Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1908-12-03
THE PULPIT.
An ELOQUENT SUNDAY SERMON BY
THE REV. H. MARTIN, PHI. D.
Subject: The Abundant Life.

Brooklyn, N. Y.-Sunday morning,
In the First Church of Christ lDlscl-
ples), the pastor, the Rev. HerDert
Martin. PHI. D., preached on Religion
and life" The text was from John
1O:1O:"I came that they may ave
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 life. He came to give life
to others rather than live a self-cen-
tered life. I came that they may have
life. He came to give life here n
now. His emphasis vas upon the
present life. He that hath the Son
hath life. Life in the future IS a
corallsry to present life. To have lie
hero 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 no 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 long
suffered because of its almost ex-
elusive other-world emphasis. It's re-
1novaI to tho future as the proper
sphere of it's activity, its other-world
advantages caused men to regard 1t
as an abstract, vague and unreal, and
to treat it as having little practical
benefit for the present. Under sucn
conditions religion would be dlsre-
garded, or, if accepted, it would be IN
an almost altogether objective way as
a precautionary measure, n 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 itself
with his present interests. And this
religion is capable of doing, and is
doing. The Master identified Himself
with the life of the people; in fact,
He came that He might give life to
the people.
The same hopeful sign IS d%iscovera-
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
| present life, does not and never did
appeal to the normal mind unless the
appeal was effected through a 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
the present. They have discovered
furthermore, that even the young
child must live while being educated
and that az such it must enjoy certain
rights. AS a result of these discov'
cries education is nc longer a mere
formal process whose goal is utterl,
remote from the present life inter
ests. Education aims to equip thu
student for present living since h
must live while he is in process O
being educated. You cannot take
boy of fifteen years and educate hin
for some position at thirty and ex
pect him to fill that position satisfac
tori1y if you wholly disregard the fac
that he lives and must live from
fifteen to thirty. Modern education
takes note of this and seeks, Will
looking toward the future, to qualif.
the student in the largest way to liv'
the fullest life in the present days an,
by so living will he be able to realiZ
those future expectations. In addi
ton to form, education gives content
or better, to-day minds are forme'
and fashioned by giving them a con
tent. Education and religion seek t.
vitalize the present and out of it t
make possible the future. Their air
is one, inspired by the Master, to Civ
more life.
Jesus came with life for the pee
pie and brought it to the people. H
sought the people. He went out al
ter them instead of waiting for tn
people to come to Him. His life wa
one of faith in God and service t
and among men. He came to min
lister, and did minister. He. came t
give life and He gave it every day
The life of men was being enriche
and ennobled as He gave Himself
His life to them each day. The 81,
ing of His life on the cross was, fro1
this point of view, the final act c
that life which was, par excellence
the life-giving life. Organized re
ligion is beginning to go out afte
and to the people. Churches hav
long since ceased to be built who's
entrances are guarded by iron gate
and padlocks. strangers welcome,
that condescending phrase, does nc
appear SO frequently on our churc
signs. Religion has girded herse
for service. She is working in til
Young Mems and Young Women
Christian Associations, and is foun
in settlement and slum work. He
voice is heard in the factory noon-da
meetings, on the street corners, j
the theatres and in all the bus
haunts of men. Organized religion
hearing the Masters voice, is catcl
ing His inspiration who said, II cam
that they may have life" So of ed,
cation. 1t is being given to the pc.
pie. It is no longer the peculis
privilege of the few. The people al
: being sought out and compelled to
| educated. Education is for the pc,
: pie and is being given to the people,
l Education aims to give more Iii
to the individual, and more life fe
more individuals. It is true tn:
knowledge enlarges ones world an
!, contributes to his survival. His hor
zon is widened, his ideas and idea
: are enlarged, he discovers a deept