The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-04-07

tlnSulSned dlFlhf
of the Methodist BISHOP NlLSON.
church to de
liver a series of lectures, called the Avera
Bible lectures. Afterwards they are pup
lished and preserved. The fund for Sc
curing this annual series of lectures was
donated by Mrs. Avera, of Clayton. The
college authorities have wisely expended
if This wear the lectures We're deIVefed
nv Rishop Wilson, Of Baltimore. 1hcy
were up to his high standard. Neces-
ssrilv the audience that heard him was
limited by the capacity of the church in
which he spoke. The larger audience IN
North Caro!ina-over 40, 0G0 people-Who
daily read the News and Observer VIII
no interested in an outline Of the Blsh-
oD's three lectures. The general SUBJECT
of three lectures was 1.-The Natural ana
the Spiritual" The synopsis of each Is
given below:
LECTURE NUMBER ONE.
ole said in part: In the midst OF
the confusion of life and as many Ideals
we are frequently at a loss to Know
what shall be our attitude, we are not
able to find our bearings. We all nave
something to do with business a1alrS,
and frequently men are absolutely domi-
mated by the business world which press
&C in uDon them with irresistible force.
We all have certain social relations, ara
to some society is the paramount con-
Germ. Coming into narrower spheres we
have our friendships and the relations OF
the family, experiencing here the inner
sentiments and nObler obligations. In one
years private thoughts he is shut Off
from all these relationship stands in
the secret pale of the soul. II one is
open minded, he will find some one else
there, he will become aware Of the I'M
seen, the subtle influences Of which he
is unconscious in the outer life. Jacob,
the crafty business man, found an angel
with whom he wrestled through the
night, and Moses found the great God Oh
the heights Of Sinai.
THE question that interests US all is
the right adjustment OF these elements
that go into the making of character.
What place shall we give to business?
to society? to friendships and family
life to the secret place where we hold
communion with God? Which is the
most important-the best thing?
I'm the order of our experiences the
natural comes before the spiritual, there
fore the most important. In business af-
fairs men may show q greater intellectu-
al power than did the builders Of ancient
empires, and yet not find the secret OF
life: they may be as intellectual as
angels and yet as bad as devils. Wealth
cannot bring the best, for men who have
it are far from being happy or satisfied.
The greatest leader of New York society
died in poverty and with his character
besmirched. There is always a possibili-
ty of the serpent entering the Eden Of
our home. Only in the. building up Of
the spiritual life does man make himself
strong against all enemies of the soul.
On the side of the natural he will never
find the best.
IF one would see how the spiritual life
is built up, how God revealed himself to
the inner man, he will find the answer
to his search in the Bible and in the
church. The Bible is the record Of what
is best in human life; in the church this
record has been wrought out in history.
Without going into question of form, Or
questions raised by modern criticism, let
US study the Bible as the disclosure Of
God and the revelation of mans relation
to God. From the account of the crea-
ton of man the Bible puts in the fore
front as the one thing essential that
which is spiritual. The starting point Of
thC blAIo Jaw AL -AAh 10 LIN CNS - 3
of the current of spiritual life that runs
THROUGH tribe and nation and kingdom.
The test came to Adam when he had to
decide between the two forces in his
mind-the sensuous and divine. His
temptation was the only condition of his
asserting his obedience to the higher
law. When he fell, God did not withdraw
from the world, man couldn't drive him
away. He spoke through the conscience
of Cain. Centuries afterwards Abraham
was capable Of hearing the divine voice
and with him was made the covenant
that bound a race in closer ties to the
Almighty. Moses. better than the men
around him and clearer sighted, made an
earthly tabernacle from the pattern on
the mountain and instituted a new order
of worship. Then came the schools of
the prophets who could make spiritual
things seem as real as the natural. The
terms in which men speak of God en-
large and their visions increase. The
prophets go unsullied into the depths OF
the Godhead. Ordinary men could not
understand them, and said they were be-
side themselves. In the course of time
the natural got the mastery over the
spiritual, the vision ceased and the voice
Of prophecy was heard no more; until
John the Baptist spoke on the banks o.
the Jordan. Then a new order was III
stituted-the world had no longer a par
tial revelation. The divine is found no
longer in special places of worship or iu
elaborate ceremonial, but all men have
access to the Father by reason of this
complete revelation. Men may now build
spiritual temples of themselves; the veil
in the temple is rent.
1T is this revelation found in the New,
Testament that is to be the strength OF
the church. It's glory is not to be ir
the fact that it helps to establish peace
on the erth, or IN the aesthetic excellence
on the earth, or in the aesthetic excellence
Of it's buildings and rituals, but in tho
establishment of the spiritual over The
earthly and the sensuous. 1t is here tina