The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-12-16

the drive and the good OF its materfalism
leaves men no time for themselves or
for God. then has come the time when
that which we most neglect. We most
need.
We cannot shut ourselves into the
hour. Memory comes and we wander
over the past. Hope comes and like
racers we leap forward into the future
We are intoxicated with eternity. We
cannot shut ourselves into the shop
Imagination comes and We roam the
fields and pluck their flowers. Like a
fever-stricken child, we feel the breeze
of the ocean and the dash OF the spray
upon brow and cheek. In US space is
mastered. over man alone Is sung. 90
death where Is thy sting. o grave where
is the victory" "As the heart panteth
afttr the wafer brooks. so panteth my
soul after thee, O God" I'm Him we
live and move. and have our being"
BE PERFECT
we are by nature moral. spiritual. We
arc sons of God. II doth not yet appear
what we may become. Said Jesus to his
disciples: ''Ye shall become perfect even
as your Father In Heaven Is perfect
That our hfe may mean something 20 VS.
and TO humanity. depends on our nur-
turing and developing this spiritual, this
eternal this best that there Is I'm u.s.
The church is the only institution that
devotes itself wholly TO that cause.
We have schools for the training of the
body. Institutions for the training OF
the mind. The church Is the school for
the education OF the moral and spiritual
in man. It's justification lies in the fact
that there is something moral and spirit
ual In man 20 me educated That some
thing too II what above all other things
insures our present welfare and gives
promise OF a better future. The future
OF this nation depends not on its mines
Its mints and its machinery. II depends
on its manhood. its moral fibre its
spiritual back bone. Take these away
and in land OF liberty we would be
slaves. In land or riches we would be
poor. In a land OF knowledge we would
be ignorant. and In a land OF equality
and fraternity mans inhumanity TO man
would make countless millions mourn
That moral fibre, that spiritual uplift
is fed and nurtured by the Christian
church. 1t has inspired charity and
good works. Seven general tions of
preachers lay back OF Emerson and
seventy times seven OF generations OF
Christian training lie back OF the cnari-
ties, the fraternities and the brother
hoods OF this age These things
have been created directly and indirectly
through the inspiration OF life. He who
,ns tns enasy and the good works Ss
leaves out the life OF Christ.
A LASTING OBLIGATION.
We are put. whether We will or not. un-
der lasting obligation. IL is not only
the obligation OF the past, but the debt
OF the present IL Is n debt We ought
and IN the interest of generations yet un-
born.
The Christian church not only has a
past and a present, but 1t sustains vital
relation 10 the future Out OF coming
days our strength and the strength OF
society is born. Hope springs eternal
IN the human breast. man never is but
always TO be blest. The soul uneasy and
In world 90 come"
II We have read the sins Of the times
correct we might conclude that this Is ia
a vital sense an age of despair. an age
OF selfshness and inhumsnity must be
so by necessity. Turn To philosophy and
you VIII fnd spun out the subtlest
sesems, sch ";d. Of ,sn S,b Turn TO- pos'r
Browning you will ind the sad. pessi-
mistic wsil OF Matthew Arnold. Rabbi
Ben Ezra stands for but ono side % tho
thought and feeling of this age. You
wouId mistake tho spirit ~ tho times n
I'm reading this poem Of hope YOU failed
10 read dover Beach" q dirge OF dc-
spair.
Tho world which seems 20 lie before us
like a land Of dreams
SO various, so beautiful. so new.
Hath really neither JOY. nor love, nor
Hight.
Nor certitude, nor >peaoe nor help for
And we are here az a darklIng plain.
Swept With confused alarms of struggle
and Sight.
Where Ignorant armies clash by might ("
There is no Joy here. no certtude no
hope. no help Tor. pain. no meaning in
tho whole II is but battlefield whore
ignorant armies CLASH rs might There
ls neither God nor hope IN the world This
is the poetry of indlyldualisfn and inhu-
n,anity. Us life worth liviner" has be
come n question that steals unbidden on
all our lips. Tho one essay that mon
read in that volume OF Prof James is the
ono that asks the question. 'Is lfe worth
livingg" The last writers on ethical suo-
iects feel Obliged 10 explain, less our
hope. more our despair
N IL n pleasure TO be able 20 quote an
author I had not read when | spoke OF
indivldualism one OF our chief sins.
Says Prof. Alexander "1f freedom I'm its
positive aspect has made us more aware
of pain, IL has helped actually 10 create
the suffering by the distraction OF COM
and excitement of modern individualistic
life by the overwhelming sense of love
liness and weakness produced in tho In
diNldual who is left TO nght his way IN tha
face - tremendous masses OF men. who.
while demanding hts services. leave him
IN unregsrded inFiRnifrsnce.