Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-07-18
'BROADMINDEDNESS"
Brilliant Sunday Sermon BY Rev. DR..
Henry 6. Swentzel.
Contrasts the Church With the Narrow Gauge
Average Man-One OF the Miseries Of
lrreligion Pointed Ont In Detail

New York CITY-Dr. Henry {. Swcnt'
eel, rector OF St. Luke's Church; Clinton
avenue. near Fulton street. preached sun
| day on The observation-disclosures OF Chris
| tianitv." He took his text from Psalms
! cXiS:&: Thy Commandment Is exceeding
! broad" Dr. Swentzel said:
The Son OF God Las called men into
! place of libcrtr and has set their feet in
large room. His example. His teachings
i and His whole tone illustrate and prove
! His observation-disclosures. No one who rightly
| appreciate; the Gospel can well contend
that it seeks to make human nature smaller
! and ieebler than II i. or that 1t would
] lower the dignity and lessen the freedom
/ and Danish the opportunities OF human
In the observation-disclosures OF Jesus is one
! OF His most notable characteristics. lie
! lived in the open. and His every word
indicates the comnrehensive"css OF His
! thinking and the perfect sanity or His
! conclusions. lie is the hroadest being
who has troi this earth and lie has given
the hroadest religion that man has known,
1 a religion which is nc. racial. national or
provincial. hut worldwide. 1t is intended
TO inspire the most liberal ideas and to
| make the largest men. 1t IS the embodi-
ment of observation-disclosures in doctrine and
! IDEAL. in its outlook, its estimate of posi-
! biities, and its conceptions OF human des.
tinv.
Every follower of Christ should divest
himself as far as possible OF narrowness and
| pettiness iii living his life and doing his
work. Let him be thoughtful and honest
and industrious and brave: let him he
sane. broadminded in his ideas. generous
| in his principles and loyal in his conscience.
He is not called upon to emulate this
paltrv disposition OF the past. or TO try
to restore the regime OF bygone age or &c
c,amor for the return of conditions which
were well enough for younger civilization
hut which should not be installed in the
twentieth century. Religion is not super.
stition. faith is not bigotry, godliness i:
not intolerance.
We all do well to take account of the
Lords admonition concerning the use oil
language. He has warned us that we must
answer at the last for every idle word We
speak. How many idle words are used
particular. Even those words which
should he pronounced with reverence are
! mixed with frivolities. Other words which
should be used always seriously and with
the utmost accuracy are connected With
the announcements OF Cafr,,lous brain.
and fippant lips Breadth is che of I'll,
words against which people sin most often
so that earnest souls have almost reached
the point of suspecting its tenor whenever
they hear 1t. In common par,ance
broad Romanist is Roman Catholic
who cares little or nothing for his churcl
or for the religion which it breaches. \
broad Christian is man who. thougi
he may not have broken with Christianity
has no definite religious principics. M
clearly stated rules OF right and wron.
and has no fault to find with propaganda
the success OF which would mean mo-
only the overthrow OF faith but the ruiz
of society 1t is supposed TIC he broad
to he not too scrupu.ouS about ones amuse
ments, to encourage irrcligion. to disregard
the sanetitieS of Sunday. II i; supposed
to be broad" to say and to do nothing
that would indicate that one has religion,
feelings. to nut himself in the attitude o.
sympathy with bad things 1t Is supposed
to be broad to upset the Bible 10 casI
discredit upon the church. TO brand ho,,
traditions as a pacl. OF lies. 10 make the
gospel mean as little as POSSIBLE to reluc.
religion. not to is lowest terms. but to nc
terms at AL THIS The robe word i:
clothed with a sense which it ought not Il
have. When people tell of a broad state
ment they mean statement which i;
suspicious. il not inaccurate When they
refer to broad story they mean story
which is not quite decent 1t were well
TO distinguish between a true breadth and
a spurious breadth. so that we might he
spared from the ills that follow in the train
of mere catchword. and have the Blessing
and the power which are impaired hy the
breadth of thought and sympathy which
Is one OF the very finest marks OF sor
of God.
From whatever standpoint it is viewed
the religion of Jesus Christ is characterized
for its broadmindednesS. 1t is to-day the
only word religion. and the church looks
forward TO the time when all the people
OF all the nations viii become the Lords
disciples. An examination OF the theories
or schemes which have been set IN III
opposition to or rivalry with the cverllst
inG gospel will disclose their essential mar.
rowness., both as to ideas and life; In con
trast with the notions he'd by those who
stand a'oof from Christ. now broad and
strong Is the platform oi Christian belief,
in all the word there is no creed or con.
lesson which - so ann e and liberal and
comprehensive as the N:cene creed. 1t is
great in what it says and in what it does
not saw, in what il defines and what it re.
fuses 10 define. It's expressions and it,
reticence are significant and impressive. In
II technical terms have been reduced to
minimum, and it stands as an unfailins
source of truth and aspiration which shall
bless and enrich all Classes of humanity un.
I'll the close of the latest age. II proposes
the divinity OF the Trinity and the trinity
OF divinity. hut not in the forms of phil.
Osophv. 1t declares the Fatherhoad of (;of.
the Sonship OF Christ. the perpetual min.
istTy OF the Holy Chest but not in the
elaborate phrases OF the thcolosian. II
upho,ds the virgin birth of .Ie>us. Hi,
worldwide Office and His omnipo,cnt en-.
deavors Tor rs men and for oar salvation
but without the CLOSES of Il mistaken
devotion. Ii nrocla:ms the continuity
Of the church of the apostles hut withor,
the specu!ations and dcta OF the eccesi.
ologist. 1t announces the nearness of God.
children In every world and the blessed
life OF endless felicity which awaits the
souls that He has redeemed. but without
the iancles and guesses and vagaries which
have valnly tried 20 explore the hereafter.
These truths are not only re. larkahle in
the manner OF their statement but also in
themselves. They are the foundation on
which we are asked to build while we are
here, and the structure OF o.r thoughts
and motives and efforts should be spacious
accordingly
What an unspeakable crime it is to at.
tack such a belief on the score of it's al.
legged narrowness. 1t presents the largest
ideas that man has known. and it presents
them in the largest possible way. Its por.
| travail OF Jehovah Is in harmony with His
divine majesty; its account OF Jesus has
the sweetness and reverence OF the gospel
according TO st. john its Interpretation
OF the Holy Spirit is comforting and in
| spring doctrine for the needs and sorrows
and possibilities of the present: its declara-
ton OF the church marks it as 4 society
| of grace and blessing which was founded
by the Lord. and. like a Leautiful angel.
il points to the life OF the word to come"
These are the dearest of all doctrines, the
best and the brightest, the largest and
most liberal. Whatever else they are. they
are not contracted or paltry. but as cath