Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1903-10-15
A SERMON Q SUNDAY
AN ELOQUENT DISCOURSE 6Y THE
REV. DR..S S. PARKS .CADMAN.

AN ELOQUENT DISCOURSE 9Y THE
REV. DR..s.~ PARKS .cADMAN.
Tho Distinguished Brooklyn Divine Dc
livers a Powerful Address Entitled
.sThe Calling OF Life''-Why We Must
OFFER to God Genuine S~ainthood.
BROOKLYN. N. Y.-Dr. Samuel Parkes
Cadman. pastor of the Central Congrega-
tional Church, occupied his pulpit for the
ton and his return from Europe. A large
congregation had assembled. The sermon
was UPON 'The Calling of Life" and the
text from the First Epistle to the CORN
thians i:2, Called to be saints" Dr. CAD
said in the course OF q strong sermon:
TODAY we enter upon the fifteenth year
of our church's existence and work. be
hind us lies the honorable past, comforting
obligation more than feeding pride, a hoiy
prophecy in living deeds and a strong root
of confidence that God, even the 800 OF
our fathers, who has reared this pillar to
His name and glory, will mo- break 1t IN
the midst. So this year OF jubilee IS upon
nriceless possession which our stewardship
must guard and increase.
These divisions of time are arbitrary, but
influential. January ! is but a moments
space from December 81, and yet the birth
of a new year has witnessed IN numberiess
instances spiritual and moral revolutions.
A few hours separate Good Friday from
Easter Day, but if near in time, how dis
tant are they in meaning! These distinc-
tions of the calendar arrest US: They
break the crust of our conventionality.
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 intereS,s of the kind
dom. The scant supply of living waters is
too often caused by the choked pipe and
it's paucity prevents manv from seeking IT;
Pastors, teachers and workers of all
churches should remember that the mighty
tide of Gods life and blessing finds its
way to human hearts through their ap-
among us is only like a port on the oceans
shore, dependent on it for increase and tor
strength
Dredge deep the bar and cleanse away
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 afiuence OF blessing
and brought back to God.
But sainthood is no passive movement,
dependent on our inaction, hesitating 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.
fee. It insists upon the full employment
of every capacity and new and better ODE
diences. It bids you rise from the low
What might | not have made of Thy fair
world had I but lived Thy highest" Gods
love ard health are yours, willing to meet
your readjustment of energy and of aim.
Lord Salisbury's ~favorite advice to those
who pestered him about his world-com-
pelling diplomacy bade them Study larger
maps" And the sweep of Gods plan in
our life and mine is wide unto the inf
mite, tender and wise and capable beyond
wrote these words he was conscious OF
their high supremacy, and yet they are but
a faint reflection of the weight Of glory
God has chosen to give perfected char
acter after the pattern of the 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 in service. The pity of it is that
we are busy overmuch in trivial and imma.
terial things and struggle in the meshes OF
the commonplace.
Our souls pace is liable to be set tc
perishable strains, where noble means are
used for little ends. Strenuous life is wise
when its aims are correspondingiy high
but it was said of a noble Roman "Domi
tan is always busy-catching flies"
TO be born a man and die-not a saint
Creator. Manhood sacrificed to anything
less thar the Makers purpose is manhood
lost. We may pursue the petty round un
til high achievement and it's possibility art
paralyzed.
You naturally ask, What is sainthood
1t IS spiritual health and moral thoughtful
ness. IT is" to quote a significant utter
ance of DR.. Arnold, of Rugby, the inquir
ing love of truth sustained by the devoted
cause 1t is holy, set about and adorned by
the abiding beauty of holiness, rightly un
derstood. 1t is practice, not theory; con
secratlon, not perfection: a condition O.
character and not a theological definition
1t is the kinship in willing and feeling O.
your spirit to the spirit of Christ. who wa:
the very will and heart of God in human
flesh.
Because it flows out Of the fitness O
God and is accepted by our belief, it is
catholic blessing, and there has been M
more mischievous teaching than that which
has limited it to a sect within the church
Being Gods gift, its only condition of e x
1stence IN you is your hearty trust and &C
ceptance of the same, followed by constan
effort to walk in Christ's way. Alike 70:
all who profess and call themselves Chris
tlans, for brilliant but blameworthy CORN
thians.. for generous but tickle Galatians
for Ephesus in her dearth of first love, a
for Sardis and Laodicea, with little NOR
than a mere name to live; let none drav
back from this divine election or declar
the boon is not forthem.
Many shrink from this term ~"saint' be
cause it has been DETAINED by the charlata1
and soiled by all ignoble use. Pharisaica
sanctimoniousness and bigoted exclusive
ness and false standards of the real meas
ure and quality of sainthood have hindere
its free range.
But, rightly known, it is the spirit of tn
heavens within the wheels of earthly intel
course.
Cardinal Newman reflected upon til
church of his birth that she failed to pr(
Gee sainthood. and the Roman commur
ion, he declared. was first and singular i
this respect. How rudely he challenge
anglican complacency some of us know
Capable of much, it was wanting her,
Bishops, theologians, exegists, ecc,esiastic;
statesmen it could and did afford, br
saints, no: Bishop Kew, John Keble an
Richard William Church are sufficient ev
dence to the contrary. And [ only quo,