Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1906-03-14

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On Sunday last Rev. T. b. Thorn: :
son. pastor of the Congregational
church, by request of the fraternal so
cieties of the city, preached very
eloquent sermon on ''Fraternities as
Related to the Spirit Of Christ" He
| took for his text James I-27, and spoke
as follows:
Pure religion and undefled is tn S
to visit the fatherless and tie
! widows, in their atfliction, and to keep
himself unspotted from the world"
In these words the Apostle james s
points out the two aspects of the pure
christian religion; first. the aspect Of
the unspotted character; and secondly
the gospel of humanity. The first of
these looks toward character and here
in consists the chief work of the church.
But religion must do more than culti-
vate character. 1t issues in the prac-
tical service of humanity. There is a
proper selfculture. And coupled with
this there must be the thought of SER
vice.
Perhaps no story better illustrates
the nmbination of two aspects Of the
religious life than the story of the
crippled beggar whom Peter and John
met at the entrance to the temple In
answer to his plea for money. Peter
replied: Silver and gold have none,
but such as | have give thee. In the
name of Jesus of Nazareth. rise up
and walk -
But this does not complete the story
of that first miracle OF the early
church. For the record adds that Pc
ter extended unto him his right hand
and lifted him to his feet This is
the truth. We need first of all, and
perhaps the most important of al, the
preaching of the name Of the Amigh-
ty Christ. But we need also the right
hand extended, which stands for prac-
tical service, for fellowship, for the
spirit of helpfulness. These two. the
Aim ighty name and the right hand
form a combination which is an adeau
ate expression of the true Christ spirit.
And this thought has its sure founda-
tion in the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Grounding all our conceptions of spiri-
tual truths in the teachings Of the
Nazarene. and taking his utterances
as the criterion for the thoughts of
she afternoon, submit three propo-
,itions.
l. Jesus taught the fundame tai
iruths of the universal fatherhood OF
iod, and the universal brotherhood of
nan.
2. Jesus taught that the only way
whereby we may show our love for
Iod is in the manifestation of prac-
Iical service OF our brother man.
8. 1t. therefore, follows that any
group Or organizations of men which
show in their working this brother
mood of practical endeavor are chris
tlan in their spirit, by whatever name
they may be called.
Let US speak then to each one of
hese propositions in its turn. The
utterances of Christ as recorded in the
gospel narratives are full of the
| truth Of the fatherhood of God and
The brotherhood of man. The Lord S
Prayer, beginning Our Father who
trt in Heaven expresses for us the
irst Of these two truths. He did not
say My Father" Or Your Father
cut ''Our Fathers" thus expressing
The thought that God is not only the
Father of the individual, but he is the
| universal Father Of the universal race
The story of the ''Prodigal Son. is
| pregnant with this truth. The young
81 son wanderers away from home, and
| spends his patrimony in riotous and
fast living. Until the young man at
| last comes to the point of poverty
| The young nan has sinned against pa
uill be sent to his home at Water
I