The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-02-08

Methodist church at the corner OF Pot
ter's and Prairie avenues, we were woke
up on the Importance OF the conscience
and given some excellent advice by the
on the line OF letting that small
voice within have a free rein In the d.
rection OF right doing.
The chorus choir was n good one, and
the members all sang the anthem with
excellent good taste. The hymn. Faith
of our Fathers" which was sung by the
entire congregation made me think of old
times when the Methodists were more
in their worship tnan tney
are now, and IL did my heart good.
After the minister. the Rev. H. +.
Simon. had offered prayer. he selected
his text from the fourth chapter OF
Pauls Second Epistle TO the Corinthians.
a part OF the second verse: by mani
fcstation OF the truth, commenting our
selves 10 every mans conscience In the
sight OF Cod"
"We'n suppose you are all alone on
land that belongs to nobody in particular,
O. sort OF public domain. and there you
find a treasure" says the preacher, "and
under the satisfaction L4at comes from
suddenly acquiring wealth, you begin 20
count the benefits that this treasure
will give you. You have been n hard
worker, and naturally you feel this Will
give you n good long vacation. A chance
TO travel abroad perhaps. 1t represents
property enough TO carry you along
through life I'm comparative ease. Why
should sou not keep #? And just as you
have about come 20 the conclusion
that the treasure Is rightfully yours
you read on the side or the package, that
this property is left for the heirs OF SO
and so. Then you stop and think. and
remember that these heirs are well off
in this worlds goods aud II they never
receive It they will never want for ma
terlal support. And stil you cling TO
the one idea that you are the finder and
you have the right TO keep the goods.
Then you try 20 content yourself that
you have done the right thing. Try 10
throw off any responsibility I'm the mat
ter, But that Is the one thing that you
can't do. Bye and bye you must come 10
the point where you will ask yourself the
question, rs It right?
ut is then that you come TO the cross
roads and must decide which way you'll
GO IL is then that you come 10 the point
that the Apostle is referring to--the de.
Gliding between right and wrong"
Then federation leans over and says
'I wonder IL the descendant of Nebuchad
nezzar who's carrying on the Russian EN-
pire has ever got TO that point YETI"
We'll" says 1 I'm n whisper, ''if HI
hasn't he'll have to give up whatever III
undertakes to keep that don's belong L
him"
Yes" says he. ''and ] reckon that th'
consciences Of Christian nations will COM
20 his rescue and show him that 10 ain
any select privilege OF his TO go arount
huntin' for treasure that belongs TO othe
folks. to say nothin' about giving UP wha
he's got"
We'll" says 7. don't break in 1 wan
to hear the sermon!"
Then the minister was saying that 81
Paul didn't say that this doing right sys
tenn was handed down from the hoar
ages OF the past. and the right thin
should be done because il was an estah
lished precedent 1t didn't make any dif
ference what was done in the first cen
| fury or the seventeenth century. I'M
inner voice that we call conscience !
an independent possession that ever
| mortal has been presented wlth-a great
or treasure than all the material riche
of the earth, and this was what IN
| APOSTLE was calling our attention t'
| Wanted us TO realize that our naturt
were sovereign and independent ana the
/ this great gift of conscience gave US II
/ T..
! independent OF every other individual
place ourselves on the highest plane or pei
lection that should be pleasing IN Ut
sight OF God and just TO our fellow man
Then the preacher showed that ST. Pa'
was writing TO a people fun or the SPIT
Of money and pleasure. Their minc
were bent on material things, as man
are at the present time. But ne was tr!
ing TO convince these money chahgel
that this conscience, n its voice Wa
heeded was sufficient TO guide the
through oil OF their financial Journeys WIZ
Justice 20 every person that they shou
meet. IF there's anybody" says h
"tbat can't see this truth. as voiced
the conscience. it's because the materl
| hos blinded them and made them re
little. And they are as little as they rec
"sometfnes this disposition to do rigi
or wrong varies. At one time you r.
snona quickly 20 the voice. At anoth'
Won are n long time I'm deciding TO DO u
| right thing you may be able TO uei
! this conscience voice for a time put
don't know whether there VIII be TIN
that YOU can forget the real respohs
hilitv that rests upon you.
"some sec the truth a. prompted |
tho conscience much quicker than other
some are very slow to recognize IN
y,b,ch is right But the real quality
one Is as good as the other ~ each r
sponds correctly as soon as ne uhde
stands his duty.
ct was sir Isaac Newton WI
recognized the facts of geometry
readily he felt it unnecessary to was
any time on that study. But YOU al
I NAV need many months 60 convince
OF some things that flashed upon h
mind instantly. But our final decisio
~ correct. - a. good a. Newton's.
some mon win recognize the truth
religion instantly. while another VIII q
60 see and will work hard for the trut
we are differently made, and we differ
our method I'm working out many. OF q
great problems. but II the result is q
same what docs it matter whether we
/ a long or short time In reaching G
TRUTH
Then the minister showed that GO
deal OF time is wasted apparently in a
riviug at some truths. which, after tn
| have been decided. are not tho importa
thing. one notable Instance was &
spending OF many months by one man
determining whether John wrote I
epistles that arc credited 90 him. ~
,s.utanff like TO have mo Offer as an q