The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-12-16

been committed in the name of te liberty
OF Jesus Christ. The lust OF Roman
Borgia. successor OF St Peter. makes us
forget Judas. The cruelty OF Philip the III
OF Spain. the sworn defender OF the faith,
makes us forget Nero.
THE STAR OF HOPE
The avarfcious lust OF bishop and cardi-
nal makes us forget the. sins OF our mod
ern materialism. Yet despite II all there
remained In the heart of ths Christian
church the faith In God and the sympathy
for man that not only gave 10 the darkest
ages star OF hope but that has led hu-
manity out from its night OF sin and de-
spair into the sunlight OF Righteousness.
IL was the knowledge treasured by the
church that made the Renaissance q pos
sibility. II was the church that led In
that reformation that was the beginning
or modern society. IT was the church
that laid the foundations deep and wide Of
this republic. II was rho infiuence of
the church that helped break ths shackles
OF four million bound servants todling on
free soil under the lash II has been the
church that has fostered our educational
Influences. that has etablished our chari-
ties, that not only has stood for liberty
but has led men up 10 the possibility OF
sharing In the blessings of freedom In
stead OF sinking into tho curse of IL
ccnse.
Purgatoria, Milton and his Paradise Lost,
De Vinci and the Last Supper. Raphael
and the Holy Family. the Cathcdraf of
Cologne and the Cathedral OF Milan. st.
Peters and St Pauls: TO the church We
owe Savonarola. Luther. .Shaftsbury. Glad
stone. Browning, Emerson. Beecher and
all that list of noble souls, great songs
heroic poems. finished masterpieces Of
art. fabulous constitutions, that woven
by the mighty shuttle OF time into the
warp and woof OF human striving has
made sorrow sweeter. laughter hner,
memories kinder and hope more certain.
MUST BOW IN REVERENCE.
Before that feast of sacrifce and SER
vice done In tho interest OF their present
and our future the man of honor must
bow in reverence and confesses bis obliga-
ton to that institution which more than
any other human Institution has contr1-
buted TO the welfare of mankind.
But no institution can live on it's past
II mHt Justify its existence to live by
its present usefulness, not by it's past SER
vice. The institution that has a gio-1ols
past and no present may be entitled to
the privilege OF honorable burial but not
to the privilege OF continued support To
this age that pa& will mean much or
nothing in the light of present usefulness
or present uselessness.
II there has ever been one time more
than another In tho annals OF history
where the defender OF the church could
base it's claims upon present need rather
than past achievement and future hope
that time is now. Never before has So
ciety come forth with such piteous ap-
peals for salvation a. at this hour. Never
before has the demand been 40 urgent
that that salvation be a salvation OF
the present as opposed TO the future. Per-
haps never before In human history have
the sins OF the times been exactly OF that
nature that the ideal church ought to be
able 70 sauarely front and drive into
igrlominious flight.
II some god had created two objects
best fitted TO exhibit the capacities of that
institution which the church ought to be
none better could have been created than
our modern selfish indiv1dualism and our
modern inhuman materialism.
Only two well does labor today under
stand that union. cooperation Is the only
method by which the SIN OF our social in
dividuaiism can be met Individual effort
TO overcome the evil individualism only
asgravates the wound We try TO heal.
The silent forces of the times have moved
US on until cooperation in society has
become a human necessity.
The day when every man must bear hts
own burden passes and the day when we
must bear each others burdens dswns.
Silently the church of fraternity, OF sell
Ash interest. or cooperation, OF finer SYM
pahty, of nobler friendship, or hotter
love are binding us together into a great
brotherhood. We marvel at tho labor
union. the trust. the fraternal organiza-
ton. the insurance society. the charity
organization; can We not read the signs OF
the times?
These are but witnesses TO the silent un-
seen but eternal and everlasting forcs
that promises new heaven ipon earth.
FREEDOM FROM MATERIALIsM
Let us see to IL. however. that this ten.
dency, instead of leading us out into the
future, does not lead us back into the
past. We escaped from bondage into the
liberty OF individualisn. we want 20 go
forth into the free dome OF unions. We
must free ourselves from the millstone OF
materialisn-
The hope says the socioiogist lies not
only I'm the organic nature OF society but
I'm the spiritual nature OF man. Says Pro-
fessor Mackenzie: ''our increase OF ma
terisi prosperity has tended 10 outrun
very much the growth OF our insight into
the true value of material things. As
We have become richer we have not be-
come happier IN an equal degree. Cur
riches have been, so TO say, heaped upon
US. instead OF being absorbed into our ma
ture and made part OF our life Not
given us but which we ourselves have Gre
ated. The French have carried a phrase
that expresses this. The 'nouveau
richie the new rich. II stands for those
who have gained riches. but not wealth.
who have made palaces. but not homes.
who have books which they do not read.
pictures which they do not appreciate.
and forks which they DO not use.
The institution we need to inspire US
and guide us IL one composed OF united
men and women. united for one purpose.
the spiritual upiift OF society.
II there IL one institution that ought
10 be this. 81 IS the Christian church.
and if there n one institution in society
that ought 10 he supported that is the In
| stitution. It Is not enough that va
| have unions, there must be spiritual
union Men do not unite or the creed or
materialism. the creed Of inhumanity.
and so long az We forget we arc spiritual
beings made IN the image OF God, We