The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-05-31

Rev. Benjamin Brewster at St. Marks Cathedral
on Origin of W,itsunday and Decoration Day

AT ST. Mark IS cathedral Sunday
morning Rev, Benjamin Brewster
preached to large congregation, his
Human Liberty" The text was from
st John viii, 3l-32. ''If We continue
in my word. then are yc my disciples
indeed; and yc shall know thc truth.
and tho truth shall make you FREQ. -
Dean Brewster said:
In two ways this day has important
meanings Tor us AS ohurchmcn. ON this
Whlrsunday. We thankfully remember
that gift of spiritual power 10 the dis
ciplcs which marled the birthday OF the
Christian church, AS American citizens,
on this Memorial DAY, we honor q mighty
company OF noble dead whose sacrifices
meant much In the story OF human lib
crty, The coincidence In the calendar
suggests To lis the profound harmony
that subsis,s between The true ideals be
fore the Christian church, and the ideals
to he held before this nation dedicated
to human freedom
There should bc no excuse To lis in
these days for failure 20 discern this
harmony. In times past perhaps. there
was excuse. because the state was an
instrument. not of liberty. but, in great
er or less degree. of tyranny and op-
preston. And as the idea OF govern
nent of the people, by the people. and
So also has it been true that the iunda-
mental spiritual meaning OF the church
has often suffered, whether from subjec-
ton, or from autagon!Sm, to the state,
Never. of course. has the church been
wholly without witness To the spiritual
ideals of Christ. But still it is true that
when in the supposed interests OF re-
ligion, men high in church authority were
led by the circumstances or their times
10 resort 10 political diplomacy. or war,
or bodily imprisonment ii ana torture, u, "a
must have been harder than il should be
today for the eye OF faith TO discern that
the Gcst!nies OF human liberty and pro
grcss are bound UP With the dcstinies
OF the Kingdom OF Christ.
"1he lot is fallen unto us in q fair
ground: Yea. We have n soodly heri-
tage." Through no merit OF our own
but at the cost OF generations of struggle,
We have free room. here in America. to
realize progressively both the true Idea
OF tho civil state, and the true idea of
immensely by this Independence of mu-
tual interference. For this We ought 10
be thankful. churchmen and as patri-
OTIS, on this Whitsunday, on this Me-
mortal day.
A Fatal Mistake.
Yet no mistake could be more fatal
than 10 confuse thankfullness with COM
placency. II Is not for us To rest salts
fled with the thought OF what has been
attained in human progress. And II III
behooves tho church of these days to lay
flattcrIng junction TO herself because she
Is in measure free from the peculiar
temptations OF Otnr1 ana SJpTlTict ulNS.
Rather, what has been attained in hu-
man progress. good as ii is, Is but the
clearing OF the ground for future pro-
gross. in which you and |, as Christian
citizens. must do our part. And IT, as
churchmen. We rejoice with the state.
or from ontanGlng alliance with the
state. let us only he glad because il gives
us the chance 10 cHalt the supremacy
of Christ liz His unique mora! majesty
over the hearts and lives of men.
From this point of View. think of those
words OF Jesus; IF yc continue i'm my
word, then are We my disciples indeed,
and yo shall know the truth. and the
truth shall make you free" Note there
the emphasis upon stcadfast moral prin-
cipicS, III We continue in my word -
that is the condition OF progress in truth.
and or the realization OF freedom. There
is no knowledge. religious any other,
that can he gained without patience and
Of soul. ITO contnue In Christ's
word" means that. for He is the very
incarnatc word, manifestjng the truth of
Cod through standardization and pa
ticncc. There is no true freedom without
obedience TO Gods law. ITO continue In
ChristS word" means that Thus for
tho state, Wordsworth has expressed the
thought:
The discipline OF slavery is unknown
among us. hence. the more do we re-
uuirc the discipline OF virtue.
Surely. when VIC think Of the sins
against tho home, so. widely prevalent to-
day: when we think Of political corrup-
tion and graft. when we note the Increase
OF suicide among people Of cvery walk