The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-01-21

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new republic upon the chief corner stone,
Jesus Christ.
THE INJURY IT DID.
This was the injury the book did. This
seemed to be it's purpose. to lead the
youth who read II 10 the belief that apart
from such an experience one was not re-
ceived into favor with God. Theological
ly IL was an onput OF that doctrine that
says that I'm Adam we all die: that insists
that we are by nature bad that We are
sons OF Satan and have no good I'm us;
that between us and God there Is a deep
gulf fixed.
This gulf is dug deep and broad. not In
the interest OF Jesus OF Nazareth. the car
penter's son. not In the interest OF the
friend and Saviour OF man revealed in
our Gospels. but In the interest OF con-
ception OF Christ worked out by the
church. That pit was made bottomless in
the intrest Of theory Of the atonement
| against which the better nature OF this
| same totally defeated humanity today re-
| bells.
We are not to forget. however. that
| that spiritual crisis, however false the
| theology may be that inspired the book
was true and genuine. There may be
those here who have passed through
| like experience
stephen Tying, for many years the rector
or 81 Georges church in New York had
such an experience, through not so vivid
DIR. TYNG's EXPERIENCE.
"one night when ne was 10 years OF age.
lying awake. he thought. What a waste
full life | am living" Upon the instant
he exclaimed, Lord. I will live so no
longer" He knelt by the bedside and
made his prayer OF conservation. He
subsequently said. This impression and
choice were not attended with strong
emotion. had no distressing conviction
OF guilt Not five minutes. perhaps
elapsed between my first awakened
thought and my prayer upon my knees
was never more calm, more sef-pos
sessed. or more considerate. But this
was the turning point in my life I rose
from my knees with a fixed determine ton
and without single hesitation or doubt.
l was converted"
Thousands OF men have passed through
q similar experience II might be said.
too. that for many lost In the depths Of
SIN that there Ia no hope for them apart
form this sudden crisis and that the
the force and power OF a mighty tempest
To those whom II comes there always
comes the danger that that attends ANY
great crisis or achievement
one looks back on that hour as the
greatest hour OF all their living. 1t Is the
red letter day OF human experience. The
danger is that 1t may contain all there
is OF their religious experience. Those
who rest on their laurels are not ALI in
cluded In that class OF men who sink
Spanish fleets and storm and capture |
Manilas.
ALL FLESH HEIR TO.
1t is a malady that all flesh Is heir >,
We are all prone after we have done |
something or something has been
achieved In and through us 10 spend the |
rest OF our lives talking about II. |
man or an institution with history needs
watching
Often the better the history the more
need for watchfulness. We don't live
on our history. that is a mistake We
die on IT, A story told by Max o'Rell
Illustrates the point. "Voltaire had taken
box at the opera and was installed I'm
II with ladies'. when the Duke OF Gauzun
one OF the worst libertnes In the time
OF Louis XIV, arrived and asked for
box lie was respectfully informed that |
all the boxes were taken That may be
he said. but l see Voltalre IN one: turn
him out. In those days those things
could happen and Voltaire had 10 be
turned out. No doubt he preferred that
brought an action against the duke 10
recover the price he had paid for the
box. What! exclaimed the advocate for
the duke, Is the Monsieur de voltaire
who dares TO plead against the Duke OF
Gauzun. whose great grandfather was I
the first TO get on the walls OF La
Rochelle against the Protestants: whose
grandfather took l2 cannons from the
Dutch at Utreclub. whose father cap
tured two standards from the English a
who
voLTAIREs REPLY.
"oh. but excuse ms." interrupted Vol
taire In the court. II am not pleading
against the Duke OF Gauzun who was
hrst on the walls Of la Rochelle nor
against the duke who took twelve can
mons from the Dutch at Utreclub. nor
against the duke who captured two
,tandards from the English at Fontenay;
am pleading against the Duke of
iauzun who never captured anything i'm
ais life except my box at the opera "
In urging history "a an argument IL is
we'll TO note whose history it Is and IN |
'ur own lives we ought 10 remember
What Howard Grigss has said: Life
= won only by ceaseless battle. and the
1000 OF yesterday is lost unless we
lchieve II anew today"
There is n second type Of men. n large
ype. too who arc intensely serious about
he matter Of religion. yet who are in
Ioubt and distress because they are not
BILE TO look back upon any definite and
veil defined religious experience. They
ave tried to force this experience at
lines without avail and then have set
led back into apathy and lethargy Such
mes ofttimes doubt the possibilities ~
heir entering into the religious lie. {
.ucien and Marius. the Epicurean. In tho
esutful story told by Walter Pater |
ieet youth on his way TO school and ! ,