The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-11-18

The sermon which was listened to with
close attention by a large congregation,
was as follows:
There are some things that we DO not
need 10 prove They are self evident. The
child does not ask why two and two
make four IL you stand on the brow of a
hill lost in the beauty OF a sunset YOU do
not endcsvor TO prove it's beauty TO your
indifferent companion. YOU simply say.
look. II | held now in my hand fra
grant yet strange rose should not at
tempt to prove It's odor; | should pass Il
TO you and say smell. see for yourself
how delicious IL is.
IL may be that some optimistic sous
will say. people do go to church, why
this subject? shall not attempt To justi-
~ II: shall simply say go ont, opei,
your eyes and look.
Those who are optimistic today, I'm this
respect, are those whose wish Is father 10
their thought. They mistake oversight
for insight as some ministers mistake per-
spira tion for Inspiration.
There are people In this world who are
easily satisfied They arc content with
things Just as they are. They are the
most agreeable people in the world e
know They are the oliver wendell
TTolmeses and the Chauncey Dopews OF
society. They have the capacity for max
Ing YOU feel good II is one thing. how.
ever 10 put people IN good humor. II Is
smother thing 10 mako the world spin.
Whenever the grocery man puts barrel
or apples on the street and every apple
on the upper layer Is turned with It's rosy
ride TO view you instinctivcly suspect
that there are some rotten ones In the
bottom.
LOOK FOR SPOILED FRUIT.
when a preacher persists in telling his
people how good they arc and how every
body loves the dear old church. look out
for spoiled fruit. In such madness there
IL always cunning method
There is no easier question 90 answer
than the one We have chosen for our
subject. Anybody can tell YOU why people
% not attend church.
recent sensational preacher printed,
in suitable organ for his thour,t The
New York Journal hss reasons I he edi-
tor n the Homiletc Review has given
Us an explanation. The Providence Jour
nsl recently settled the question presu-
mably 10 It's own satisfaction. The prin-
op'i reason seemed 90 be the absence Of
srcy brain matter In tho pulplt
Al there answers have one characteris-
Tic. they do not answer
INC reason why they do not Is because
they deal with the question on the sur
face. They do not TAX. cognizence az tho
conoitions existing an modern society.
They do not flnd out the underlying ,rend
OF things which. like swollen stream.
sweeps all before g.
One man says people do not 20 20
church because they do not want ~
Why don't they want TOT. Another saws
many people have become secularized.
but why should people be more secular
ixed today than I'm the days of Crorn we'll
or IN the days OF Puritan New England >
Others ind nothing IN the church SER
Vices that answer 10 the sin aud sorrow
OF their souls. Why have the churches
ceased % offer pardon for iniquities and 20
heal disenses9 Another says our Iitera-
f,ire and our pnipits sre permeaied with
tho new inhdelify. by which they mean
higher. criticism. which in time means
sinspiy ''carsfui study
Hh, arc men studyine the bible ss they