The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1906-01-19
THE PULPIT.
AN ELOQUENT SUNDAY SERMON 6i
The REV. w. J. THOMPSON
Subject; Warp and woof.


niversary. The subject OF Pastor w.
| J. ThompsOn's morning sermon was
Faith and Love in the Warp. Pastors
and Members in the Woof." The text
was from |. Thessalonians i:3. Mr..
| Thompson said:
The warp consists of the threads
! running lengthwise through the entire
! fabric. The woOf consists of the
! threads crosswise. and promptec by
| the weayers fancy. may vary with
| each shot of the shuttle.
The warp of Simpson Church is that
| which through these siXty-One years
! has remained unchanged and is un-
| changeable. The wOof. comprising
pastors and members. by ineXorable
necessity and purposeful design
changes and evermore must change.
Faith is a prominent thread in the
warp. Conscious OF our spiritual
growth we reach out after God II
happily we may find ana be aided by
Him. God is not found out by search
ing. The futility of the quest adds
! welcome 10 Jesus who reveals the
sought-for Cod as the Father We
hold forth Jesus the authoritative re-
vealer of God ana our relation 10 Him
as the light Of the word.
y
we are caught up in His life, and by
that life cOnformed To his likeness.
Thus Jesus saves men by His life.
Also by His death. The distractions
10 the tunnei-boring under Manhattan
and the rivers, overcome by the engl-
neerS' sacrifice, measure their devotion
TO their ideal-rapid transit.
Christ'S sacrifice OF His life revealed
His complete love for His ideal. the
salvation oI man, and makes that sal
vatiOn complete. We preach Christ
and Him crucined as the ali-Suhicient
saviour of men who receive Him.
Philosophers reason men into disciple
ship. Without violence TO reason, and
invoking il only So tar As IL is part
of conscience. We command men every
where to repent aud believe. Repent
hy ceaSing 10 do evil: believe by the
trustful appropriate OF the Christ
life and Oeath. our forerunnerS in
this are John the Baptist Peter and
flaming ey3ngplS on 10 Whitfield and
Moody. our Justification iS the wit
ness Of sins forgiven. and lives bring
ing forth the fruits OF Righteousness.
Fear j. in the warp. II Is ours by
generous hereditary legacy, and COM
passes Things. beasts, men and devils.
When fear is uppcrmO>t 1t dwartS.
Neither moral nor religious giants are
the product of fear. What pygmies
worrimeut. fear OF disaster. makes.
Intimidation from eclipseS and comets
science shows TO be baseleSs. The fear
of beasts. which vanishos before the
prowess of the hunter. Fear of physi-
cal man departing with war Fear to
speak ones convictions and advocating
measures he disbelieveS, thus COUNT
ing for less than nothing. and deserv-
ing eXpatriation from Il democracy
these are al unwholesOme fears. The
sooner bauished the better.
Moral fear Wordsworth calls duty
the Stern Daughter of the Voice OF
God" She is n task mistress over us
Our superior therefore we fear Her
commands. like a chry Sails metamOr-
phoSes into the pleasures of duty. Fear
of the law drives the criminal TO out
ward legal acts. The best citizens are
moved without fear. William Lloyd
Garrison. the great moral champion
the centennial Of whose birth this day
is. when dragged through the streets
of Boston by mob, said his soul was
devoid of fear"
Fear is the beginning and not the
end Of morality. Cody fear. Petro
MUS argued fear made the gods. Some
religions have their devils. We have
ours who gocth about as a devourins
lion. The old and New Testament,
, have 51S references to fear.
IT may be ueedful for the beginning.
and salutary with certain tempera
, ments. but fear is only the beginning
Of wisdom.
The almightincSS Of Jehovah makes
us tremble. But lie draws near TO "
i'm the flesh as we become one witt
Him. His power is for us. Fear from
; the least 10 the King OF TcrrOrS il
l abolished. All power is for our goo'
I and we can 10 longer fear. Fear gives
| place 10 love and sinks to the ncthe
side Of the warp i'm remembrance o
the judgments of the lawgiver. Tn
:, terrorS of the law are replaced by tn
l grace Of the gospel. Fear is the be
D ginning Of wisdom. its end is love
o In our npcessitated helplessuesS in i'm
fancy and youth we depended upol
. our fathers That dependence met
brought forth as the foremost fila
feeling. love. All men have this tn
telage. and 10 them Jesus reveals Go'
as the Father who eEcelS the most dc
voted father in giving good things.
The devOtee Of many gods may y
sober until he is intoxicated at tn
feast of Dionysius and be righteou
2 throughout all. To the same devote
4 wisdom is a virtue If he is a states
I man and courage If he Is soldier
h. There are different virtues for dilieren
, times and different people. Jesus r'
vealed Diety as one God and Father
therefore virtue IS one and love
the fulfilling OF all virtue. To often
: in one point of love is to be guilty o
n all because righteousness is a unit.
Q The acknowledged master In m
g craft addresses my ambition witt
' You can be an artisan equal TO m
). and will aid you" He has my heart
= best love. The absolutely perfect 60
addresses my loftiest ambition witt
BE We perfect as am perfect ana NJ
= proffered grace. all-sufficient. is your
y for the asking" l. follows my heart
l. sunrarna love wells ND 10 God. Ih