The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-09-04
Dr. Hawthorne Bears Witness to.
Achievement Of the Ameri-
catl People.
MANS SPIRITUAL BEING
This the Central Theme OF Dis
coursc--Seven Years
Pastor.

& s y
list Church. To a large and deeply NJ
.cres,ed congregation he delivered ser
mon on the Sovereignty OF NAN
Spiritual Being
He said in part:
..The fa,aiis, tells us that man ever
has been and ever Will be creature u
circumstance, a waif on the ocean OF me-
the sport OF winds, waves and currents
over which he has no control. lie tclls
us that every mans character, condition
ana destiny are deterfnined absolutely by
his environment, that the external world
Is his master, and even his Creator. Iil's
IS n delusion and lie, and Out OF ny
womb of hell never issued fa!seiioou
more miscn,evious to the world. IL IS u
doctrine which relieves every man OF
all responsibility for his character anu
conduct, aboishes all distinctions pc-
tween right and wrong, virtue ana I1ce,
innocence and guilt, and In the mora!
realm puts Jesus Christ ana ou''is
lscariot on the same pedestal. ne uiii,
yersal acceptance of this doctrine Wou.u
denlonlse the human race, and n'Ser'
the world into a pandemonium VIII" us
cords and distresscs would exceed .ne
most frlghtful horrors ever conceived ny
the ina gination Of man. Let no one uc-
grade himself; dishonor Cod ana ours"
his fellowman by giving countenancc 10
helief az false so foolish and SO
fiendjsh. Man is free: he Is endowed by
his Creator with capacity to deterHlhe
what his character, conduct ana Destiny
shon be. He has within him tacultes
of self-direction, which can, II nc 81
choose, prevail against all exterior
influences and bring him IN peace 70 tte
haven whittier no would be. His SOU Is
Invested with the sovereign right ana
mower to overcome every adversary VI
its progress in purity and happiness. :.
can, II It will, bridge every chhsih' "lu
level every mountain in It's path""s'
can plant and cultivate within ltselt an
those beautiful virtues which, in far-
monious combination make the lueA'
man. It can throw open every WINDOW
draw aside every curtain and let INTO
its every chamber and recess the goloeh
Tight in which unfallen angels pathe
their plumage. II can lift Itself INTO rel
,owship and companionshp with God far
above all principalities and powers
Where shall we find a limit to the lice-
dom capacity and sovereignty OF ms
Kingdom of God within us.
Science the Witness.
''ln support of the proposition that inc
son, Is sovereign, l might call science TO
the witness stand.
,.'It Is the province of science 10 us
cover and explain the laws, forces ana
wor.inps OF tho world" We need this
knowledge because without 1t we should
moi be able to use the world to our adj
vantage. out there is the broad eNpanse
of ocean, separating community from
community and nation from nation. TO
have intercourse with other countries ana
PEOPLES we must overcome that great
natural barrier and subordinate IL 10 our
purposes ard interests This science en-
ables us to do II has mapped the whole
surface of the sea. 1t has. located the
currents, bays, lnlets, shoals, hidden
rocks, and established bouys lighthouses
and signals, that we may escape SNIP
wreck voyage with safety, and reach
the emerald coasts of pleasure and golden
lands OF gain,
"ScIence has discovered that great cle-
mental force of the material world which
we call electricity. and shown how II
may be used as propelling force as
an Illuminating agent, and for the rapid
transmissian. of Intelligence Science has
done all. fhIs. or the superstition that
man Is not walf, nor a helpless slave
Of the outside world nor the creature OF
external circumstances, hut oclhs VINO
can comprehend and master ms environ
ment and subdue and control all things
that stand in the way of his progress
..HIstory Is a convincing demonstration
OF the sovereignty of the soul. Savage
tribes have no history The Hottentots
Conroes Esuuimaux, Soux. and Conan
ches have no history. . Why? Because
they have neither the ability to make !
nor the capacity to write II, They have
never separated themselves from thu
hind movements Of the external world
They have never grappled, overcome am
emnloyed to their advantage the force
az Ind outer realm. They have neve
risen IN and said within themselves w
will he no longer creatures OF circun
stances. we viii no longer be con,rolo
and sha ned by our Environments: we wi
d,rec ourselves We will choose for on
selves whittier we shall go, what "
,ha,1 al and what we shall be- IIayl