Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1907-01-24
THE PULPIT.
A BRILLIANT SUNDAY SERMON BY
THE REV. RAlMUNDO DE OWES.
Subject: The True Religion. +,
l. \

birmingham, Ala.-The following
Impressive discourse entitled "The
true Religion" was preached in St.
Andrews Sunday morning by the
Rev. Raimundo de OWES. His text
was: st. Luke xxi, 8: "Of truth I
say unto you that this poor widow
nath cast In more than they ALL
Mr. de OWES said: Because relig-
ION is feeling, an intuition, an emo
t1on, many well meaning people mis-
take other emotions and feelings for
this one "divine stirring Of the
heart
Tnere are some minds that can
never be led to believe that religion
must become an ordinary, common
place and everyday matter with the
! true Christian. They look for some
remarkable display Of feeling, some
tnlng beyond and above the daily and
| hourly emotions Of life, in order that
tney may feel certain OF having re-
llglon." In other words, they look
Tor romance, not commonplace,
What" we can hear them cry.
40 you mean to say that when some
powerful and eloquent preacher has
stirred our hearts and made us real
lie the depth of degradation in which
we have been living, until we turn
with disgust from our past life, make
unnumbered good resolutions and
feel good all over, that we have not
got religion? What more would you
command?
There is only one thing which we
could ask, and yet what a difficult
test, keep the feeling alive
No man is Christian wis must
be converted and baptized once a
year. Religion is for lifetime, not
a day, Or week, or even month Or
two. There is nothing more decep-
tive than the enthusiasm resulting
from magnetic, eloquent preaching.
The politician, the lawyer, even the
intidel, all exercise this compelling
power over an audience, and in no
case does it give religion. Religion
comes into the heart from no man,
it comes from God Himself. It is
true, indeed, that God uses human
means, but when soul is truly con-
verted religious enthusiasm wells
from the heart in deep, quiet
stream, not in the bubbling, efierves-
cent spring Of some momentary exal-
tation
Such periods of excitement do
seem to lift us outside the ordinary
routine Of life, and they have in
them touch of the romantic. But
what really is romance, after all? It
is merely the commonplace viewed
from distance. If any incident
which excites our fancy and appears
to be romantic were taken from the
pages of one of our thrilling novels
and introduced into our own lives we
should look upon it as trouble, and
what a deal OF grumbling there would
be. Don't you see that this is true,
and is not romantic novel, simply
the story of difficulties and trials
overcome? There is this difference
between a book and life: in a book
petty details are left out and the ex-
citing events crowded together, one
upon another. In life the petty de-
tails are all retained, and Tin many
cases) the thrilling passages omitted
When some Of us sigh in our youth
for stirring scenes and part to play
On life's stage, which shall be full OF
thrilling adventures, such as we have
read about in our favOrite books, do
we ever think about disaster to our
selves, and does the story not end
happily? Yes, we all desire romance.
but no trouble or hardship ever en-
ters into the bargain. They are in
separable in the real business of life.
So we see that Christianity is ro-
mantle only in the true sense. It
means trials and obstacles to be over
come.
The very first requirement of ro-
nance is courage, and here romance
and Christianity agree. No coward
was ever a Christian. There is no
greater mistake in the world than to
suppose that Christian must be a
milksop, poor, meek, wishy-washy
creature, without stamina and with
out manhood. Among the heroes of
history none were greater, none more
glorious and godlike than the Chris
tian martyrs. They were not sup
ported by ambition, by the praise Of
men, nor the fear of ridicule, but
calmly and with eyes that saw, with
out finching, their doom, died for