The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-12-03

is truth that l think the age is COM
ing to realize. Until it does, the posi-
tive achievements of science combined
with its unwarranted assumptions,
will continue 20 nourish in the popular
minds the half-formed and vague con,
viction that this is an age of doubt.
1t is as though workmen were tearing
down the staging of a house, and the
crowd looking on were deceived into
thinking that the edifiee itself was be-
ing destroyed. What is called the de-
struction of the old landmarks seems
to me but the pulling down of the
staging about the temple OF faith.
This which I have said concerning
the temper and conviction of the age
will suggest Immediately the profound
est need of the age. The only way to
get out of the jungle is to go through
it: the only way TO get out of the
labyrinth of question and speculation
abroad in the world today is to go
through it until we stand in the open
with the vast stretch of sky clear above
US. Accordingly, we must find a
message to preach to this age so posi-
tive that it cholles the very suggestion
of negation; so spiritual that material
ism will stand abashed at the very
splendor which it denies; so intelligent
that the respect Of science shall be
commanded, and her votaries led to un-
6erstand that. if battle is chosen, it
will be Greek against Greek; so prac-
tical that it may mark the way of
democratic triumph; so human that
it shall hasten the evolution of indus
try and commerce, find lodgment in the
hearts of the rich and the poor, bring
the classes into closer sympathy and
fellowship. destroy forever the aris-
tocracies of wealth and birth and rear
in their stead the aristocracy of man
hood. Such is the message needed in
our age and by our civilization. Let
US at the very beginning sound the
note which is swelling out into such
mighty volume today. The age of
denials is past. Humanity is crying
out for bread; do not give it a stone.
Pursuing his opinion that this is an
age OF faith, DR.. Sylvester said it was
so because the church was crying out
for men who have something definite
to preach. Men We're asking:
Have you a message that will answer
the deepest need of our spiritual nature
"a message clear, positive and strong
d message so DrOdu LiidI d41 lllc 1dCIS
of life shall be covered; so intelligent
that it may find its way through our
reason into the deepest intellectual cur
rents OF our beings; so reverent that
every sacred instinct of the soul shall
be nourished and satisfied? Have
such a message for you, and what is
it?
We hear a great deal about 1.-The
gospel of Christ The phrase is mis-
leading, and in what sense You Will
when I say that / nave
come, not to preach to you the gospel ,
of Christ, but to preach Christ The
primary need of life is not a system of |
truth, but a personality. The greatest
thing known TO man is a man. We
can comprehend the divine only in the
measure as we ourselves become d.
vine. The foundation of Christianity is
not system of theology: ii is life. /,
The life of a man. Jesus of Nazareth |
The spell of Christ's presence is no
dream from which the world IS TO
awaken. He is built in vivid reality !
into the background Of human history. |
Out of the glowing heart Of MS per-
sonality streams = --Hv that has
pierced it's way into .h. d -cHest cor ]
ners Of the earth. lid no more !
take the life of Je-e- .-.. of history |
and out or tn h.,.-s-2 ciousness