Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-08-10
Addressed the Christian Brother.
hood Of Oyster Bay Yes.
serday.
Holds That High Moral Character was
Real Essence Of Christian Life
Did Not Allow Any Announce
meat That He was to speak
Substance Of what lie said.

oyster Bay, N. Y. Aug. 6.-Presidcnt
Roosevelt delivered a lay sermon this
afternoon to the Christian Brother
hood Of oyster Bay. He emphasized
especially the necessity of sound char
acter building, holding that high NOR
al character was the real essence Of
Christian life.
The organization before which the
body, composed principally of male
members of the several local churches.
The meeting was held in the Sunday
school room Of the Methodist Church,
of which the Rev. W. /. Bowman Is
pastor. Mr.. Bowman is also the prcsi-
dent of the Christian Brotherhood.
Several weeks ago an invitation was
extended to the President to address the
brotherhood and he promised the Rev.
Charles b. Wightman, chairman of the
committee. to accept the invitation at
some later time. He notified the COM
mittce last night that he would make
the promised address to-day, stipulatlng
that no previous announcement should
be made of his intention to speak.
About 300 persons attended the meeting
this afternoon and practically all of them
appeared on the platform and was in
troduccd by Mr.. Bowman. The President
carried his own Bible and in beginning
his address. read selections from the
sixth chapter of Matthew. the cpistle to
the Corinthians. and the epstle to James.
No verbatim report of the address was
made. but the President tonight dictated
the follow ing rs the substance of his re-
marks:
PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
Brother Bowman has spoken of the
fact that have had a large experience.
think that each one of us who has q
large experience grows to realize more and
more that the essentials of experience are
alike for all of us. The things that move
lis most. the things of the home. of the
church. the intimate relations that knit
q man to his family to his close friends,
that make him try to do his duty by his
neighbor by this God, are in their essen
tails Just the same for one man as for
another provided the man Is in good
faith trying to do his duty l feel that
the progress of our country really de-
ponds upon the sum Of the efforts of the
individuals acting by themselves but es-
pccially upon the sum of the efforts or
the individuals acting in associations like
this for the bettermcnt of themselves. for
the betternent of the communities In
which they dwell. There is never any dit-
fculty about the forces of evil being or
ganized. Every time that we get an or
ganization Of the forces that are painfully
striving for good, an organization like this
We are doing our part to Offset, and a
little more than offset, the forces Of evil.
81 want to read several different texts
which it seems to me have especial bear
ing upon the work Of brOtherhoods like
this upon the spirit in which not only
all of us who are members OF this brother
hood. but all of us who strive to be decent
Christians, are to apply our Christianity
on week days as we'll as on Sundays.
1.-THE first verses ! want to read can be
found in the seventh chapter of Matthew.
The first 18th, 18th and 18th verses:
"First. Judge not that We be not judged.
"Sixtecnth, We shall know them by their
fruits. DO men gather grapes OF thorns,
or figs OF thistles?
Seventeenth even so every good tree
bringeth forth good fruit. but corrupt
tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
"Judge not that We be not judged.
That means treat each of his brothers
with charity. Be not quick to find
sault Above all be not quick to judge
another man who, according to his
light, is striving to do his duty as
zach of us here hopes he Is striving
10 do his. Let us ever remember that
not only we have divine authority Tor
the statement that by our fruits we
shall be known, but that also 1t Is
true that mankind will tend to judge
us by our fruits. 1t Is AN especially
lamentable thing to see i'll done by
any man who, from his associations
with the church, who. from the fact
that he has had the priceless benefits
of the teachings of the Christian re-
ligion. should be expected to take a
position of leadership in the work for
good.
1.-The next quotation l wish to read to
you is found in the 18th chapter Of Mat
thew, 81 to 4Oth verses, inclusive:
'"Then shall the righteous answer him.
saying. Lord. when saw we Thee an
hungered and fed thee. or thirsty and
gave thee drink? When saw We Thee
e. stranger and took Thee in? Or naked
md clothed Thee? Or when saw We Thee
sick or in prison, and came unto Thee?
And the King shall answer and say unto
them, verify I say unto you, in as much
rs yc have done it unto one of the least
Of these my brethren, We have done il
unto me.
"That is what this brotherhood means
by trying to worship our Creator. by act
Ing toward His Creator as He would
have us act. to try to make our religion
driving force in our lives, to do unto
others as we would have them do unto
us.
1.-THE next text wish to read Ia found
In first Corinthians. thirteenth chapter
beginning with the first verse:
Though I speak with the tongues of
men and Of angels and have not charity,
! am become rs sounding brass, or a
tinklnC cymbal And though 7 have the
Eft OF prophecy, ard understand all mys.
terics, and all knowledge. and though l
have all faith. So that could remove
mountains. end have not charity. ! am
nothing; AMI though I bcstcw all my
goods to feed the poor: and Though give
my body to re burned and have not
charity. 1t profteth me nothing. Charity
pMffcrcth long and Is kind; charity envieth
not: charity vaunteth not itself. n not
yn,Ned up And now atideth faith. hope,
charity. these three; but the greatest of
these Is charity.
"I.et each OF us exercise the largest
tolerance for his brother who is trying
though, In II different way to show prac-
Nlcul symnnthy with that br,,th( mt