The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-07-29
BELIEVES MANKIND
IS MOVING UPWARD,
The Reverend Doctor Hepworth
Says That Making Life Com
Portable Is a Legitimate
Part of Religion. {
REPUBLIC SPECIAL

REPUBLIC SPECIAL
New York, Sunday, July 2s.-The Reverend
Doctor George n. Hepworth's sermon in
to-days Herald is taken from St. John vi.
30:
Il am the bread of life"
1t must be admitted that this life is very
delightful, and it is not at all strange,
therefore, that our attention should be con-
centrated on comforts and luXurieS which
have purely physical basis.
The body seems to be the autocrat OF the
situation. 1t dominates our thoughts by day
and cur dreams by night. Almost every
one in the world gets his living by produc-
ing something or inventing something which
Will prolOng our stay here and serve our
convenience while we remain
1t Is a very absorbing thing to live this
present life. and it is rather natural. though
should be obiivious of any necessity to pre-
pare for the change which we are apt to
dread, but which is. nevertheless, ineHi-
table.
Grandeur of Human Nature.
The amount OF the aggregate genius which
spends It's best endeavors to add to the
pleasures of the table. to atiorn our homes,
to Increase the security Of our finances and
SO put us beyond the reach of want, shows
plainly enough that the. intellectual capaci-
ties Of the race are almost oppressive in
man nature is proved by the way in which
the whole earth. it's soil. its rivers and
forced to contribute to our happiness our
health and our longevity, as well as to our
usefulness
1t is a part of our religion to develop the
resources of our earthly life. a duty implied
by the known plan Of God and by our mani
fest destiny. 1t is evidently the divine in
tention that. though we begun as mere ami
mails. with all animal propensities, we shall.
In good time. after the necessary struggle
ana experience. end our career on q level
little lower than that of the angels
Mankind Moving Upward.
There is nothing in the universe so sug-
gestive. or so uplifting. or prophetic, as
the slow and painful. but sure. evolution of
mankind; because. so far as We know. there
Is no limit to our possible development Our
already achieved victories over natural ele-
ments and obstacles point to a coming man.
hood which cannot be attained here below.
as an inalfenable right. There must be
somewhere an opportunity to finish our edu-
cation and 10 complete the broken columns
which are scattered all over the earth.
To make life comfortable. then. is a lc-
Ultimate part of our religion. but by no
| means the most important part. When =
man sees something ahead OF him which can
! neither be avoided nor ignored, 1t Is the
! business of wisdom to make preparation for
it. II he is going to the north pole he must
and he would be foolish indeed If he started
on the journey with only the clothing fitted
for a temperate zone: In like manner, if 8
man knows that death will transfer him to
another life. and that this new life will be
spiritual and intellectual. rather than
physical he ought to cultivate the intellec-
| tual and spiritual SO that when the time ar
rives he will feel at home in the other en-
vironment.
Prepare for Future Life.
If when you step out of your body and
relinquish all the enjoyments which per-
| tain to the body YOU find yourself without
those qualities of character which make
Immortality tolerable. you will not only
! be poor indeed. but you will also be blame
worthy. The conditions of the hereafter
will be wholly different from those of this
| life and. therefore. while you value the
| present for its own sake. you must use 1t
| as means of preparing for the life to
come. That statement is based on the re-
! uuiremerts of religion and on an impera-
| tive kind of expediercy.
| Furthermore. matters have been so
dained that the qualities which will serve
| you best hereafter will also serve you best
\ here. Let your ambition have its full
| swing: love the things of this world and
work for them. 1t is quite worth your while
| to be factor in the great problems of the
| present. Religion does not forbid il. But
beyond all this Ambition is character and
| that must be kept unsullied. There are no
! conditions under which its sacrifice can be
| justified Character, like refined gold IS
| current everywhere. 1t is the only thing
| which has worth in heaven and it is the
! best thing on earth. What is good In this
I. world only and must be left at death has
b, its value. hut 1t will not compare with
what is good in all worlds.
| Chrfsts religion is clear enough It bids
| us live in the full enjoyment of all which
time can give us. but to be wise enough to
build on that large faith and that moral
| principle which will make us fearless at
| SHUTDOWN and enable us to fall asleep in the
| glad assurance that In the morning we shall
| wake In world which will not seem
| strange. because we have made ready for
| 1t. That foresight and preparation are the