The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-10-21
A SERMON FOR SUNDAY
AN ELOQUENT DISCOURSE BY THE
REV. DIR, S. PARKS cADMkN.
Tho Distinguished Brooklyn Divine De-
livers a Powerful Address Entitled
"The Calling of Life'-Why We Must
Offer to God Genuine Sainthood.

OFFER TO God Genuine Sainthood.
BROOKLYN, N. Y.-Dr. Samuel ParIes
Cadman. pastor of the Central Congrega-
tional Church, occupied his pulpit for the
first time Sunday morning since his yaca'
ton and his return from Europe. A large
congregation had assembled. The sermon
was upon 1.-The Calling of Life" and the
text from the First ;Epistle to the CORN
thians i:2, Called to.be saints" DR.. Cad
man said in the course of strong sermon
To-day we enter upon the fifteenth year
of our church's existence and work. BE-
hind lis lies the honorable past, conferring
obligation more than feeding pride, holy
prophecy in living deeds and strong root:
Of confidence that God, even the God OF
our fathers, who has reared this pillar to
His name and glory, will not break it IN
the midst. So this year of jubilee is upon
us, and these considerations make 1t a
priceless possession which our stewardship
must guard and increase.
These divisions of time are arbitrary, but
influential. January ! is but moments 8
space from December 81, and yet the birth
of a new year has witnessed in numoeriess
instances spiritual and moral revolutions.
A few hours separate Good Friday from
Easter Hay. but if near in time, how dis
tant are they in meaning! These distinc-
tions of the calendar arrest us: Ihey
break the crust of our conventlonallty,
they recall Us to our original work and
purposes and they inspire US with the re-
alities of vision and of hope.
Let us beware of blaming our surround
ings for our weakness, our failure to IN
strumentally convert men and control the
present world in the intere.s OF the kind
dom. The scant supply of living waters ls
too often caused by the choked pipe and
it's paucity prevents man from seeking it..
Pastors, teachers and workers of all
churches should remember that the mighty
tide of Gods life and blessing finds its
wav to human hearts through their ap-
pointed agencies. And the greatest church
among us is only like port on the ocean S
shore, dependent on it for increase and TOR
strength.
the silt of daily cares. Then, when the
text is thus understood and obeyed, com
merce with the unseen world shall bring
us weather. freights, and life, which now
seems far away. and inland shall be lifted
upon this resistless affluence of blessing
and brought back 20 God.
But sainthood is no passive movement,
dependent on our inaction, hesitatlng when
we are alert and shy.of any effort we can
make to secure its franchise. 1t absorbs
into one fame of devotion altar and sacri-
flee. 1t insists upon the full employment
of every capacity and new and better obe-
diences. 1t bids you rise from the low
grounds of despair and cease. to say:
/ "What might not have made of Thv fair
world had I but lived Thy highest Gods
love and health arc yours, willing to meet
your readjustment of energy and of aim.
Lord Salisbury's favorite advice to those
who pestered him about his wcrld-com-
pelling diplomacy bade them Study larger
maps" And the sweep Of Gods plan IN
your life and mine is wide unto the inf.
mite, tender and wise and capable beyond
our utmost imagination. When the apostle
wrote these words he was conscious OF
their high supremacy, and yet tney are but
faint reflection of the weight Of glory
God has chosen to give perfected char
acter after the pattern OF tie Master.
If we see the excellency of this calling it
should mean for US the objective point
where the finest energies of the soul are
constantly il service. The pity of it is that
we are busy orermuch in trivial and inma-
terial things and struggle in the meshes Of
the commonplace.
Our souls pace is liable to be set to
perishable strains, where noble means are
used for little ends. Strenuous life is wise
when its aims are correspordi1gly high,
but it was said of noble Roman "Domi-
tian is always busy-catching flies"
TO be born man and die-not saint,
Creator. Manhood sacrificed to anything
less than the Makers purpose is manhood
lost. We may pursue the DEITY round un-
til high achievement and its possibility are
paralyzed. :,
You naturally ask, What is sainthood?
It is spiritual health and moral thoughtful
ness. 1T is" to quote significant utter
ance of DR.. Arnold, OF Rugby, the inquir.
ing love of truth sustained by the devoted
love of goodness" 1t is wholesome be-
cause it is holy, set about and adorned by
the abiding beauty of holiness, rightly un-
derstood. 1t is practice, not theory; con.
character and not a theological definition.
1t is the kinship in willing and feeling of
Your spirit to the spirit of Christ, who was
the very will and heart of God in human
flesh.
Because it flows out of the fulness of
God and is accepted by our belief. it is a
catholic blessing, and there has been no
more mischievous teaching than that which
has limited it to sect within the church.
Being Gods gift, its only condition of ex-
istence in you is your hearty trust and ac-
effort to walk in Christ's way. Alike for
all who profess and call themselves Chris
tians, for brilliant but blameworthy CORN.
thians, for generous but 6ck.e Galatians,
for Ephesus in her dearth of first love, as
for Sardis and Laodicea, with little more
than a mere name to live; let none draw
back from this divine election or declare
the boon is not for them.
Many shrink from this term saint" be-
cause it has been DETAINED by the charlatan
and soiled by all ignoo,e use. Fhari isaical
80, NsaH f,1ci1
ness and false standards Of the real meas.
ure and quality of sainthood have hindered
its free range.
Bat, rightly known. it is the spirit of the
heavens within the whee.s o: earthly inter-
course.
Cardinal Newman reflected upon the
church of his birth that she failed to pro-
L-ce sainthood. and the Roman conmun-
ion. he declared. was first and singular in
this respect. How rudely he challenged
Anglican compiacency some of us know.
CAPABLE of much, it was wanting here:
Bishops, theologians. execsts. ecclesiastical
saints. no. Bishop Kew, John keble and
Richard William Church are sufficient evil
dence to the contrary. And / on,F quote
the cardinal to show how segregated ideals
and types of sainthood may misieaG fore
most spiritual genius.
The challenge Newman flung down we
are bound to take UP for ourselves. No
more searching question than this can be
brought to our fiftieth anniversary. How is
this ideal of the New Testament being re-
allied by this flock Of God?
His we are whom we serve. He justly
claims US for His own, elect and precious.
And beyond our cautious Puritan temper
and our dislike for the mystic and the ESQ
1.ric, all the heaven Of His purpose awaits
the sweep of our faith. plead Tor aoan-
don in the front of this gracious calling;
for that sanctifed reck.essness which led
st. Augustine to cry. Give W hat thou
commandest, then command what thou