The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-07-04

lovers of the teachings of John Wesley,
 to seriously consider the general exis- tence of iniquity, to see to it that we vigorously contend against individual sin, moral evil in the community and
 religious indifference in the church. Secondly. John Wesley saw the anti dote for sin. Together with tremen-
 dous realization of the prevalence of sin he saw the light amidst the darkness
 and implored his hearers to look to-
 wards the light--even the Sun of Righ- teousness. E
 I In the blaze of big benevolence,
 amidst the sunshine of culture and the
 glare of large philanthropy, the world
 often overlooks the splendor of the Sun
 of Righteousness.
 Eliminate the Divine Christ from re-.
 ligion and you have ethics-excellent in
 its way, but poor substitute for pure
 and undefiled religion.
 Remove Christ from the church and
 you take away its charm-its sweetness tits life.
 Tn Westminster Abbey underneath
 the medallion portraits of the two Wes-
 leysi upon a marble tablet, this inscrip- ! ton is written:
 God buries the workers. but carries.
 on the work."
 The work inaugurated by John Wes- I ley can only proceed through God-di-. rected human instrumentality.
 The subject of this address was, of
 course, God ordained reforrner, lead-
 CT and organizer. We are not endowed
 as was John Wesley. but 1t is well for I as religious teacher and worker.
 Simply this, was 1t not that he had en- tered into the ideal relationship between i God and man: 1. e.. communion, fellow
 ship, vital, intercourse. It Is true that the. saintly, fearless I Epworth scholar and thinker possessed l spiritual fire in uncommon measure. I This propulsive, spiritual power was
 John Wesley's contribution to Chrls- tianity. Let us endeavor to analyze the
 communion enjoyed by Wesley. | It has been stated religion is conn
 munion between a worshipping subject and a worshipped object. I prefer this
 somewhat inaccurate and unsatisfacto-
 ry definition to Matthew Arnold's state ment that religion Is conduct touched with emotion
 I What is that part of religion called
 communion? @~ t.: S ,sx. | It Is fellowship. intercourse with our
 Heavenly Father. Fellowship with God is stimulus, a reconciler, an an
 chor, bulwark, a Saviour, a comforter.
 
 -death horrible. l Communion with God enheartens, in. i spires, illumines, enthrones. 1t creates, I hope and secures peace. It equips the
 believer and sustains the saint.
 Is our intercourse with God vital, continuous? A question. How may we
 know that our fellowship is vital? The answer. How may we know we love wife or children? We feel it. We live I it. @@ E%s: VIE <" | A question. How may others know that religion dominates possesses us, that communion with God is continu- ous? The answer. How may wife and children know we love them? By our conduct. l It becomes us this Sabbath morning
 to put to ourselves a question concern-. | ing our communion with God. Has 1t ever been; is it now so vital that we are,
 building for eternity? Does it ennoble,. beautify our character? 1 You may remark. In your observa- lions concerning fellowship with God, you have confined yourself exclusively ] to the man side. What about the God side? Let us. see. Would a father ig- nore the supplicating believings child? The more frequent the approach to God, l the greater the Fathers interest. The l,reward of felt, acknowledged depend- ence is the bestowal of Divine helpful tness. 2 .-. -'..+ ", There are pathetic renembranees. l There are pathetic scenes. The loved often does not love the giver. As look | through this audience there are lines of sorrow plainly noticeable; some of them
 may have been the outcome Of the re- fusaI of the loved to love the lover. Oh! the bitterness, the anguish occa-' stoned by unreauited love.
 l But if, in the deep down of our hearts, < there exists a continuous abiding love
 for God if we can exclaim, "As for me, | I will behold Thy face in righteous
 ness" we may be assured that Gods. { love meets our desire. .S .,i | And now. my incredulous brother re-
 marks, if one whom I fondly love re-,
 turns the love. Lean see it. The eyes,
 the face, the lips, tell the story, but, sir, I cannot see God. How may I ] know my love is returned? 2