The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-10-28
MYSTICISM NEEDED
IT ADDS TO RELIGIOUS FER
VOR, SAYS DR.. CHAP MAN.
Too Much Worldliness, and Methods of
Today Are Too Practical, He
Declares.

The Celestial Commonwealth" was the
subject of the sermon of the Rev. William
Y. Chapman, pastor Of <Roseville Presby-
terrain Church, yesterday. His text was
taken from the letter of st. Paul to Philip
plans: Fol our citizenship is in heaven,
from whence also we walt for a Saviour,
the Lord Jesus Christ"
He said ST. Paul found a basis for the
thought in the text in the relation of the
colonies of Rome to the central govern
ment, a relation more close and vital than
any existing In the world now. Philippi
was a good example, for the names of her
citizens were on the roll of the Roman
tribes, and their own magistrates had au-
thority over them.
Or. Chapman continued:
They were amenable not to the
local codes, but to the Roman law.
So many of the Christians at Philippi,
like Paul. were able to appeal from local
Jurisdiction to the Emperor. They lived
at Phflippi. but they belonged to Rome.
And this dependence and protection of
her citizens which made Rome so splendid
IN her great day, served the apostle a fine
Illustration of that still higher citizenship
in which every Christian should feel the
pull OF an allegiance from beyond the
stars. We are members of a polity es-
Isentially different from that which. governs
our social life, and sometimes IN
calm weather our souls can catch a
sight from some height of ats sparkling
buildings, lying dreamlike on the, opal
waves and bathed in unsetting sunshine. "
The time mas been when this truth re-
ceived more emphasis than now. Time
has been when the church was criticised
with some justice for accomplishing it.
or, at least, for losing sight of the life that
now is In her concern for the life to come.
In their effort to avoid worldliness Chris
tlans In former times We're charged with
having too much other-worldliness. But
It seems to me that in our day the pendu-
lum has swung too far in the other d.
%rection. The intensely practical nature of
our civilization; the very proper insistence
that religion must prove itself in everyday
life; the fact that ethics is. in some sense,
the demonstration of religion, and, above
all. the modern revolt against the super
natural in an effort to comprehend the
universe within scientific categories-all
these have gone a long way toward the
reduction Of religion to morality touched
by emotion It is to be feared that in
our efforts to adapt Christianity to the
concerns of everyday life, a thing very
proper and very necessary in itself, we
are losing that splendid mysticism which
gives religion Its fervor and its enthusiasm.
The cold. calculating, practical methods of
today are going far TO prove the truth of
Wordsworth's lines in which he speaks of
the vanishing of that heaven that Lies
about us in our infancy" and the fading
away into the light of common day of
those clouds Of glory which we trailed
aftA' us from God, who is our home.
II StfhiS W INT liHl we nave ItNFfffi
the divine process and are come again to
the mount that might be touched, Instead
of to "Mt. Zion and unto the city of the
living God, the heavenly Jerusalem and to
the innumerable company Of angels, to
the general assembly and church of the
first born, who are written in heaven"
And 1t can be shown that a return to
and retention of a religion that locates its
source inc centre. it's King md its eiti-
zensh+p in heaven does not in the least
disqualify it to serve the best interests of
YRV.lHfA1 La ks. A-1 -rA-JI o. H.
contrary, the highest ideals of earthly
citizenship will be best conserved by those
who realize that they have here no con-
tinuing city, but seek a country. The
more ~ardently men cling to the fatherhood
of God and to their membership In the
whole family of God In heaven and on
earth the sooner will that broad catholic
brotherhood for which all men pray be
established on earth"