The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-08-02
THk PULPIT.
A SCHOLARLY SUNDAY SERMON BY
THE REV. c. II. eGGlESTON.
Subject: The Measure OF Duty.


the Greenville Reformed Church. Jer-
sey City. on the above theme. the
Rev q. II. Eggleston. pastor. took
Luke 17:10: We are Improbable
servants. We have done that which IL
was our duty 10 do" as his text. He
said:
In the vocabulary OF Christianity
love is the supreme word. Operating
In life IL becomes the supreme law.
It is so because il was supreme In the
life of Jesus. But outside the religion
OF Jesus, duty is perhaps the con-
spicuous word. Upon duty the nom
Christian heart lays extreme EN-
phasis. Duty. interpretated in terms
of the best each age could produce.
has been the ideal OF life.
To-day the very atmosphere is sur
charged, as by an electric current,
with the Importance OF faithfulness
TO duty. That which is in the air of
the age is made tangible continuous
ly from pulpit and from press. in
school and club and home. Ministers
and teachers. leaders In business and
in civic life, are pleading for the en-
thronement of duty in human hearts.
Public sentiment. finding expression
y -
is being aroused in the interest of
duty. Traitors to duty are being
bronded at their true worth.
We admire the devotion TO duty
In that rising nation of the East
which characteristically found ex-
preston in the speech of the captain
OF the Japanese battleship Asama.
who said 20 his men as they drank
In turn from a cup of cold water,
bidding each other a last goodbye:
in sending you on the duty OF block
ing the harbor entrance of Port Ar
| thQr-a duty which affords you only
ona chance out Of thousand TO re-
turo alive feel as If were sending
my beloved sons. And If had a hun
| dred sons | would send them all on,
such bold adventure as this: and
had l only one son / should wish to
do the same with him. In perform
ing your duty, IL you happen TO lose
| your left hand, work with your right:
| IL you lose both hands, work with
both feet; II you lose both feet, work
with your head, and faithfully carry
| out the orders of your commander
| What / ask OF you all is to do your
duty regardless of your life. The cup
OF water | now offer you is not meant
TO give you courage. 1t would be
| shameful II our men needed courage
/ TO go to the place OF death It is only
to make you representatives Of the
| honor OF the Asama. Submit your
| life u the will of Heaven. and calmly
| perform your duty" That is the
utterance Of the spirit of the age,
crystallized in those nations that
stand in the vanguard OF progress.
1t is the emphasis upon duty.
Do we realize what that spirit
would mean II we had 1t beating in
the life blood Of the Christian
church? 1t would mean the purifica-
ton OF our ideals IL would mean
the strengthening OF the Church OF
Jesus in work and worship. 1t would
mean the broadening OF our vision
so we could see the brotherl ood Of
man. II that loyalty to the duty OF
patriotism which is characteristic of
the best citizens could be translated
into terms OF the moral and religious,
IL would mean that the message OF
the Cross, love, service and sacrifice,
would find expression in every life
What a result IL Christians and the
Christian church would do its bare
duty! But is it being done? Nom
inally this Is a Christian country.
And yet the deadly child labor in all
It's horror exists in this country 1t
could not exist II the united Christian
church should say 1t shall not. Nom
inally Christian country, and yet
the sale of the stun that kills men
and women physically, mentally and
morally, that destroys domestic hap
piness and undermines the stability
or our nation, goes on. 1t could not |
be so. were 1t not sanctioned and pro-
tected by the sentiment and power Of |
Christian people. But why the need |
of citing illustrations of that which |
we all know? The conclusion IS |
clear. There are those who, though |
faithful TO duty in home and in pri- |
vate life, when IL comes TO moral |
Issues affecting the welfare OF hu- |
manity at large, are afflicted with |
myopia or Indifference. Can ii be |
that the cup OF cold water tasted by |
men OF pagan religion contains a
greater inspiration 90 the perform
ance OF duty in the face OF danger,
than does the sacred brotherhood |
OF the Christian church? They touch
their lips to the cold water; then
face duty unfinchingly, though 1t
cost hand, or foot, or life. SO the
true Christian from time TO time
touches his lips TO the wine OF the
Communion in pledge OF his loyalty
to the Master and in memory OF the
love OF that Master. SO the majority
gain therein the inspiration that sets
their face unlinchingly toward duty
without thought Of what IL may cost.
There are many who finch. These
break the solid phalanx OF the Chris
tian army. asd so put of the day OF
victory over evil Many 20 whom a
dollar Is OF more worth than a moral
principle. Many TO whom their own
personal well-being counts for more
than needy brother or sister. Many
10 whom gold is OF greater value than
the welfare OF their fellowmen
In view a the fact that so many
fall short OF doing their bare duty,
dare ve state the ideal OF the Chris |
tian religion. or will 10 be so lofty as .
TO diecourage us In our humble ef-
forts? No! We will set befop US