The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1904-11-11
A SERMON FOR SUNDAY
AN ELOQUENT DISCOURSE ENTITLED.
''iMlTAToRS Of co.,"
The Rev. DIR. John Reid Answers the
soinewhst Narrow Cririeksm That
Christianity ts Marrow In It's spirit and
Contracting In Is Effect.

sonewhst Narrow Cri,Ieksn That
Christianity 10 Marrow In lts spirit and
Contracting I'm Its Eneet.
BRooKLYN, ". Y.-Dr. John Reid. pas
tor OF the Memorial Presbyterian Church.
preached an eloquent sermon Sunday
morning His text was taken from Ephe-
SANS wi: BE We therefore followers OF
God, as dear children" DIR. Reid said:
The Revised Version gives a better and
stronger translation; BE We therefore iml-
.tators OF God. as beloved children" Imi-
itators, as children. Being children OF God,
be We imitstors of God.
Truth is practically always achievement,
euperstructure, the keystone, a last stroke.
There are what the metaphysicians call
Immediate truth" that Is. truth in con-
nection with which our know ledge 10 intui-
tive, and where il comes IN as the direct
and undeniable testimony Of the senses,
but as a general thing, acquired truth is
the result OF work done, the issue OF bat
tie which has been won. In other wordr,
truth has 10 conquer before II can COM
mand. But in conflict or warfare Of what
soever kind, disguise is ever worse foe TO
meet than denial. And j suppose that
what Is frequently affirmed rs probably
true; namely, that the Christian religion
has always suffered more from those who,
sometimes intentionally and sometimes un-
Intentionally, have perverted and misrep-
rensented it, than il has ever suffered from
those who have even formally opposed IT.
There, for instance, is the somewhat trite
criticism that Christianity as a scheme Is
narrow in its spirit and contracting in its
effect; under II as a system men do not at
tain the highest possible development, and,
therefore, they cannot display the fairest
and finest fiber of human character; IT de-
velopes the passive and uninhuential more
than the puissant and productive; elements
of our nature; II keeps Its hand on hfes
brake to check and hold in. rather than
on life's throttle valve 10 open and let go;
il is In face lion, but in heart deer; the
thou shalt nots outnumber the thou shalts:
there is an unmistakable flavor OF pusil-
lanimity, Of cowardliness, OF spiritlessness,
which nothing every wholly removes from
many OF its principles and professions; re-
pentance, humbleDess, meekness, forgive
ness of injuries REIMBURSEMENT Of rights,
submission to what cannot be seen. accept
ance OF what cannot be known-these are
not among the heroic virtues. All this has
been felt and expressed, not only by the
superficial and scofiing, but by the respect.
ful and thoughtful. And certainly II is all
forceful. IL it were true, II might be even
fatal.
Yet from the beginning to end this whole
criticism that Christianity ls narrow in Its
spirit and contracting IN Its effects moves
on misconception. Human life can never
be bound by a liieless process 1t is OF ne
cesslty linked TO a living Person. And IN
Christianity. IT is the Almighty God who
is the standard Men are everywhere ex-
horted and expected to ascertain HIS ~lli,
10 keep His word, to lay hold Of His
strength. to walk in His light and 80 to
adorn His doctrine IN all things. IL Is the
example of God that is published as the
pattern. 1t IL the purity of God that is
put forth as the test. IL Is the will Of
God that Is prescribed as the law. IL Is
the love of God that is presented as the
motive power. 1t Is the glory of God that
Is pointed 10 as the end Ii IL the appro-
baton Of God that rs urged as the inspra-
tion and the sweet reward. Likeness to
Godhood-that is Christianity's ideal of
manhood; Likeness; not simply represen-
tation, but a reproduction; an image;
Likeness which has It's place, not IN one
ness or identity OF attributes, but IN one
ness or community of life. In Him we live
and move and have our being, said Paul.
with all cearness and confidence. For
me to live is Christ" said the same great
apostle 10 the Gentiles. Literally. Tor TO
me, that is, in my case, in so far az i am
personally concerned, lie IL Christ. In my
view aud understanding of the term, hfe is
but another name for Christ Whatever
of life, or of time, or of talent or OF
strength | have, IT is all His. II live. yet
i.
mans great endeayor was, az near as pos.
sble. to reproduce in has life the life OF
his Master.
SO here his exhortation tn. all others;
"Be ye~therefore imitators of God. as be
loved children" We have all known chIl-
dren who were so impressed with the char
acteristics OF their fathers that we could
never hear their form OF expression or see
their modes of action without thinking OF
L a
duct had received direction and form. We
say, chips OF the old block; the father
lives again in the son. just so the true life
Of the Christian ls. potentially at least.
simply reproduction OF the life OF the
Christ
'Imitators. as children of God" What
ever the sentiments we may entertain re-
garding the claims OF aristocracy or the
rights OF democracy, we all make much OF
ancestry The son OF a lord may become a
lord The daughter OF a queen IL OF the
blood royal. Everywhere men believe IN
association. Family glory is good intro
duction and great help TO any man who
can lawfully point 10 II as his. The valid
ity OF that introduction ~ never ques-
toned. the integrity OF that help IL never
rejected, except where the man himself
becomes personally deficient or person
aly degenerate For doubtless everywhere,
OF things, what is he" is of far greater
importance than whence did he Gomez
A Big fruit from a little tree ~ worth
more than a little fruit from a big tree,
when u js fruit that the market is de-
mandinR And what this intensely praot.
al age demands Is not 20 much ancestral
trees az palatablo fruit.
I confess that sometimes I have found it
hard 20 preserve the properties when j
have heard people boasting OF ancestry.
have sometimes wondered what the an
cestors would say II they suddenly saw the
progeny. Paternity is not. always easily
recognizable IN posterty. Neither IN
things material nor IN things moral does
past possession ever pay for present pow
erty. There must be some water in the
channel TO make a river out of II. and II ~
always the present water volume OF the
stream that determines the real water
value OF the river.
oh. East is East, and West is West.
And never the twain shall meet.
I'll Earth and Sky stand presently at
Gods great judgment seat;
But there ~ neither East nor West,
Border, nor Breed, nor Birth,
When two strong men stand face 10 face,
Though they come from the ends OF the
Earth"
These are strong lines Of Kiphng: brave
cords. wise and true. When u comes 10
the solemn strife and stress Of l'le, what"
weighs more than whence" Every man
IN hs own saddle and every tub on Its
own bottom"
Nevertheless. all people are disposed 10
recognize the possibility OF high honor m
honorable descent But admit this 20 be-
true, and u carries Its own serious claim
SlonC with n IL was tho ohseryatlOn Of