The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1904-10-21
A SERMON FOR SUNDAY
An ELOQUENT DISCOURSE ENTITLED
TIE VALUE or OBEDIENCE"
Presohed by the Rev. Joseph Dunn Bur
rell, of Brooklyn, N.Y.-The Way to
Power shown by Convincing Argu-
inents-Chri.t Our Great Pattern.

BROOKLYN, \. Yin the Classon Ave
nue Presbyterian Church the pastor, the
Rev. Joseph Dunn Burreil, preached sun
day morning on The Value OF Obedience
The text was from Philippians, ii:s, 8:
He humbled Himself and became obe-
cross. Wherefore God also hath highly
exalted Him and given Him name which
Is above every name" Mr. Burrell said:
From this passage we learn that, through
obedience, our Lord Jesus Christ attained
Illis surprising glory. He won HIS eNalta-
tion not by exploiting HIS own will, but by
submitting 10 the viii of God.
On TINS point He Is representative OF bu-
manity. For all men everywhere 10 obey
"a the way 10 rule "Whosoevor VIII be
Chief among YOU, let him be your servant"
Obedience thus becomes a moss essential
part of education. whether IN the home or
The school. There is something disreputa-
be about the household where the children
do not mind or the lecture hall, where the
instructor has no control. IL ~ a healthy
discipline for us 10 have to submit our Will
20 anothers. Such Is the Biblical concep-
tien OF home training. Such was the
method of Chrlsts bringing up.
Professor Huxley had great influence
upon current ideas of education and, per-
haps, the most eloquent words he ever
wrote were those IN which he set forth
learn how TO obey. That man" he saws,
"has had a liberal education, who has been
so trained in youth that his body is the
ready servant of his will, and does with
ease and pleasure all the work that, az a
mechanism, II Is capable of. whose intellect
Is clear, cold, logic engine, with all its
parts of equal strength, and IN smooth
working order; ready. like a steam engine,
10 be turned 10 any kind of work, and spin
the gossamers. as well as forge the anchors
OF the mind; whose mind rs stored with a
knowledge of the great and fundamental
truths of nature and of the laws OF her op-
eratlous; one who, no stunted ascetic, Is
full OF life and fire, but whose passions are
trained 10 come 10 heel by vigorous will,
the servant of a tender conscience: who
has learned 10 love all beauty, whether OF
mature on OF art. TO hate all vileness, and
to respect others as himself. Such an one
and no other. | conceive, has had liberal
education, for he Is, as completely as a
man can be, in harmony with nature. He
will make the best of her, and she OF him.
They viii get on together rarely; she as
his ever benehcent mother; he as her
mouthpiece, her conscious self, her minis
ter and interpreter"
But il is not enough To learn obedience
theoretically IN one period of education; ;
we must perpetuate II as habit all through
our wears. for II If the only way to success
in life. Obedience - not for its own sake,
but In order that through 1t we may come
10 be our best selves We accept law as
the predetermined condition of life, sur
render ourselves TO it, and by yielding win
true liberty.
Agesilaus Of Sparta knew how 10 govern
because he had first learned how TO obey.
according TO the old saying. The present
Emperor of Germany and King of Italy,
brilliant examples OF successful monarchs,
were trained with severity that some OF
our boys would think cruel. There was
once hard worked employe OF the New
York street car system; he is now its head.
There was once private soldier who had
TO submit to al the narrow restrictions OF
the mot subordinate rank IN the army; he
il now our commander in the Philippines.
We take away harmful things from our
children that later on they may know
enough to deprive themselves % them. They
are made TO take care OF their bodies that
they may keep the laws OF health when
they need it for lifes work. They are
gwen good books TO read that they may
prefer such when they are free to read
what they will. They are shielded from
bad associations and thrown into the com
pany of clean, true, honorable boys and
girls so that when they are out IN the
world fighting their own battles they may
choose the friendship OF the good and shun
that of the base.
Some parents are afraid to have their
children arrive at the age OF self control.
Yet what is the good OF education. The
ann of your discipline sand Herbert
Spencer, Should be to produce a seli-goy-
frninc being; not TO produce beng TO he
governed by others il rs a Joy 20 have
obedieut children. but 1t ought TO be
greater JOY when they are become true.
hearted men and women. end are out IN
the world carrying on the business OF life.
Then the object OF education - secured
and the condition OF success IS satisfied
On the other hand. moral failure IS due
20 not having learned how to obey, and 50
not knowing how TO rule.
When a girl says TO herself When
have home of my own You VIII see how
differently ! shall do things" When a boy
thinks Just wait until am twenty-one
md | VIII see life for myself you may
know that the seed of the Dead Sea fruit
il already sown.
A woman whose family were in want was
given S2j by a friend Instead Of purchas-
,lg necessities with this provlde1;ial pres
ent she used IT IN having the photographs
ii the entire household taken. There was
an example of one who did not deserve TO
be grown up. She did not know how 10
control her own life. She had never
learned that the only way 10 live worthy
IS 20 obey the great principles OF duty. She
merely followed her whims.
! heard this summer Of a young man who
year AGO was flying around Long Island
IN his automobile, dazzling the natives with
his reckless expenditure Of A newly ac-
CURED fortune. To-day he ia said to be
t.cIkinc IN store. He did not know how
= bc rich; he had not learned scli-contTol
onIte rightly he has been set back again IN
hls proper place
Oscar Wilde was a young scholar OF OK
traordnary brihance. His essay on The
Decay of Lying for example, was marvoi.
lorsly suggestive. But he never learned
10 obey, 10 control himself, TO love the
right; on the contrary. by following his
own viii and seeking pleasure without re
gard to duty he made OF himself social
outcast and died beggar's death in Paris.
IL makes no difference what ability, posi-
tion or opportunity one has. u he dces not
fnow how 20 obey he is on the road % rum.
Moreover, this condition Of obedience u
The permanent Law OF life. Neither IN this
nor any other world is 1t abolished The
mother warns her baby not 10 touch the
stove. The little one disobeys and 10
burned. He grows TO be a man. He
cmcrces from he motheT's control. No
one advises him now 20 keep away from
the stove he can put his finger on II Il hs
Will. But II be does he will be burned
again
So u is 10 the moral life As children
we were restricted By others from wrong
doing. and u We persisted IN seeking 10 ac-
II We suffered. Now we are grOvn
aud no one hinders us We can sin Il We
chocse Bot u We DO We shall have 10 bear |
the consequences now a. then.
The choice gwen us - not whether we /
shall be under God'- law or not. bot only /
whether We shall obey them or not. IN |
either case receiving The results q our de-. /
cisIOn. For whatsoever a nan soWeth, /