The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-02-05
OOIAGS AT BROWN.
Professor Van Dykes Lecture Other Notes
From the College.

The record attendance OF the college
Vesper services assembled yesterday Ia
near Professor Henry Van Dyke of
princeton. Holders OF tickets began To
come before o'clock, and when the doors
were opened TO all an hour later. hum
oreus were turned away because there
was no standing room. The coIleg, choir
rendered 'sperent in te Omn as Soeh-
mann and Sane, Ciraudet.
Dr. van Dyke spoke on the text Matt
l., i5-f, when the unclean spirit is gone
out of a man he walketh through dry
places, seeking rest. and fndcth none.
Ihen he saith, ! Will return into my house
from which L came out. and wncn he IS
come ne hndeth II empty, swept and gar
nished."
Dr Van Dyke said In part: 'Tn thi,
parable We learn OF the costly house man
has within him, where God might dwell
IL was swept and decorated. ready for n
good spirit, but instead the demon re-
turned with seven Of his kind. The les
son of the parable then, is the necessity
or positive religion. our natures are
not passive. but active, and we have a
free viii TO make the choice Of tenants.
somewhere within us all Is a place ready
for guest who seems almost the host
All our life depends on this inward spirit
and We are daily growing in likeness
with him.
hearts of men was: who is reigning on
the throne of your heart?' Without God
you may night evil and even drive ii out,
but YOU can't keep IL out by your own
strength We cannot know God until
lie dwells within us. The results OF re-
ngion are positive not negative. Life
is "A great affirmation
You may clean the bad from a mans
heart and give him new creed. but he
won't believe anything until ne gets faith.
faitn Is living power irom Heaven IL
is noble thing TO deliver men from false
gods. The missionary aspect of the
church Is one Of the finest things I'm mod
ern civilization. but outward exercise can
not relieve the soul We cannot realize
God unless he is within.
The Pharisees' religion OF ahstainip,,
measured man by what he did nor 40
But Christ showed a more excellent wav
The Sabbath, by His teaching, was a dav
Of JOY and service. when the soul could
get nearer To God and TO man at the
same time. Jesus taught the positive vir
tues and went about doing good.
"Christ's great commandment, Love
was a positive one. Love is the emer.
gence OF the heart In vital power. Love
Is finding something TO live for IL cannot
be taught or born. Its restraints are from
gratitude; from Gods discipline, not
from our own. Love will not reform. but
transform.
The great mission Of the gospel was
not TO hold In. but 10 give out The heart
mustle filled with divine life. III the heart
Is closed, not one touch OF love within
will help the advance OF Heaven on
earth. Religion that undoes and unbe-
lieves is not vital. Things must be be-
lieved and done before we can advance
the reign of Christ
In the absence OF DIR. Faunce tho
Rev. Mr.. Rousmaniere. rector of Grace
church conducted the chapel exercises
this morning
Last night Prof. Thomas Crosby. Jr,
read The Merchant of venice" in Penn
broke hall. Although Mr.. Crosby had a
cold that troubled him, he gave n very