The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-01-11
Rev, Quincy Ewing Breaches on
 Unique Theme.
HE ARRAIGNS PHARISeEISM
Asserts That Many of Those Who Think They Will be Saved VIII Not be Saved-lnterestine
 Line of Thought.


 Line of Thought.
 At the Church of the Advent yesterday the Rev Quincy Ewing, the rector, preached an eloquent sermon at the morn ing service. The subject of his discourse was; Are There Few That Be saved?" MT Ewing handled the subject in an unique manner, asserting that many were not saved who thought they were saved. He severely arraigned everything that smacked of Phariseeism
 His text and sermon follows:
 Then said one unto Him, Lord. are there few that be saved?' Luke 1928.
 We don't know who 1t was asked Jesus this question, whether a man or woman. one of His disciples or some one who had just heard His teaching for the first that prompted the question The ques- tioner may have belonged to that small class of men who are deeply conscious of the needs of their fellow-men, and nobly concerned for their welfare. Himself at tracted and uplifted by the Masters vision Of the kingdom of God, it may have seemed to him very dreadful if only a few were to enter therein the many to be excluded. He may have thought, while realizing that the ideal of the great Teacher was pitched very high, and the aims of most men held very close to earth i; that yet, somehow. some time, the divine appeal would be responded to by human ity, and the Kingdom of the living God become the home of the living souls of men. And so thinking he may have asked his question, hoping for a negative an- swer.
 Certain Individual.
 On the other hand, the unknown indi- vidual who was concerning himself about how many of his fellow beings were saved or were going to be- may have belonged and probably did, to that large class who. apparently 'a sympathy with Jesus, yet misunderstc> every word He uttered, and misinterpreted every act He did; that dismal class of human beings who never seem to themselves divinely blessed un- | less they are able to contrast their own | good fortune, material or spiritual earth l io VI HNetNSilNt mllli SOIHtDbQN tlSt \ III | fortune. There were many among the 1 followers of Jesus who thought that He came to save nobody who wasn't Jew, and a typical one; many who were dis posed to conclude that the salvation were not worthy of a son of Abraham which might be bestowed also upon the sons of the Gentiles. The Scrbes anG the Phari- sees would hardly have been happy If 1 they had supposed that God cared as much for other people as He did for them. | and was as much concerned to save other | reeple as to save them.
 Piety and lmpiety.
 It may be that the person who inquired of Jesus if only a few were saved be- longed to this class of pous folk whose piety was the best evidence of their i'm piety It may be that he was a snug esotist perfectly sure of his own saliva tion. and equally sure of the damnation of most other people, and disposed to congratulate himself very heartily, and feel very comfortable conscious of no jar no discord, anywhere in the universe Jesus, as you may remember, did not give direct answer to the question ad dressed to Him. The substance of His reply was that many who thought they were saved were not saved that some who seemed to be first In the kingdom of God were in reality no citizens of it at all; that others who claimed to be His friends were In truth His enemies; and that what kept men outside the divine kingdom was no whimsical decree of God but their own wilful sins. and nothing but their own wilful sins.
 l don't believe that any Pharisee or Pharisaized Christian who ever lived would have liked that answer He would far rather have heard that God had re- solved to save off this doomed and per ishing earth wreck only select minority of his below w-beings-regardles of any he roic moral effort on their part-himself, of course. chief among the number, in- stead of having 1t plainly laid down that God coddled no favorites among the sons of men; didn't send any people Into this world for the pleasure of damning them, and was going to save just many here and hereafter, in the years of time and the alons of eternity, as would let Him save them. just as many as fulfilled the one condition of salvation,-as loved right eousness and hated iniquity.
 Has Long Existed.
 In all ages, religious Phariseeism has existed: for many ages yet 1t seems likely to exist. None but Jews ever called them- selves Pharisees and were proud to be so called; but l have no doubt that if all the JeW1Sn IndFlSeeS Were IdtlBt0 Oll tiic iiS Tt hand and all the Gentle Pharisees on the left, the Jewish crowd would look absurd ly small. This thing may be given one name. 1t may be given thousand and yet remain the same thing For what Is the es- sence of Phariseeism? Why, 1t Is simply the happy conviction on the part of men, that by reason of the blood in their veins, or the creed in their brains, the tradi- tions they observe, the customs they have inherited the mode of worship they prac- tice, God is more concerned for their well fare than for that of other people; that He is going to save them, if He hasn't all ready done 1t. and will most probably damn everybody else. Wherever found, and whatever variety. we may expect all Pharisees to regard impious the sug- sestion, that men do not decree their own birth. nor select the patch of sky under which they are born. and are, therefore. not responsible for the blood that is in them; and do not. except In rare in stances, make their own religious creeds. but simply open their eyes in a world where there are a good many creeds al- ready made. and adopt one rather than another under the compelling pressure of circumstances and invironment. And, therefore, can not be fairly and decently cast into outer darkness If they make mistake, if they do not chose and adopt the best of all choosable. adaptable creeds.
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