Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1908-11-25
THE PULPIT.
.u ELOQUENT SUNDAY SERMON BY
THE REV. Fl. MARTIN, PHI. D. y
Subject: The Abundant Life.

| BROOKLYN, N. Sunday morning.
IN the First Church Of Christ (Disci-
ples), the pastor, the Rev. Heroer1
Martin, Ph. D.. preached on Religion
and Life" The text was from John
l0:10:"I came that they may nave
life, and may have it abundantly.
DR.. Martin said:
Christ came not to teach a theol-
ogy primarily, if at all, but to give
| life. more lie. He came to give lie
to others rather than live self-cen-
| :ered life. came that they may nave
life. He came to give life here and
now. His emphasis was. upon the
present life. He that hath the Son
hath life. Life in the future is
corallary to present life. To have life
here and now is the only guarantee,
the only possibility of future life.
| The value and need Of religion Tor
the present life are being emphasized
to-day as at ns time since the early
Christian era. This Identification OF
religion and life tends to make re-
ligion a normal phenomenon in hu-
man experience. Religion has dons
suffered because Of its almost eX-
elusive other-world emphasis. Its re-
moval to the future as the proper
sphere OF it's activity, its other-World
! advantages caused men to regard II
as an abstract, vague and unreal, ana
TO treat it as having little practical
benefit for the present. Under sucn
conditions religion would be disre-
sarded, or, If accepted, it would be in
an almost altogether objective way as
a precautionary measure, and thus
never become a vital element in the
program Of daily life. The normal
man is intensely interested in the
present, and in the sweet 'by"and-by
only as it is related to his present
interest. If religion is to cut any
real figure in this life it can do so only
as it links itself to and identifies rtself
with his present interests. And TINS
religion is capable Of doing, and is
doing. The Master identified Himseif
with the life Of the people; In fact,
He came that He might give life to
the people.
The same hopeful sign is discovera-
BILE in the educational world. Com
pare the curricula Of the schools and
( colleges of other days with those OF
| to-day and how evident is the differ
ence. Education as preparation for
| living in the far future, even OF the
1 present life, does not and never old
appeal to the normal mind unless the
/ appeal was effected through liberal
application of physical force. Since
| the days of Rousseau education as
mere preparation has gradually and
| beautifully fallen into disrepute. Ed
ucators have discovered the practical
/ ly complete absorption of the child in
i the present. They have discovered,
| furthermore, that even the young
! child must live while being educated,
and that as such it must enjoy certain
rights. AS result of these discoV"
cries education is no longer a mere
formal. process whose goal is utterly
remote from the present yife inter-
ests. Education aims to equip the
| student for present living since he
must live while ne is in process of
being educated. You cannot take a
] boy or fifteen years and educate him
4 for some position at thirty and ex-
pect him to fill that position satisfac-
torily if you wholly disregard the fact
that he lives and mist live from
4 fifteen to thirty Modern education
4 takes note Of this and seeks, while
| looking toward the future, to qualify
the student in the largest way to live
| the fullest life in the present days and
! by so living will he be able to realize
j those future expectations. In addi-
| ton to form, education gives content,
or better, to-day minds are formed
and fashioned by giving them a con-
tent. Education and religion seek to
vitalize the present and out of it to
make possible the future. Their aim
is one, inspired by the Master, to give
more life. :.
Jesus came with life for the peo-
Pile and brought it to the people. He
sought the people. He went out al
| ter them instead Of waiting for the
/ people to come to Him. His life was
one of faith in God and service to
and among men. He came to min
lister, and did minister. He came to
give life and He gave it every day.
1 The life of men was being enriched
| and ennobled as He gave Himself,
His life to them each day. The CIV
4 ing of His life on the cross was, from
this point of view, the final act of
that life which was, par excellence.
the life-gixing life. Organized re-
/ ligion is beginning to go out after
and to the people. Churches have
| long since ceased to be built whose
| entrances are guarded by iron gates
and padloeks. strangers welcome, "
that condescending phrase, does not
appear so frequently on our church
signs. Religion has girded herself
| for service. She is working in the
Young Mems and Young Women's
| Christian Associations, and is found
| in settlement and slum work. Her
voice is heard in the factory MONDAY
meetings, on the street corners, in
the theatres and in all the busy
| haunts of men. Organized religion Is
hearing the Masters voice, is catch
ing His inspiration who said, II came
| that they may have life" So Of edu-
cation. 1t is being given to the peo-
pie. It is no longer the peculiar
privilege Of the few. The people are
being sought out and compelled to be
educated. Education is for the peo-
pie and is being given to the people.
! Education aims to give more life
to the individual, and more life for
more individuals. 1t is true that
knowledge enlarges ones world and
| contributes to his survival. His ho"i-