The San Francisco call., 1903-01-26
Continued from Page 5, Column z.

igicus light in which all the prose of earth
was transformed into the poetry of heaven was
the stained glass window.
Modern music was born on the steps of the
altar. The music OF Christendom began in the
chanting OF the psalter and in the rendering
OF the mass. Palestrina the forefather of
Beethoven and Wagner. Poetrys lips were
touched with the live coal from off the altar.
These great churches of man have thus been
the nursing mothers of the esthetc life of
man. Into the worship of the great churches
OF earth every art has been drawn as the
handmaiden of religion, and consecrated to the
service Of the most high. The service of the
holy communion. the central act in all Chris
tian churches, leads up into the Mass of Rome,
as the lottiest expression of the artistic life
OF man. 1t is the dramatization of religion.
We're there time / might point out how the
great churches of earth have ministered to
the intellectual life OF MANN the preaching
OF Athanasius. Augustine, Luther, Calvin, John
Knox, South. Bossuet, Jonathan Edwards,
Claiming and Brooks.
The noblest Of all forms of life has been
most nobly ministered unto in these noble
churches of earth Far above the esthetc
life of man, which finds expression in the arts,
in poetry, in painting, in sculpture, in archi-
lecture. in music; high even above the intel
lectual life of man, which finds expression in
his phllosophies and sciences, is the moral and
spiritual life of man, which finds expression in
character and conduct This is the crown and
consummaton of our human life.
has been fed supremely by the churches of
the earth. For this they have been consciously
unconsciously called into existence.
To awaken his faith, TO and quicken his
hope to sweeten the emotions of his heart until
they shall burgeon and blossom in ali loveliest
forms of charity. to educate his conscience,
10 nerve his WILL to strengthen him In the bat
tie of life. TO bind him under the sweet in
huences OF the heavenly worlds shining upon
his soul in the Silly silences of the Spirit, TO
flash upon him the CLEAN from out the dark
ness. in the following of which is the true
JOY and felicity of life-this has been the
ministry of the churches of earth. Into them
men have poured in their hours OF weakness
to gain strength, in their hours of doubt to
gain certitude, and in their hours of sorrow
TO gain comfort Our whole human
life, in its cycling round of relationships and
respons. bilties. has been led within the great
ual, in all his relationships and responsibilities,
has been breathed upon in the great church
for the tasks and struggles of life, and sent
QUITO quit himself like a
These great churches have been more than
the centers Of individual inspiration; they have,
in the great ages of religion, been the centers
Of civic and national life. In them all rank
has been forgotten, all classes comTnngled as
the rich and the poor, the mobiles and peasants.
the king and the serf have bowed together in
the democracy of religion. In its ca
France and Germany and Italy found it's forum
and within the sacred walls in tumultuous
sernblies, the crises of a city desttDe have
been met, as men have looked Ito the hills
from whence cometh our help.
We may no longer come TO our great minis
ters for our civic assemblies but from our
great ministers is still streaming the tides of
moral energy. of the sacred enthusiasm OF hu-
manty which, moving through our western
democracy are making for all that is best
and noblest in national life. The inspira-
tion OF cities for the great task of our gen
eraticn--ciNlc regenera TONS found to-day
in our churches The casting of the
ballot is only the registering Of the DEGREES
issued by the will Of the community. The real
election Of the people is made within the sacred
chambers OF conscience-the true shrine of the
indwelling God.