The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-09
THE ANTIsEPTIC LIFE.
Subject OF Morning Sermon by Rev.
Worth VI. Tippy.

At the morning service at Broadway NJ.
z. Church yesterday the pastor, the Rev.
Worth NJ Tippy. spoke on THE Antissptic
Life"
THE discovery and development of anti
septic surgery" said Mr.. Tippy, lis one
of the finest achievements of modern times.
1t is based upon the germ theory Of dis
ease 1t is supposed that everywhere there
are disease germs that attack living bodies.
They are successfully resisted by healthy
bodies, but weakened or diseased organ
isms are not able to withstand them. The
modern surgeon, by means of antiseptics,
is able 10 destroy microbes in a wound,
and to exclude them in a surgical opera
ton. Aseptic surgery has greatly reduced
the mortality arising from wounds, through
septic conditions. 80
II have been impressed ofttimes with
conditions closely resembling these In
mems moral and religious life. 1t is as
though the world were full OF the germs or
moral contagion against which most people
battle more or less unsuccessfully, and
every one with difficulty. There are septic
soul conditions In which men are very sus-
ceptible TO evil influences. The religious
and moral problem, therefore, Is 10 develop
antiseptic conditions of life, and religious
life that in itself shall be highly resistant
to evil influences.
There has long been religious ideal in
the world that the finest religious virtues
are developed in exclusion from the world
Just as a surgeon seeks by asepuc treat
ment of his instruments and OF the wound
to exclude germs so the belief is that men
will reach the highest life by separation
from the ordinary life of the world SO the
ancient ascetics betook themselves TO mo-
nastic life. They built their monasteries
in secluded places and as high up as the
crags would carry them. This religious
ideal remains with us to-day, and there are
touches Of it in the other worldliness and
emphasis upon denial in all the churches.
There is great truth here, particularly Tor
the young and for the morally weak And
it is we'll enough for everybody TO live as
much as is possible with the true, the good
and the beautiful and as little as is possible
with the false, the selfish and the IN
slightly.
"But there is a higher type of life which
gives birth to a nobler ideal. have called
IL the 'antiseptic life. In nature We know
that a healthy man with good blood. nor
NAL body and an active mind Will success
fully resist almost all diseases. There is
an analogous spiritual life In which the
soul throws off evil influences and carries
about a contagion OF moral health. That is
the kind of life that Jesus manifested and
that He contemplated in His followers.
submit to you that it is the noblest type of
life. Why should we not be strong in God
so that in the darkest places of the earth
there may be the finest Christian lives?
The Masters thought was that His disci-
pies should not be separated from the
worlds life but kept from its evil.
Some day the last vestiges of the as
celtic ideal will pass out of the world. Let
us cast IL absolutely out or our own lives
Let us substitute in it's place the ideal of a
life such as that of our Lord, in closest fell
lowship with all men. but so spiritually
pure and loving. so vitalized by the Infinite
Spirit as to be morally antiseptic.
THE world needs everywhere the demon
stration by the millions of Christian men
and women that under the most difficult
conditions the glory of Christian life is not
alone possible, but that it is the natural.
easy, beautiful way of living. The church
especially has need TO largely abandon its
negative attitude and to assume the conf
dence, the hopefulness and the aggressive
ness of the redemptive spirit"