The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-02-09
ANNUAL sermon
To BROTHERHOOD.
Delegates to st. Andrews COnven-
tiOn Crowd St. Stephens Church
to Hear Rev. Dr.. FiSke.

The annual meeting Of the New Eng
hnd Local assembly brotherhood OF 81
Andrew closed last evening after two
days session. the meeting being one or
the most successful held by the brother
hood for some years.
Yesterdays session began with the cele-
bration OF communion at Grace church AT
$3.50 a. m. and the annual sermon was de-
liyered by Rev George Mcclellan fiske
at st stephens church at 1880.
At o'clock a conference devoted TO the
work of the junior department was hein
ut st. James church. addresses being de-
lvered on Chapter Officers by Fay
cite @. Dayton OF Boston, and on Chap-
ter Methods" by Henry r. Edenborg OF
Hyde Park and Ralph Nauffts Of Charles
town.
Evening prayer was held at Grace
church at 7:3O o'clock with addresses on
the objects and methods OF the brotner-
hood of St Andrew by Rev. ID. ID. Addi-
son ID. D., OF Brookline, Mass and hu-
bert Carleton Of Pittsburg, editor of 81.
Andrews Cross.
Rev. George MClennan Fiske preached
The annual sermon at 81 Stephen
church to an overfiowing house, saying
In part.
IL come to speak TO you. my brothers,
as to those who have received message
q trust and a mission from God. God mas
come into--is in-your lives, as ne is not
In the lives of some. 1t is your distinction
that you are not ashamed 10 stand with
those who fear God. And this is great
distinction.
'sThe fear of the Lord is the beginning
Of wisdom. In the midst OF an arena.
where intellectual ambition is sure to put
forth its prowess. at a time In your ire
when you are most susceptible TO its at
fractions, you are here to declare your
g. q fUh
OF that wisdom which is the only true
wisdom, because II is divine
'sYou are in the right road. Your start
Ing point is the fear of God. i would
speak to you Of how great things God
has appointed you to do. provided you
fear him.
THE FEAR OF GOD.
"what is the fear of God? Is 1t the op-
posite of love- the kind Of fear that is
cast out when love comes I'M Is IL the ter
ror OF the cringing bond-servant? Is IL
the shrinking OF the helpless, the antago-
nism OF weakness in the presence of ire
eistible power? l have no need TO tell you
that IL Is not these. The fear of God Is
Joyous and uplifting principle. 1t Is maj
veneration. 1t Is the fear that goes with
love. 1t has been said that the fear or
God Is worship. dependence and submis-
sion Just these three things we would
long to have in ourselves and In all other
men, so that God might have the CHOSEN
instruments OF His blessed purpose ready
90 His hand. These arc the qualihcations
that constitute men useful for the nigh-
est and the truest service In the VIII OF
God
1.-The God fearing man Is man on
reverence The pattern-man, or Who'
rested the spirit OF the fear OF Coo was s
pre-eminently a worshipper of God. one
OF the conspicuous features OF his lie
was the jealous care ne manifested for
the solemnties and consecrated places
and insignia whereon God had set the
seal of his holy name. As he cieanseo
the temple of its profanations and chased
out It's profaners his disciples remember
ed that IL was written: The zeai ot
thine house hath eaten me up. Can we
suppose that as the eye.witnesses or
Jesus Christ's lift watched him day by
day they carried away from what they
heard him say or what they saw him
do anything like disparagement or
disdain Of sacred rites and days and per-
such things Jesus Christ was q worship
per of inward sincerity and OF outward
fervor and punctiliousness
LACK OF REVERENCE.
.'One of the things which troubles hu-
manity at present and Is real misfor.
tune Is lack OF reverence. The Key OF
worship has been mislaid or lost. we
have and ought TO have great searchings
OF heart as we note the dissertation OF
the Lords Day. the secularization OF
Sundays. the great multitudes who nNe
apart from and utterly alienated TO the
worship OF God. Where worship decays
and perishes. there we may look for some
deterioration in the character and man
ners or people Loss OF worship shakes
the foundations OF social order, for IL
IL blow at the empire OF the fear OF
God.
The od-fearing man is one who de-
pends on God. The spirit OF holy fear Is
spirit OF dependence. OF trustful leaning
upon God. There are those who. so far
as their own will goes. live independent
OF God. They fail TO recognize that every
breath they draw. every moment OF life
is his gift And yet such are not neces-
sarfly what the world calls bad men
They are independent characters, self
reliant. self-complacent They may con
descend now and then TO recognize God
on semi-e equal terms. They may not
openly blaspheme and deny and defy God