The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-12-24
ADVENT
SERIES
ENDED
Rev. Stewart Means Of New
Haven breaches Fourth Scr
mon at St. Johns Church.

Last evening at ST. Johns church on
North Main street the final service In the
serious of four special Advent services
was held. the Rev Stewart Means OF 81
Johns church. New Haven, preaching the
sermon.
The topic last evening was The Strug-
gle for the Completer Incarnation the
speaker taking his text from the tenth
verse OF the tenth chapter OF ST Johh'
II am come that they might nave me-
and that they might have II more aouhu-
anty." He said in part:
"Jesus called Himself the Saviour or
| the world and as such the world mas
| come 10 regard Him. IL was hls loNe
| that brought about all the wondertul
| change that has marked the Chfist Ia
| era His love was sufficient ana msi
| did not stop to question. almost oS
cident. as a happy inspiration, we may
| believe. Jesus tells us In these worus'
| why He has come.
| .aThe highest associs ton that we haVo
| with crea ton Is that II Is the sour e Ci
| life The word 'abundantly suggests an
ever increasing supply. The aoundatoe
| of His life Is the promise OF the ever III =
| creasing vitality OF the world. AZ s Que
| of the great principles OF modern scleh >
that no increase has been made through
| all the ages Everything Is here that
was here I'm the beginning and no more
| Tbese factors are determined from the
| beginning OF time. With man IL Is dn-
| ferent and moral energy is ever incr vs.
ing and expanding. SO 1t is nat Jesus
means II for IL Is that Jesus "o,hs'
| "sWhen men first saw Jesus they won
| dered They could not measure HIM as
they measured men. They were struck
bv the vast moral superiority OF Him
over other men. Men shrank pack from
this new emotion. They have ever sinc.
been striving TO gain some ot that mora
| purity which was seen In Jesus III Wa
| an actual addition to mems -housht VI
| life. Whatever comes TO pass In tne iu'
ture. the moral nature of man " alN
| and an unceasing force In the world.
| "Chr.st Is more than good; lie Is true
Man l., also more than consclence' ne j.
| tboirh, In this we see the same con
trast as in the old. the life that spranl
| on II ON the inspiration OF Christ lhet'
came calm and peace that the 'h
, clients never dreamed OF. When man Once
r,ol. ned this higher life he recogniz
4 "a his power and his responsibility
and existence took on new forces In al
oir, ctions. And all this sense OF growtl
| and expansion is due to the coming
, | Christ.
Man realized that the body Is neithe
| master nor ScrNhlls Jul NhoN ~
a spiritual signicance TO existence Eve
the most material and mechanical or IN
| discoveries OF the past century had
, spiritual significance, possibly not rea
lzed by the inventor. but nevertheles
making for the betterment OF the socii
conditions OF the race, and the spiritu'
: | uplifting OF individual souls.
u Through individuals the process %
,enda TO the whole social organism. Ma
!, | comes nrst. and the institution exists y
I. tho Individual It Is the soul charge
= with the full meaning OF it's life that go'
= | 10 TIE other soul and lifts u Into ne
ligh. This is the history OF IL all, OF u
. soc M organism. Not moro institution
!. a.e needed. not more churches or moi
examinations. but more life. go the pa
a lies before va in history.
J. "one life shines forth into another ar
touches n with blaze. Whatever
- done In the future viii be by Vital. nj
W mechanical means. Scrvce stands si'
N nv eide with prayer. and this - the less,
r. OF the past ard the guide for the compl'
ll future
b. '"rhls IL ono % tho thinrs gained. nov
10 be iost again that Christ IL moro
men today than hc ever was before.
is in every capacity that power n
=. touched and inspired The answer com
=, | continually: r am come that men mig
A have rfe and that they might have
gs more abundantly