The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-21
"ETH|CS OF THINKING"
SUBJECT OF DISCOURSE
Rev. Albert Hurlstone Says a Re
vival of Honesty Is Badly
Needed.
ROBERTS PARK SERMON

Ethics of Thinking was the theme on
which DR.. Albert Hurlstone spoke at Rob-
erts Park NJ. E. church yesterday morn
ing. Text: Phil. Nv, s. In the course of
his discourse he said:
The Christians thought life is a subject
of great Importance. If conduct be three
fourths of life, then how much of the re-
naming fourth is thought, AS a man
thinketh in his heart so is he A man is
no better than his thoughts hence the
admonition. keep thy heart with ali dill
gence, for out of ii are the issues of life.
Christianity challenges thought 1t says
whatsoever things are true, honest, just,
pure, lovely, of good report, if there be
any virtue and there be any praise, think
on these things. That surely is wide
enough for the broadcast. and deep enough
in the spirit of Christianity. 1t is as wide
as beauty and as deep as love. Every bit
of beauty, wherever ii may be found, is a
bit of the revelation of God. Every bit of
truth, whoever may have discovered it, is
a word OF His mouth. And every bit of
goodness, no matter how obscure the life
which 1T uplifts and adorns, is piece of
His artistry. And all things that are fair
and good. serious and great, are ours for
contemplation, enjoyment, refining, uplift-
ing. Think of high things. Lift your
thoughts up. Emerson used to say, The
key to every man is his thought
Mans very nature suggests the impor-
lance of the ethics of right thinking. The
very capacity of conceiving of an existence
without end evokes a desire for ii. The
possibilities of indefinite development of
which man is. conscious points to an end
less progression. Man is not man yet
His artistic faculty, with its unrealized
ideals; his memory, with its necessary in
ference of personal continuity: his analog-
ical faculty converting all the yesterdays
OF his life into an argument for to-mor-
row; his hope inextinguishable as ever on
the very threshold of the grave. his affec-
tons undying STILL, though death has
wrenched away the objects round which
ClupU- or,
the unfairness with which the good and
i'll of life are distributed here-all elements
of the nature in which his Creator has
nodded hinl-combine to raise imperiously
within him the demand for another, an
immortal life. The very constitution OF
man sh3wTthat all true ennoblement be-
in our thought. We have 10 cleanse that
chamber of imagery. that is within. To
strive by constant prayer and vigil to un-
hang some pictures which for too long
the good housewife begins her houseclean-
ing with such diligence and chaSes out
every speck of visible dust and dirt, so let
us have moral housekeeping. We have
TO see to 1t by the grace of God that our
hearts are cleansed, the springs of thought
purified, so that the mind may become a
holy of holies, whose sanctity is never
spoiled by any thought that is out of har-
mony with its spirit. ana is ever full OF
the sweet incense of pure thought. high
desire, beautiful aspiration and Christlike
Let us think on the things that are true
Pure religion consists in love for whatso-
ever things are true. The truth about God
Truth about ourselves Truth about i'm
mortality Let us think upon whatsoever
things are honest. We need a revival OF
honesty. IL is folly to talk about holiness
and religion if you do not pay your debts
We must not be subtle and insincere as
Jacob. but frank. hearty, sincere like Ma
thaniel, of whom Jesus said: Behold ar
Israelite indeed in whom is no guile
Think on things that are just On what
soever things are pure. So pure was the
life OF Christ that ii is said: The life was
the light OF men. We may become like
Him, making atmosphere of purity
about us. How easy il is to do right in
company of some people. How difficult fol
some TO do right when with certain class
of impure thinkers Unto the pure al
things are pure. ."