The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1906-11-02
THE PULPIT.
AN ELOQUENT SUNDAY SERMON BY
REV. l. W. HENDERSON.
Subject: Christian Character.

Irving Square Presbyterian Church
on the theme, Christian Character,
the Rev. /. w. Henderson, pastor,
took as his text l. Peter 2:9: That
ye may show forth the eXcellencies Of
Him VINO hath called you out Of
darkness into His marvellous light. "
lie said:
Character is determined in the
terms OF an exercised moral and spir-
itual consciousness. Character at its
highest IS conformity 10 the best
moral and spiritual consciousness
that is within us. II is both the con-
summation and the limitation Of the
viii Of man. 1t is not only a matter
OF the outward life but IL is also the
indication and the manifestation Of
an inward grace. Character is the
sum of any mans characteristics OF
soul and social life.
Motive is, in the last analysis,
more Of account than the outward
act. Feeling is factor in the human
! life. Intentions must be counted.
! Desires may draw down or up. But
with all these in the tally, you are
| what you will to be. More than your
will desires you will not become.
! Character is not only what you
! thinks YOU are, nor yet what you
! consider yourself to be; but what you
are. 1t is neither your reputation
align to the measure Of manhood ac-
cording TO the rule OF God.
Character is the mark Of inner
worthiness as we'll as the emblem of
good life before the open eyes of
men. Character is not merely hon
esty, it Is more. 1t is not only out
ward purity but also inward Cleanli-
ness Of heart. It means not only 10
walk just within the statutes of the
penal code, and just beyond the
changing iron Of a prison door, but
rather 20 love righteousness and to
practice uprightness because they are
right. Character is virtue, honor, in
tegrity, godliness. 1t is deserved
reputation and the glory Of a we'll
spent life. 1t is a mark and the vic
tory OF moral worth. More TO be de-
sired is it than great riches and its
ripe, rich, satisfying fruitage is peace
and quietude of heart.
Christian character IS conformity
to the character of Christ. 1t is to
bear the express image Of the saving
Son of God in the inner man and
through all the problems of the So
Cial life. AS the Saviour bore the
impress Of the divine will Of our com
mon Father; as the faithful Friend
Of men showed forth the mind and
the manner Of our God, so must we
as true men and women, disciples Of
our Lord, be sealed with the evil
dences Of divine guidance.
The highest character of this life
and for the world beyond is that
which finds in Jesus Christ the ideal
and harmonious working of the will
of man with the divine. Character.
as we Christians view il, is concerned
not only with the Christians S conduct,
not only with his doings in the field
of human action; but also with his
trueness to his personality and TO his
God. Christian character includes,
for II can never exclude, due and a
willing regard for mans obligations
toward his Maker. 1t affirms the
basic necessity for absolute and un-
swerving loyalty to self 1t insists
and asserts that motive is more than
manner, while demanding that all So
Cial responsibilities be met squarely,
honorably, manfully and in the fear
of God.
The character of Christ is positive.
Christ is remarkable not for the
things that He refrained from doing
but rather is He ideal IN the acts OF
nobleness, virtue, good-heartednes5
which He did. His was no puhy
soul Obeying the words that came
out of Sinai's mighty glory. He went
beyond them. Keeping well within
the requirements of Pharisaic legal
ism, He pushed on and out and up.
above and beyond and ahead Of all
the self-complacency and moral blind
ness OF the ecClesiastiCs. and did
things positive and powerful for men
and for God. Feeling within His
heart the call Of immortal duty the
Christ eXemplifed in His own life
those qualities of character which
have for all time secured Him in His
proud place as the ideal man and
proved TO a multitude in this sad and
SHINING world His Godhood and His
grace divine.
To you and to me the call comes
down the centuries bidding us Ito
show forth the excellencies OF Him
who hath called us out of darkness
into His marvellous light" Having
accepted the Christ and been sealed
lives the express image-that is 10
say the signet stamp, that is TO say
the character-of the Son of God.
The character OF Christ presents TO
us double study and preserves TO us
a two-fold duty and example. With
in the characteristic attributes OF
holiness and Righteousness are COM
prised all the qualities that pertain
TO the Saviour in His social sphere.
Holiness toward God, Righteousness
toward self and society, these two are
the broad truths that come to us from
the character OF the Christ and which
summon us TO show forth His glory
and His love. Spirituality and NOR
ality. A sanctified sense OF oneness
with the Father. a courageous de-
termination TO stand square before
society and upright at the bar OF his
own conscience, these are the two
great lessons for us from the charac-
ter Of Christ, and the mighty truths
II oil In, hn n