The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1906-04-30
ETHICAL AND SPIRITUAL
BOTH NEEDED IN PERMANENT
REFORM MOVEMENT

30 Says DR.. Sheath ON WoOIsey Hall
Meetings-Must Recognize Duty to
God as Well as to Man In Civic Bet
terment--DOes Not Object to Sunday
Meetings in woOlsey HalI--spiritual
Upheaval Coming.
A strong and practical sermon was
preached by Rev. Dr. Sheath at the
Grand Avenue Congregational church
Sunday morning upon the topic, "spir-
itual Upheavals." He said in part:
Every age needs its spiritual up
heavaoF ,lsmrality shrdlu table-ntfith
indifference and even relentless cruelty
harden the hearts and stifle the con-
sciences of men. John the Baptist ap-
peared in such an age. The Sanhedrln
and priesthood lived in luxury and cor
ruption. Religion laid financial and
ritualistic burden upon the people John
came not as a Mrs. Eddy with a golden
crown, or a Dowie with millions, or a
Gorky, feasted, and saying, 1--WE do not
come asking, but demanding your
money" He preached repentance, re-
formation and faith in coming Saw
Jour. He urged the ethical principles
of brotherhood, honesty and justice
lie urged the soldiers to be content
with their wages. Such a spiritual up
heaval as followed Johns preaching is
needed to-day Luxury and extrava-'
gance must yield to brotherhood in-
Justice to justice, and dishonesty to
honesty and purity. It is wrong that
children must toll and be deprived OF
childhood and an education. 1t Is
wrong that men ainass millions, While
many cannot have a square meal It's
wrong that many receive large divi-
dends while many more work at or
binary wages. But not only must there
he an ethical revival, but other condi-
tions must also take place. There is a
large amount of discomfort among men
to-day, Life has no inspiration for
them. John said, "Be content with
your wages" God does not want dis
contented humanity. We can have
legitimate ambition for better condi-
lions with contentment. Discomfort
leads to anarchy. Contentment with
laudable ambition leads to success. Pes
simism never thrives. Optimistic souls
rise to victory. 1t is necessary also to
realize that the ethical and the spirit
ual are inseparable in the uplift Of hu-
manity. and the betterment of society.
Many men are fogetting the religious
element to-day. They cut the church
and all religious culture. There can
be no successful ethical development
apart from the spiritual. Thirty-eight
out of forty millions Of people in France
to-day are irreIigious. Lust, luxury,
gambling, suicide and labor strife are
evident. No ethical movement apart
from the spiritual will ever redeem
poor France. There is but one remedy
the gospel Of Christ.
1.-THE same tendency in America to-
day has led some good souls to think
of a social and ethical redemption apart
from the spiritual. This means failure.
You can never divorce the ethical from
the spiritual and succeed. You can
never make a Christian man without
Christ. The first commandment must
have recognition as much as the sec
ond. To use concrete illustration:
did not vote for the motion to change
the Woolsey hall meetings from Sunday
no some other day. | would not put
q stone of stumbling in the way OF
earnest good men. I would rather see
men and women in Woolsey hall than
et the goddess Sunday movements In
Hhe White City or on the Hamden base
hall field. But I also confess that q
meeting on Sunday without prayer to
God for fear of a religious flavor is moi
the right kind of a meeting. nave
more faith in the men of this country
than to believe they would object &c
a, PRAYER for divine guidance in the
matter Of civic betterment. But be
that as 1t may I do not believe thai
any movement that separates the ethlc'
al and spiritual can be permanent. We
must recognize our duty to God as
well as our duty ito man in any effor'
for societys betterment, and mans re-
delnption to the Christ-like life. ] be-
Iieye in a coming spiritual upheaval
1T will mean brotherhood, Justice ant
honesty. But it will also mean III
nj, communion with and service to God
The prophets words will yet come true
That men will flock to Zion as doves t
their windows"