The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-03-03
The PULPIT.
a SCHOLARLY SUNDAY SERMON sT
6isHcP .. n. GREER. Q. O.. LID.
Subject: standing Before Christ.

Brooklyn since his election 10 his high
Office, sunday morning His subject
was. standing Before the Master"
He chose bis text from III. Kings v:25:
'He went in and stood before his
Master Bishop Greer said in the
course OF his sermon:
You will recall. perhaps. the connec-
tiOu in which these words were spoken.
Elisha the Prophet had cured a man
OF his leprOsy. who wanted 10 give the
prophet some suitable reward, but the
prophet refused % take il. and said:
LAS the Lord !iveth I will not receive
it And the servant OF the prophet
IL not Of the same mind, and when the
man departed ne said to himself: Now
will 20 and take somewhat Of him"
Aud ~ be did. and then when he had
stored il away in some secret place,
az he supposed. be came 20 where his
master was and went in and stood be-
fore him And as he came. my friends.
SO we must come to another prophet
of israel, another and a greater one,
WHO. although OF Israel born. is the
Master OF US all. To whom all hearts
are oDen, before whom there is no
secret. and before whom we must
stand This j. my subject for n little
while this morning, standing Before
tie Master"
There j. a great world struggle going
on to-day. which although IL assumes
many different forms is yet the same.
II is great struggle for sreedom-a
struggle which. 10 be sure. has been
gOin- on 20 some extent in every age,
but which in this particular age ap-
pears on a larger field of action with
greater number OF actors partci-
patinS in II more conspicuously per
hans. aud which is carried on now as
never before with an earnestnesS more
earnest, with a purpose more resolute
aud its pitiful effort at times, with a
patbos more pathetic. human life is
tryiug 90 set itself free from misery
and from bondage. and to become SOW
ereign lOrd Of itself This it is trying
10 DO by various means and methods,
by weapons Of war on battleheldS, by
bullet, and by ballots. by social agi-
tatioDs and by political discussions, by
great material and industrial advance
mpnt and err.chmentS. widening out
and expanding and thus broadening
mOrc and more its scope, its power, It's
dominion, and. through it all, its free
dom from bondage and control.
And within certain limits that is good
aud right. and much to be desired.
but freedom is like fire. When guard
cd. restrained and kept within control,
IL is good for service and performing Z
many useful offices and tasks; byt
when il is not controlled and becomes
"a conhagration. then il is no longer
useful and seryicenble but injurious
AID destructive. And are there not
some signs appearing here and there.
epOradically, in spots in our modern
lite. which show that the freedom fire
to-day is getting beyond control, be-
coming a couHagration. burning and
consuming, not only some of those old
md obsolete traditions which stand
io the way of progress, but some OF
those old and pure and good and eter-
nally true traditions without which
there can be no progress at all.
young man in this city. in the Bor-
cugh OF Manhattan, young man OF
culture and refinement and position,
and the graduate OF leading univer-
sity. remarked TO me not long ago;
AS long as | can manage TO keep a
reputable outward appearance, and
q coutrive to live so as not TO lose the
favor and good will of public opinion
why should l not live today precisely
aS [ please Am | not free? Am
not the sovereign lord and master OF
myself: And if | find in me certain
natural tendencies. instincts. procliyi
sies and passions which | love to in
duige, which I can indulge why should
4 not indulge themI Am | not free
ahe sovereign lord and master OF my
SELF Whose business Is it but my
own. and what, indeed. shall hinder
Public opinion? But | am assuming
That public opinion will not know any
thingS bout If. Religion? Why, who
k1ows anything about religion to-day
Tile B Bible: Well, this is the twentieth
century aud the Bible is on the shelf
Am | not free to DO precisely as
please a the sovereign lord and master
" myself
That speech. perhaps. was TO some
litt,c extent typical or . growing con
ditan freedom'S fire becoming a con
dagra ton. burning down and cOnsum
ing some Of the old. true, eternal. fixed
and established human religions; some
OF the old, true and established sOcia
restraints And il we look at oul
modern society very closely we see II
not only appearing here and there
among the young men and the yOunC
women, but also among some Others
thal are not yet so young, too much
freedom perhaps, among the Old If YOU
please. when they throw aside the old
fashioned feminine graccS. mOdesties
prOp.ieti,s too much freedom in de
mcanOr and department. hoping thus
10 show. perhaps, that they are cman
Cipated. But. 5 some one has remarked
such freedom Is not the result Of high
or education. or culture. or advance
mout. or progress. but OF a dull and
stupid ignorance. II Is a reVersiOn OF
The lesson OF Peters vision, and always
40 call all things common and un
clean.
Thus today we see here a-d there
beginning TO appear abuses OF this
Ina gniiicent human fresdom. q dispo
sitiOn upon the part OF many Of every
age 70 push and set aside whatever
seems 10 interfere with the freedom
cf their lives with the full and free
expression. indulgence aud gratitica
ton OF their desire TO live and do pre-
cise.y what they please. And so The
children soon wander on 20 do as they
please. Why not. are they not free
And tho husband wInders OF 10 do a.
AZ pieasess Why not. Il he not free
And the wife wsnders oil % 10 as she
ploases. and the marriage vow wander
Of. Why not is IL not free age
And Ike r house that rests upon the
shiftiag sand. the home breaks NJ and
falls. and great is the fall thereof. 70.
A. pulls society down.
Nh my friends freedom is n mag