Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1904-11-10
"IMITATORS OF GOD"
A Brilliant Sunday Sermon By Rev. DR..
John Reid.
Answers the Criticism That Christianity IL
Narrow In Its Spirit and Con-
tracing In lis Effect.

morning. HIS leAI was taNeh
slams vi. BE We therefore followers of
God. as dear children" DIR. Reid said:
The Revised Version gives better ana
stronger translation "Be We therefore lm!-
tators of God as beloved children. lmi-
tators. as children. Being children OF God,
be We imitators of God.
Truth is practically always achievement
superstructure, the KEYSTONE, last stroke;
There are what the metaphyslcians can
Immediate truth that is, truth IN cor
nection with which our knowledge is intul-
five and where it comes in as the direct
and uudeniable testimony of the senses,
but az a general thing, acquired truth Is
the result of work done, the issue OF pat
file which has been won. In other words,
truth has to conquer before 1T can com
mand. But in conflict or warfare OF what
soever kind, disguise Is ever worse zoe 10
meet than denial. And suppose tnat
what is frequently affirmed IS pronaoly
true; namely, that the Christian religion
has always suffered more from those VINO,
sometimes Intentionally and sometimes I'M
Intentionally have perverted and misrep'
consented it. than it has ever suffered from
those who have even formally opposed 1t.
There. for instance, is the somewhat true
criticism that Christianity as scheme Is
narrow in its spirit and contracting IN It's
effect: under it as system men 90 not az
tain the highest possible development, anu,
therefore. they cannot display the fairest
and finest fiber of human character; 1t de-
yelopes the passive and uninfluential, more
than the puissant and productive. clements
of orr nature: it keeps its hand on lie
brake to check and hold in, rather than
on hfe's throttle valve to open and let 60;
il is in face a lion, but in heart deer; the
thou shalt nots outnumber the thou shalts'
there is an unmistakable flavor OF pusii-
lanimity, of cowardlness. OF splritlessness,
which nothing every wholly removes IRON
many of its principles aud professions; re-
nentance. humbeness, meekness. forgive
ness of injuries. REIMBURSEMENT OF rights,
admission to what cannot be seen, accept
ance of what cannot be known-these are
not among the heroic virtues. All tins has
been felt and expressed, not only by the
superficial and soothing, but by the respect,
full and thoughtful. And certainly 1t Is all
forceful. If it were true, it might be even
fatal.
Yet from the beginning to end this whole
criticism that Christianity is narrow IN It's
spirit and contracting IN ITS effects moves
on misconception. Human life can never
he bound bv hfeless process 1t is of ne
cessty linked to living Person. And IN
Christianity, it is the Almighty God VINO
is the standard. Men are everywhere eX-
borted and expected to ascertain His VIII,
to keen His word, to lay hold OF Ills
strength, to walk in His light and so to
adorn His doctrine in all things. 1t Is the
eNal'p'c u Gou tl ,,'' n,r;ty nf Cod that is
pat'Vfin.. ,, ,ba +a,t II il the will of
Pu', Nv ~. .asor;hoI ~ the law. II is
Eou 'Ila' g "a ~ i nresanted a. the
t he wv % Il !. tbo glory of God that
nlothe pd" 81 -, thn emd If Is the oppro.
- to ~ n Cd that is urced as the inspira.
,aI 10 s,yee+ reward Likeness to
EodhnnJ, that i Christianity's ideal of
,,,onhnoj. E,enesS. not simply a represen-
tnt;nn hnt a reproduction; an image; a
likeness which has its place, not in one
ness or identity of attributes, but in one
ness mr. community of life. In Him we live
and move and have our being said Paul.
with all clearness and confidence. FOR
mo to live is Christ" said the same great
apost1c t, the Genties. Literally, for to
me, that is, in my case. in so far as | am
personally concerned. life is Christ In my
view and understanding of the term, life is
but another name for Christ. Whatever
of life. or of time, or OF talent, or OF
strength | have, it is all His. 81 live. yet
not I, but Christ liveth i'll me mat
mans great cndeavor was, as near as los.
sible TO reproduce in his life the life OF
his Master
Go horo his oxbort,t;on 10 all others:
.,po w ,Lnrofore ;nit,iors NJ God. AS be.
,nnoI lh iidro, We have all known chill
i. ,,., o ;n,,rnssed with thr char
oato,;at;o, IS thcir f,thnrs that we could
ns, or Lrar their form of expression or see
tbeir MODES of action without thinking of
those from whom their opinions and con.
duct had received direction and form. We
saw. chips OF the old block; the father
lives again in the son. just so the true life
III. &c
s;mplv n reproduction of the life of the
Christ
"r,,,;t,tor, os c,;,dre, of Cod" What.
IN '"'ol ., % 500 ,,a,, ontorta;n re
wv ''' i; IS on;.tooracy mr. tho
t"lI"'"S w I .'''ta '.o iii rmal,o much of
l!si's VI nv, -, " lord NAV become a
"and ria SnrGhteT NJ n queen il of the
blood royal. Everywhere men believe IN
association. Family glory Is good nitro
ducton and a great help to any man who
can lawfully point to it as his. The valid
ity of that introduction is never ques-
toned. the integrity Of that help Il. never
rejected. except where the man himself
becomes personally deficient or person
ally degenerate. For doubtless everywhere,
Wheh u CONES 70 ene Iot f'f for sto
~ 'nihss, W , . - ia ha NO."
An I", ." fn,,;t 'F fnn,, Tttio tree ia worth
- Dc nun i io. t;t tnoo
more man N.Y. iiu't tiom, {. tS " a.
Whe9 IL lIH'I lhat tht !naih S,. 10 u
m2nalne; ana "n"t thIs 'n.un nh a psar.,i
tNI aye u.itanhS e S NV ~ MUM
trees as pa'',"D'e ir"'t'
confess that sometimes ] have found it
hard to preserve the propretles when
have heard people boasting of ancestry.
have sometimes wondered what the an.
cestors would say if they suddenly saw the
progeny. Paternity is not always easily
recognizable in posterity. Neither in
things material nor in things moral does
past possession ever pay for present pow
channel to make a river out of it, and it is
always the present water volume of the
stream that determines the real water
value OF the river.
ooh East ;s Eaat and West il West.
ny ''o 80 NV " I " 'S