The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1903-06-05

len down there. II you could only get
out Confucius would show you how TO walk
so that YOU would keep out Then Brah-
min sees him and saws. Il am sorry. bu,
there is no help for YOU; you never can set
out. The only chance for you is 10 tall
into an eternal sltep and forget your mis-
ery." Next comes a Mohammedan, who
saws. Il am SO sorry 20 see YOU there; but
Allah is lust, and YOU deserve II. lie -
not merciful. and YOU will never get out
Last comes a Christian. who saws, Il my
self have been down there. l tumbled down
there once | know just how YOU can get
out" And he gets rope and pulls he
man out of the hole and puts hls feet unon
a rock That is the difference between the
Christian and the pagan religions. The
Christian religion Is the only religion IN
the world that offers 10 help men out OF
the burden OF their sins ana the conse'
Quenees of their misery. But, u, the pity
OF il. men don't want II. Napoleon said.
Scratch a Russian. and voa Will Ind q
Tartar" Scratch a Christian and YOU viii
find A pagan. liz seems TO me that Chris
tian congregations are full ot pagan,sm,
receive letters every week from men and
women who never vet have learned that II
they have made b,under or committed 4
sin, and perhaps involved Others IN peru
because of their mistake. God can take care
of il all. and they can trust Him 20 help.
ii only they will turn from their evil ways.
Hepsuness is the secret Of Christian the
o'ogy. So IL is the secret OF our Christian
ritual. IL is at the heart OF all worship
We come 10 church, not driven hy fear or
compelled hy custom. and not 10y convlc'
ton. Why? Not 20 he entertained hy an
amusing lecture. Then. why! At the heart
oi il ali is this. Some sense ot the truth oi
that message that God is love and that,
somehow or other. We are dependent on
His love and have had something from
His love. and we want 10 give Him some
thing in return. do not say that Is true
OF all but still II II were not for the sense
OF the love of God and the desire TO he
thankful the church would close It's doors
and the chimes cease 10 ring. What is the
Roman Catholic service First confession
and then absoiution. The same thing OF
the Episconal service, and ot the Congre'
gational. We don't so into the confession
all we don't stand IN as priest pro
nounces an ahsolution, but ID l., Moody as
truly preached ahsolution as any catholic
priest or Episcopahan rector. II you want
to know what men believe, don't 60 10 the
crceds or catechism Go 10 the HYMN
books. They express our faith ana real ex'
perience; they are our creed, sung over
and over and over again. And what does
the hymn book saw
Love tlNlle, an loNt tNCflllnE HhNhr
be TO God who giveth us the victory
Imagine. this Sabbath morning, a citizen
OF Mars coming down and entering dliier'
ent churches He would 90 into a Catholic
church and see the altar and the candles
and the rohed priest and the incense, and
he would say, What are YOU dong here
The answer would be: "We are here to
worship the Lamb who hath redeemed MS.
In the Episcopal church he would see no
candles and incense and would again ask
the question The answer would be- I'VE
have come 10 praise the Lord Christ, who
hath redeemed US" In the Congregation.
nj. Baptist or Presbyterian church he would
see no altar or candles or vested priests
What are YOU dong here he asks, and
the reply is: "We have come here to sing
the praise Of the Man Of God who hath re.
deemed us" And in the Quaker meeting
house he would see no choir or preacher OF
service and hear no singing, but they
would all be sitting still doing nothing-ab
somtely nothing And their reply 10 the
same question would be: "Weare giving our
nraise to Christ. who hath redeemed MS bv
His blood. We cannot find any utterance
which will express our gratitude. and we
are simply speaking III the silence of our
hearts" lie would 60 back and say: They
were all drawn together hv n sense OF
Gods love that had given His Son for Their
redemption" IL is the love OF God that
makcs us one, and only that. ! was once
in Catholic church IN Paris and after
watching the service for time ] walked
around behind the altar and found there a
service Of deaf and dumb people. The ser.
vice was the same at heart: the love OF God
inspiring the thanks OF men.
| remember an old English divine begin
ming his sermon: II can do all thlngs----
and then saving. That | deDv. But let us
see. what is this: through H'rT that
strengthened me- All. that is another
| thing; that | can do II was quaint way
of putting IL. but IL made the text stick IN
nv mind. and ! have never forgotten IT
This is the secret OF the power OF Christian.
ity. Yon will find men say: Thou shalt
love the Lord thy God with all thy
strength " is the summary OF Christianity
That is a mistake. Christ gave that as
the summary of the Jewish law. When
asked, "What is the chief end OF the jew
ish law" He said. Il hou shalt love the
Lord thv God and thy neighhor AZ
thvself" but when lie was about to die He
left az legacy to His disciples this "A
new commandment give ] unto you; that
We love one another az ! have loved you.
How did He love u.s. He laid down His
life for us. That il Christianity. Judaism
is Justice; Christianity is sacrifice. What
makes a Christian nationF Not creed
written in n constitution. not an estab.
will make America n Christian pationy we
have about us deuendent and inferior races
Loving our neghbor and the Filipino and
the negro and making them men-nothinp
else will make Ne a Christian nation. And
what makes n Christian church, Not fine
windows and music. but making the world
wiser and better What would Christ do
for your employees and servantsy Helpful.
ness and service is Christianity; the heart
and the centre and circumference OF II
All Christian theology is summed MP IN:
God 80 loYed the world that He gave HE
only beyotten Son" and all Christian ritual
in the Palm: Blessing and honor and
glory and power 10 Him that sltteth upon
the throne and that hath redeemed NJ.
Al Christian power - summed no in: j
can do all things through Him that
strengthened me. and all Christian duty -
summed up in the one law: Love one an
other as ] have loved you"
OIL a. Necessary as steam.