The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1903-10-15
| SERMON FOR SUNDAY
AN ELOQUENT DISCOURSE BY THE
REV. DR.. S. PARKS CADMAN.

the Distinguished Brooklyn Divine De-
hvers Powerful Address Entitled
The Calling of Life"-why We Must
Offer to God Genuine Sainthood.
BROOKLYN, N. Y.-Dr. Samuel Parkes
Sadman, pastor of the Central Congrega-
slonal Church, occupied his pulpit for the
nrst time Sunday morning since his vaca-
tlon and his return from Europe. A large
congregation had assembled. The sermon
was upon "The Calling of Life" and the
text from the First Epistle to the Corin-
thaans ID, Called to be saints" DR.. Cad
man said in the course of a strong sermon:
To-day we enter upon the fifteenth year
OF eur church's existence and work. Be-
hind us lies the honorable past, comforting
oDhgation more than feeding pride, a holy
prophecy in living deeds and strong root
OF confidence that God, even the God of
onr fathers, who has reared this pillar to
Ills name and glory, will not break it in
the midst. So this year of jubilee is upon
aus, and these considerations make it
priceless possession which our stewardship
must guard and increase.
These divisions of time are arbitrary but
influential. January is but moments
space from December 81, and yet the birth
OF new year has witnessed in numberless
instances spiritual and moral revolutions.
a tew hours separate Good Friday from
Easter Day, but if near in time, how dis
tant are they in meaning! These distinc-
lions Of the calendar arrest us. They
break the crust of our conventionality,
they recall us to our original work and
purposes and they inspire Us with the re-
ahtles of vision and of hope.
Let us beware of blaming our surround
tngs for our weakness, our failure to in
strumentally convert men and control the
present world in the intersc.s of the kind
rtnw -
too often caused by the choked pipe and
ats paucity prevents manv from seeking it.
Pastors, teachers and workers of all
churches should remember that the mighty
tide of Gods life and blessing finds its
way to human hearts through their APP
pointed agencies. And the greatest church
among us is only like port on the oceans
shore, dependent on 1t for increase and for
strength.
Dredge deep the bar and cleanse away
the silt of daily cares. Then, when the
text is thus understood and obeyed, com
merce with the unseen world shall bring
us weather. freights, and life, which now
seems far away, and inland shall be lifted
upon this resistiess afuenca of blessing
and brought back to God.
But sainthood is no passive movement,
dependent on our inaction, hesitating when
we are alert and shy of any effort we can
make to secure its franchise. 1t absorbs
into one flame of devotion altar and sacri
flee. 1t insists upon the full employment
of every capacity and new and better ODE
diences. 1t bids you rise from the low
grounds of despair and cease to say:
What might not have made of Thv fair
world mad l but lived Thy highest" Gods
love and health are yours, willing to meet
your resdjustment of energy and of aim
Lord salisbury.'s fayorite advice to those
who pestered him about his world-com-
polling diplomacy babe them Study larger
maps" And the sweep of Gods plan in
your life and mine is wide unto the inf
mite, tender and wise and capable beyond
our utmost imagination. When the apostle
wrote these words he was conscious of
their high supremacy, and yet they are but
faint reflection of the weight of glory
God has chosen to give perfected char
acter after the pattern of the Master
II we see the excellency of this calling it
should mean for us the objective point
where the finest energies of the soul are
constantly In service. The pity of it is that
we are busy overmuch in trivial and imma-'
terial things and struggle in the meshes of
the commonplace.
Our souls pace is liable to be set to
perlshable strains, where noble means are
used for little ends. Strenuous life is wise
when its aims are correspondingly high,
but it was said of noble Roman "Domi-
tran Is always busy-catching flies"
defeats the central thought of our Toying
Creator. Manhood sacrificed to anything
less than the Makers purpose is manhood
lost. We may pursue the petty round I'M
til high achievement and it's possibility are
paralyzed
You naturally ask, What is sainthood?
1t is spiritual health and moral thoughtful-
ness. 1T Is, to quote significant utter
anee of DIR. Arnold, of Rugby, "the inquir-
ing love of truth sustained by the devoted
love of goodness" 1t is wholesome, be-
cause it is holy, set about and adorned by
the abiding beauty of holiness, rightly I'M
derstood. 1t is practice, not theory; con-
secratlon, not perfection; a condition of
character and not a theological definition.
1t is the kinship in willing and feeling of
your spirit to the spirit of Christ, who was
the, very will and heart of God in human
flesh.
Because it flows out of the fitness of
God and is accepted by our belief. it is a
catholic blessing, and there has been no
more mischievous teaching than that which
has limited it to a sect within the church
Being Gods gift, its only condition of ex-
istence in you is your hearty trust and ac-
ceptance of the same, followed by constant
effort to walk in Christ's way. Alike for
all who profess and cali themselves Chris
tians, for brilliant but blameworthy CORN
thians,. for generous but tickle Galatians,
FOR Sardis and Laodicea, with little more
than mere name to live; let none draw
back from this divine election or declare
the boon is not for them.
| Many shrink from this term saint" be-
cause it has been DETAINED by the charlatan
and soiled by all ignoble use., Pharisaical
sanctimoniousness and bigoted exclusive
ness and false standards Of the real meas
uTe and quality of saintaood have hindered
its free range.
But, rightly known, it is the spirit of the
heavens within the wheels of earthly inter
course
Cardinal Newman reflected upon the
church of his birth that she failed to pro-
o1ee sainthood, and the Roman commun-
ion, he declared. was first and singular in
this respect. How rudely he challenged
Anglican competency some of us know.
Capable of much, it was wanting here
Bishops, theologians, exegists, ecclesiastical
statesmen it could and did afford, but
saints, no. Bishop Kew, John Keble and
Richard William Church are sufficient evil
dence to the contrary. And I only quote
the cardinal to show how segregated ideals
and types of sainthood may mislead fore
most spiritual genius.