natures toward Him. and as the objective
incoming OF God and the subjective yearn-
ings after Him meet somewhere, there is
religion in all of It's beautiful significance.
Now you take. for instance, the sub
jective side of this great thought of re-
ligion. have always thought that re-
hglon was constitutional with man, that
IL did not begin with Christianity. | am
perfectly well aware that a Christian faith,
a faith that is beautiied by the coming of
Jesus Christ into the world enlarges and
spiritualizes and gives more force and
beauty 10 the thought OF religion than Is
possible 70 have added 10 IL from any other
source L am speaking now or the natural,
constitutional righteousness of every man
soul This thing Is born when the man is
born, this thing began with the human
race. Christianity did not begin it, The
birth OF the Babe in Bethlehem was not
the birth OF religion No; religion has
been coming into the world from the Gar
den or Eden down 10 the present moment.
all religion is nightly connected II YOU
say that religion sprang up with Christian
ity. then you say that IL came suddenly
down from the infinite heights and came
somehow into the hearts of men. Now
maintain that all that is beautiful and
lovely and of good report in all of the
ligions OF the earth is in perfect keeping
with the divine revelation that comes 10
us from the Lord Jesus Christ. IL there
II anything beautiful in Buddhism. If there
In M ffFfa mis-
any OF these great ethnic religions. Chris
tianity opens its arms and welcomes il I'm
and glorines IL. Just the sun in rising
this morning did not Quench the light OF the
distant stars. but simply absorbed II all.
The stars are shining yOnder the same
as ever In all their deathless splendor."