The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-04-28
4 SERMON FOR SUNDAY
4 DISCOURSE ENTITLED "uLJlNATE
AMERICA"


AMERICA"
iPatriotic Address by the Rev. j. Alexan-
der jenkins, Pastor of Imznanuel Con-
gregational Church-This Country the
Spiritual Teacher of the Nations.
BROOKLYN, N. Yin Temple Israel the
Kew. j.. Alexander jenkins, pastor of I'm
manuel Congregational Church, delivered
an address to large audience on "Ulti-
mate America. the Spiritual Teacher OF
the Nations" He said among other things:
1t IS commonplace of the newer think
ing that the evolutionary process culmin-
ates in the soul OF man. the whole mighty
movement being. satisfactorily explained
according to the thinking of the theistic
evoiutionist, when matter endowed with
life and perfected through countless gener-
ations, has at last given to the mind of the
human being the instrument for the ele
mentary exercises OF its endless life. The
struggles of the ages are justified in the soul.
The student OF history Is perpleNed as he
hears the groanings and witnesses the ira
vallings OF the nations through the centur-
les, and his natural and legitimate query,
as he beholds the rise and fall of nations,
Is, Where lies the goal Of the peoples and
what justifies the tolls and agonies of the
race? T he answer to this inevitable ques-
tion is this: Almighty God is leading the
nations toward tine goal of the highest life,
and the struggles of the ages ind Justltca-
tion in the birth of the world-soul. And if
the fact that God breathed into mans nos
trils the breath Of life, SO that he became
a living soul is sufficient recompense for
{h., ,to hotf Nf ho g
gray dawn, the thought that He viii
breathe soul into the nations should like
wise be deemed ample compensation for
the groupings and grapplings of the aspir-
ants for national permanency and suprem-
acy..
The American co,onists were not the
first men to fight for independence, but the
motives that produced tba Declaration OF
Independence made their fight epoch
marking as no other fight had ever been.
Other nations had given up slavery, but
no nation was ever before called upon to
furnish so awful a proof of sincerity of
motive in striking the shackles from the
limbs OF the enslaved. Other nations have
had to deal with the problem of undesir-
able aliens. but no nation ever felt as fees
America the imperativenesS OF course of
action based upon Righteousness and JUS
tice. Other nations have seized the terri
tory of the weak and helpless, but none
has felt such deep, unsel6sh sohcitude for
dependent people as has characterized
our country in her dealings with primi-
tive people committed to her care as the
outcome of her intervention in the inter-
ests of humanity. Other nations have had
to effect adjustments between employer
and employe. but no nation has ever been
called upon to effect such on adjustment
when the conditions presented revealed so
clearly the fact that great principle of
universal importance is involved. The set
tlement of the ''labor problem" in demo-
cratic America means the settlement for the
world, for here the employer of the high
est type meets the worker OF the highest
type, and the final result will be in keep
ing with the character of the contestants.
So we are learning the lesson of deiiber-
ateness; and one of the most promising
signs of the times is the tendency to deal
with great questions cautiously and calmly.
The result of this course will be that what
the new America settles will stay settled.
She will settle, and that for all time, the
question of the rights of inferior peoples.
the question as to the character of the edu
cation most to be desired, the question of
the relation of employer to employed.
America is to-day solving the accumulated
problems Of the ages. And God is willing
that she should have time to complete her
task
In view of what has been said, it will
strike US as fact of solemn import that
our country is preparing for her vet larger
service through the slow, constant develop
ment of her religious consciousness. The
existence and growth of this consciousness
the superficial observer of our life and in
stitutions might feel inclined to deny.
we are convinced that this
most necessary condition for present and
future leadership exists. --...-.-.
Where shall we seek for this religious
Shall We look for it in the
set apart as avowedly relig
ious? No man has the right to scof at or
ganized religion. Our schools, our churches,
our synagogues are. on the whole, true to
their mission. But tine truly effective re-
Eeious consciousness must be found in
other places as well-in the editorial sane
tum, in the political gathering. in the mart
and the busy street. Let US find this con-
sciousness i'll these places, no matter what
its form, and we shall have as good a guar
antee of the divine favor as though we had
gazed upon overfowing houses of worship
and listened to the e.oqrence of the elect.
The religious spirit which makes for Amer
lean pre-eminence may be discerned in
many phases of the national life, but it is
evident in the new press, the
new politics and the new social ideal.
There are many, doubtless, who would not
concede that the press of the country fur
nishes an evidence OF growing national
but the fact remains, that in
the newspapers of our land there is dis
tinct trend toward Righteousness and god
illness.
The truthfulness and force of our pres
ent contention will seem 20 many hard to
reconcile with the well-known fact that in
the United States the avowedly religious
journals are steadily losing ground. But
even this fact, rightly interpreted, is not
an evidence of national decay. The relig-
ious papers of to-day have choice between
degeneration and evolution. The signs OF
are stubborn adherence to de-
nominatioaal shibboleths, fierce champion
ship of exhausted dognaas and growing i'm
patience with progressive Interpretation OF
truth. The signs of evolution are the
throwing overheard of useless issues. and
the adoption of the leading features OF the
great Secular" papers. The great relig-
ious papers o. the country to-day are such
in name only. Were the contents of one
of these papers rearranged and printed IN 4
form it would pass as news
paper, minus the newspapers up:to-date
freshness. In the secular press, on the
other hand, there is steady progress and