Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-01-20
Calnnase
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Witt Tainase. d. ID.


the earnest soul the preacher in this
sermon supplies the only test whereby
the truth or falsehood OF any religion
Is to be discovered. The text is Mat
thew v, IA, "Ye are the light OF the
world"
AT no time since the beginning OF
the world has man been confronted
with such a multiplicity OF diverse and
even conflicting systems OF religious
belief as now. Yet all of these sys-
TENS appeal with more or less force for
his acceptance and support. In the
east Mohammedanism, Confucianism,
Buddhism and similar beliefs maintain
the ancient vigor of their creed In the
appeal to human credulity and super
stition, while Europe and the western
world have their numerous systems OF
creeds and "cults." each presenting its
claims for mans belief and allegiance.
Thus the great problem presents itself:
Are these systems of religious belief
and worship really efficacious? Are
their dogmas, tenets and creeds, their
ways OF thinking and living. their So
cisl, fraternal or religious spirit as or
ganizations-nre these things what
they ought to be or what they claim to
ber Are their teachings true? And
how may we distinguish beyond all
doubt the true from the false?
An infallibie test is supplied to us by
Christ himself by which we are en-
abled to decide as to the real value
OF any religious system. BE tells us
that we may know whether Its claims
are valid by its effect on the lives OF
its adherents. Eye shall know them
by their fruits. Do men gather grapes
every good tree bringetb forth good
fruit, but corrupt tree bringeth forth
evil fruit"
An illustration Of this test Is furnish
ed by the fakirs OF India. The princi-
pie OF self denial is commendable, and
we admire men who sacrifice their COM
fort and devote themselves to service
for the world. But the principle ceases
TO be admirable when 1t produces vol
untary squalor and eth such as are ex-
hibited by the fakirs. II must be n
corrupt tree that produces specimens
OF humanity so debased and disgusting
as these men.
have seen these fakirs. They did
not seem to me to be men or even wild
beasts. They were a lower creation.
They seemed 20 have Crawled out OF
the darkest caverns OF an inferno.
have seen them with their matted hair
and filthy bodies; 1 have seen them
with uncut finger nails six inches long
and twisted about in all shapes; I
have seen them, as John Ia Stoddard
describes them I'm one OF. his lectures:
"A combination OF beggar, fanatic, i'm
poster and spy. In disgusting sur
roundings resembling n garbage heap,
n score OF these men were seated, en-
tirely naked, upon n mound OF ashes.
In which they rolled repeatedly. They
even rubbed the dirt all over their
bodies. which had been previously
creased in order to retain II. Their
hair, matted with filth. reached nearly
TO their waists and was painted yell
low. and on this they threw OCCASION
ally handouts OF dust and ashes. A
sickening feeling came over me at the
sight OF this human degradation, espe-
cially when remembered that there are
In India more thnn million of these
half craZed mcndicants and frauds,
who are revered and almost worshiped
by multitudes of men and women, who
will actually stoop and kiss their feet"
Are these the fruits OF India fakir-
ismY YOU ask. lis that the result OF
the oath OF poverty under which some
Hindoos worship? Then want none
or IT. Away with It. Its fruits are
worm eaten and filthy diseased and
bad" By the fruits found In the lives
or the believers We must judge the re-
suit or creed or system OF belief.
Not True Worship.
Why do you not worship God as do
the dancing dervishes OF the east?
How do they worship himY' you ask.
Instead OF entering a little church, as
you or /, TO kneel In prayer, they begin
TO move around in a circle. They keep
on circiing around and around until
your brain gets dizzy with looking at
them. They dance on and on, more and
more furiously. until after awhile some
work themselves Into the most violent
& forms OF physical hysterla or In utter
bodily exhaustion drop in their tracks
In dead swoon. "Oh." you say to me,
that is no true worship OF God. The
holy God does not expect any devotee
to make an imbecile out OF himself.
; Away with the worship OF the dancing
dervishesp' by the fruits OF creed or
a cult, studied in the lives of the men
and women who believe in and practice
1T, you can judge the truth OF the falsi-
~ OF the teachings.
BY the same criterion according to
which we judge the failures OF the
false religions the world is to Judge the
failure or the efficacy OF the gospel OF
Jesus Christ. The Saviour, in the
words OF my text, il practically saying:
Men. women. it is to you I look to
exhibit the principles OF my religion
to the world. My life will be short,
my teaching will soon be forgotten,
unless you. my followers, embody 1t In
your lives. The only way IN which the
world can know the grandeur and puri.
~ OF the truths i have taught must be
in the lives you lead. Ye are the light
OF the world. We are my representa-
tives upon earth. Ye are the flaming
torches TO guide sinners TO the roor on
the cross. Hear me, menl Hear me.
women! Hear me, children, who pro-
Tess to be my dfsciplesi Ye are the
light OF the world, by which the world
may judge whether or no my gospel is
a saving gospel" Ye members of
Christian churches, is it not an over.
wheiming fact that It depends on cur
lives what is the estimate the world
viii form OF the religion we profess?
What an impressive fact it is that men
VIII determine by our lives whether
Christianity is the sustaining, the
transforming power that it claims to
be!
Christ's disciples, In the first place.
must have a divine light. Their fires
must be ignited at the great affairs of
Gods mercy. They must so live and
act that they shall feel God has par
doned and cleansed them from all sin.
They must so live and act that other
people will feel that spiritual fires are
burning within them and that those
mi AR.x.ss IL A.