The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-10-21

At length Hatteras was sighted, whereupon veteran tourist exclaimed. Here We go, boys, for Hole in the Wall." An, We saw, We felt. Hatteras light.
 You may have been returning to your home from visit to foreign lands. You well remember the homeward voyage your joyous anticipations. Impatient to observe the first glimpse of your native shores, you possibly heard with delight the shout of an excited passenger, Fire Island. Fifteen miles W. N. W.
 Later on, high up you saw that cleo tric, impressive. Neversink Highland light. An, you saw, you felt that light. My brother, does any spiritual illumi- nation proceed from Us? Do men and women see, feel, the light by us reflect ed?
 Now, the first requisite to successful combat with sin is a live membership. It becomes us this Sabbath morning to question ourselves. Has the angel of our nature taught us to say as did Hor- ace Bushnelrs his
 My heart wants the Father, my heart wants the Son. my heart wants the Holy Ghost, and one just as much as the other"
 Matthew Arnold closes his beautiful little poem on Progress with these inn pressive words:
 Children of men not that your age eX- eel
 In pride of life, the ages of your sires' But that ye think clear. feel deep, bear fruit well
 The Friend of man desires.
 Do we think clear, feel deep, bear fruit well?
 Is Biblical charity operative in our home life? Are we considerate and pa tient-or dictatorial or brutal?
 What is the character of our Chris tian service? Is love it's motive-conse- cration it's manner-sacrifice its meas ure? Is prayer enjoyable or perfuncto- ry? Are we feeding on heavenly man. na or upon husks? Are we methodical, prayerful, common sense workers?
 Are we mindful Of every Christian amenity? Do we appreciate the liberty and helpfulness of the Baptist and Con- gregational faith? Do we realize the remarkabl benevolences of the Episco- pal church and its adaptation to the needs of large intelligent population? Do we appreciate sturdy Presbyterian ism, it's tenacious adherence to the truth? Do we value Roman Catholl- cism, unscriDtural from our Protestant view point, but an immense factor in the religious world? Are we bigots or broad minded Christians? If your religious experience has been so peculiar, so remarkable, that you de- sire to be considered Wesleyan sane tificationist, will you not remember that unless sweetness characterizes your re- ligious life and consecration of the pocket book was made when you pro fessed perfect love, and now exists, that you harm instead of help in the church and in the community. This century will not tolerate pre- tence. The acumen of the twentiet h century will detect sham and expose it to ridicule Neither the pew nor the pulpit can afford to assume Dreroga- lives which are inconsistent with broad minded Christian intelligence and con- fiict with a usage as old as Eden, even the usage of common sense.
 Lyman Abbott says. With living faith, the power of the church becomes great" Yes, in this age, as in all pre- ceding ages, a triune necessity exists. It is living man, living church, a living faith.
 Dr. William Hayes Ward, in a recent booklet on the Heart of Christianity, says, Christianity demands positive love, nothing less and with that nothing more''
 The answer which Christianity makes to the central question of ethics is love, and this answer is it's glory and it's jus tification.
 This rule requires supreme love to God and love to ones neighbor as to ones self.
 See to it that the life--not the creed we consider as evidential of. our reli- gious progress.
 Do we as a church work harmonious ly, lovingly, persistently? Is our faith large? Are we optimists?
 Pessimism possibly had in some day a use, but it must now be relegated to the rear. Pessimism must not be confound- ed with conservatism.
 We need often to pause and reflect, but we cannot afford to be pessimists. If pessimism afflicts us, our view points become contracted. We see inaccurate ly-we act inefficiently.
 After the war it was my privilege to visit almost every battle field and inn portant historic locality in the south. One day I chanced to walk through Bona Venture near Savannah. The moss was noticeable through the ceme tery. It was suspended from and ad- hered to every tree, but the trees were alive. A few years later 1 again visited Bona Venture. The trees were dying or dead. The parasite had destroyed or was destroying their vitality.
 Pessimism is dangerous, tenacious parasite. If it possesses you, pray for it's removal. It will be difficult, but it will go if you determine it shall If it is permitted to remain, you will intellectu- ally shrink and spirit ually wither.
 Be optimistic. Look on the bright side of things. Believe-live-act.
 The second requisite is a practical, able, gospel preacher. I believe the spiritual preaching to-day enjoyed in this church will tell ultimately, yes, it is now making in this community an in- pression for the Lord Jesus.
 Religion and rhetoric is wonderful tandem if religion is the leader, but rhe- toric without religion Is inefficient