The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-04-10
THE PULPIT.
A SCHOLARLY SUNDAY SERMON 6Y
Or. ROBERT ROGERS.
Theme: Overcoming Evil.

tht huuu Sntlntlus the IttNoE, the
Rev. DR. Robert Rogers, preached
Sunday morning on Overcoming
Evil fhe text was from Romans
1921: BE not overcome OF evil,
but overcome evil with good DR..
Rogers said
This is the closing verse of a rather
remarkable chapter. The words inn
mediately preceding my text. If
thine enemy hunger. feed him; IL he
thirst, give him drink; Bless them
which persecute YOU. bless and curse
not, do nor sound like the words OF
a Jew who was trained under the
maNims, love thy neighbor and hate
thine enemy They have much more
the sound of the voice of Jesus, who
said, Love your enemies. IL is
very impressive TO think how deeply
Jesus was able TO fasten His peculiar
teaching upon man like Paul. who
had been trained in the religious
philosophy of the old schools.
Paul has lost his old prejudices; he
has separated himself from the mar
row tenets of Judaism; he has inn
hibed the spirit OF Christ, he has been
born again into new world OF moral
philosophy, and he has been regarded
as the best interpreter OF the Cos
pei OF Christ among the writer's of the
New Testament. Luther said the
Epistle 10 the Romans is complete
epitome OF the Gospel. In our text
Paul has something TO say about evil
and something TO say about good.
He does not deny the existence Of
evil, as some moderns are doing, he
does not pass II over as merely good
in the making" He SAYS. "Abhor
that which is evil" hate IT, fight t.,
overcome It. But while he thus pre-
sents the reality OF evil and the i'm
portant influence il has in human ex-
perience. vet he looks upon IL as
something to be conquered, to be
eliminated from life He looks upon
IL as only temporary condition OF
things. II is not necessary COM
plement Of character. lie says. BE
not overcome OF evil therefore, a
man can be free from 1t.
IL is q matter OF very great i'm
portance 10 every man to be sure OF
this truth, that sin is not necessity
of his being: many a man IL in deep
encouragement because he has been
taught ths permanence OF this in
eradicable taint OF sin" this neces-
sary weakness and frailty OF human
nature.
Paul has a much finer conception of
mans possibilities. BE not over
come OF evil but overcome evil with
good, is his message TO every mans
soul, and in this he is but following
his Master, who said" BE We perfect
even as your Father I'm Heaven IL per-
feet" Thus IL we follow Paul's teach
ing II will be wise for MS To know OF
a certainty that there Is evil in the
world, that we can know IL inwardly
by conviction, that we can know it
outwardly by It's consequences. But
let us at the same time know that we
have the power to be separate and
free from IL and the ability TO con-
quer II.
Paul has also a philosophy Of good
Good 10 the power which overcomes
evil. While evil is transient and tenn
porary, good is permanent and
etei nal. Good comes from God.
Wherever evil is present bring good
TO meet II. Wherever hatred is pres
ent bring love TO conquer IT. Wher-
ev.r ignorance and superstition is
present bring truth TO enlighten f.
WoereveS lust and impurity are pres
ent bring love and purity. Wherever
unbelief and recklessness are present
bring your faith TO victory. Wher-
ever despair or moral rebellion Is
present bring hope. Wherever strife
hLi enmity are present bring charity.
This Is Paul's philosophy OF good
overcoming evil. Once set free the
forces Ct good I'm a mans individual
life he viii be saved from wrong
once set free and active the forces OF
Cod In community or city and evil
will be destroyed This is not a mere
system OF theory or speculation. II
has tho power OF demonstration be
l. nd IL The experiences OF life are
fell or illustrations Of This fact. but
let me especially tell you something
about n wonderful work being done
In Emanuel Church, Boston, and
which Is being taken up by other
churches. and Will grow more and
more Hidely as II is investigated and
It's mar velous power comprehended.
The whole genius OF this great
work lies in the power Of good over,
coming evil. The two clergymen I'm
that church are curing men and WON
rn OF sHch evils as drunkenness, drug
habits, gambling. kleptOmania, MUIR
derous impulse despair and morbid
ness, leading 20 suicidal mania, and
mental prostratiOn. A young woman
was recently cured OF the habit OF
lying and impudence 10 parents and
teachers, very grievous affiiction
which seemed impossible OF cure by
the best skill and advice. These are
q type Of a hundred other evils which
Yield To this new method Of treat
ment You will notice that each one
has ~ basis I'm moral disorder OF
tome kind, and ] have no doubt what
ever that every moral delinquency is
temediable I'm the same way
The method by which this moral
healing Is accomplished is plain 20
every student OF psy chOlogy, but IL
Is not easy TO explain 90 others. The
point OF great intercat 10 YOU aud
me. ordinary people, Is this: There
jeems TO be I'm every human being
what Is called a ub-cOnsclousness, or
tIblimal self In other words,
iubstratum OF morality foundation
moral nature n Is 10 this funda-
mental moral nature that these heal
Frs appeal. When the man afflicted
gf al -.