The morning journal-courier. (New Haven, Conn.) 1907-1913, 1908-04-06
HARTMAN CHURCH
NOT FOR WORK MEN


Continued from First Page)
lists 50 back 10 the Old masters that
they may learn how to paint, II would
bo we'll II preachers and eyangollsts
went back occasionally 10 the old re-
vlvallsts, that they might learn from
them the surest way of promoting
deeper Interest IN religion,
i Is an old saying that "hIstory re-
peats Itself There are few more strik-
ing Illustrations DC the truth Of this
saying, than that which ARISES from
comparison Of prcsent-dny social aud
religious conditions WIN those OF pail
ostnc at the beginning of John the
Baptist's ministry. The older agricuI-
tuHl HE was dying out; 4 new come
merelal prosperity was growing up.
But the conditions governing this in
dustrlal progress wcrc such as 10 result
IN an unjust distribution of wealth In
that day as IN this, thcro were the
rich aud the poor; ON one street pala-
tlal residences on the next novels In
N''iN'' i''l'l' Nv w INV i'leNet ! nv liA
ury aud conservatism of one class were
matched by the suffering and restless
ness Of the other. The industriaIsm of
that age resulted IN n caste system not
unlike our own Social barriers were
broken down With difficulty. Even the
church was dominated by the spirit of
! greed that had swept over Palestine
as the result OF bringing her Into close
commercial relations with foreign
countries, II was an era of change and
transformation Old institutions were
not large enough for the new thoughts
that were throbhing in the minds of
/ men, New wine was being poured into
old bottles, and the bottles were burst
Ing as they are bursting to-day. The
surface waters Of Jewish life were
turbulent by the moving of some spir-
it IN the depth beneath Tho currents
Of national thought and action were
flooding one into another but no man
swept on with rcslstless force OF pro-
found significance is that phrase Of the
4 apostle when tho fullness " time was
come John the Baptist was preach
or Of power because he shaped into
words the new thoughts that were
struggling in the universal mind for
utterancc. He saw clearly what other
men dmly felt, that the fullncss Of
time had come, that the old order Of
things WAS breaking up, and that a new
Glspcnsaton was nj hand
Nor Is II omen TO doubt that beyond
this the evangelist could not see. what
the new order Of things would he was
not revealed unto him. Accordingly Ne
did not come 10 the people with any
Utoplan scheme Things we're breaking
up; Of that there could be ne doubt
New foundations for social and re-
leious life were being laid; this much
John the Baptist saw clearly The
conscience of the people was pricked
the hearts Of the people We're aname
There went out 70 him." we read
Jerusalem. and all Judea, and all the
region round about Jordan" On thC
lips Of thousands trcmhlcd the qucs.
tom "What shall we do?" Everywhere
| lllfll Nilf tfhiflks W nat hbfN WIS up
heaval mean? Where are the new idea.
leading us? How viii the coming order
Of society shape itself?
TO these questions John gave a blunt
answer He said that Il was not givcr
him TO forecast the form Of the new
kingdom. lie, With all other men, look
ed forward into a vast deep of uncer
talnty Some things. however were
sure, and these were the things to en-.
phasize. Whatever form the now society
might take. there could be no question
as TO the permanence ~ those prnci
pies OF charity and justice that Coo
had grained into the fibre OF mans ma
ture. It was as If he had said to them
you would know what 10 do? there Il
only one answer do the simple righ
thing that lies next 10 your hand, what
ever changes take place the ten com
mandmcnts will not be outlawcA. Char
ity give 10 him who needs; justice
exact no more than Is fairs righteous
ness manifested by sclf-rcstraint-
truthfulncss ana contentment- thcs
are principles that lie at the very bot
tom of individual character and soCia
redemption. Whatever changes are tax
ing place to-day, or whatever ma!
happen tomorrow these are the prin
I clpcs to put into practice This was tn
substance Of Johns message to the PEG
. pie, and never in tho worlds histor!
has that message needed to be empha
sized, al II needs to he emphasized II
this year Of our Lord, 1908 without tn
preparatory practice Of these principle
all the social and religious schemes OF
earth or in heaven will slip down tn
, wind of popular discussion into vast
places
You have surely OWNED the thing
: am striving to get at In this sermon.
am not particularly Interested in Joh
The Baptist, only as he aids me in tn
stern task of shaping my own message
| am not Interested in the differen
classes Of people who came TO him 70
advice, only as perceive in this qucs
ton, what shall we do?" an express
sion of that vital interest which stir
in your hearts and minds, MS 1t stirre
Nlllllu llltlll lNb lUpuSdllu years db'
I am not concerned in Analysing pres
ent day conditions, in the attempt t
show how old institutions are break
D ing up, how we are face to face wit
n questions. in the answering Of whic
4 we have no prccedents in history
n guide us all this You know. | have n
n scheme to propose, no social ideal
Y hold up. 1t were vain to try to pierre
the gloom of tomorrow In an effort
~ discern the special forms which will r.
n suit from the shaping power Of tht
n newly awakened spirit which breathe
= in our common life. one question onl
n concerns me; it Is that of the text
VI What shall we do? Certainly, 1t is
Al most practical question, Everywhe,
n men are asking It; everywhere ] fin
~ them impatient over an idoalzatC
NJ that would prescribe the new forms
tod at al al p,1t Tot,