The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-13
OBJECT OF RELIGION,
IS THEME OF PASTOR
Rev. William ThurstOn Brown
Speaks at the Unitarian
Church.

"The Object Of Religion-not Extri
cation, but Permeation, " was the sub
iect of strong sermon by the Rev
William Thurston Brown, pastor Of the
Unitarian church, Sunday morning. In
part the Rev. Mr.. Brown spoke as fol-
lows:
Friends. here is the difference which
divides US asunder. Some of us arc pro-
ceedinS in all our plans and aims as il
the world, 10 which II is our chief busi-
ness TO adjust ourselves, is this world
OF buying ana selling. OF acquiring prop
erty, OF eating and drinking, OF material
gam and personal profit, as IL that were
the world in which and for which w.
ought 10 live. On the other hand. some OF
US don't accept that idea at all, and have
no lnteution OF doing 50. We don't be-
lIeFc that II Is right or good to adjust
ourselves To that little world 1t may be
necessary for us 10 accept some OF the
conditions imposed by that world In or
der 10 keep body and soul together But
the mere task of keeping body and soul
together should not be mistaken for liv-
ing. Nothing could bc q graVCr lndict-
mcnt OF any scheme or organization of
Things than 10 have TO say that quanti-
iles OF people must eNpend all their cner-
giles solely 10 keep body and soul to-
Sether; But We men and women have
no right TO cramp our souls within the
narrow limits OF that little world. HIS
tDlN WOULD nave no meaning at all were
1t not true that tho world II IS our bust
ness 10 live In and for Is that larger
world in which humanity may be seen
moving toward higher and nobl"r ends.
1t IS not surprising that millions OF men
and women during these 1900 years or
more since Christianity ceased to be for
most people the compelling and absorbing
business OF l;fe and became. merely
theology or a superstition have thought
that the end Of religion IS 10 save ones
soul from nell and gain entrance To "a
place called heaven. Considering how in
dustrlously that false and harmful no.
ton of things has been instElcd into the
mprcssionable minds OF children one Is
not surprised that it stil paralyzcs the
souls Of men and women and clogs the
wheels or human progress. IL Is not sur
prislOg that this has been mistaken for
religion, because few have had any
chance TO know any other meaning for
religion. That has been the one purpose
for which churches have existed thc one
impression they have made. Nor should
one be surprised that with the spread
OF knowledge that notion OF religion has
proved itself morally and spiritually
sterile, and today increasing thousands OF
people who have lcit the churches and
rejected the crceds are finding the iuspir-
ing secret OF religion exactly as Jesus
did-by casting In their lot with that
lower layer OF society upon whose labor
and suffering so much OF our social strlc-
turc is built. Perhaps, too. IT should not
be surprising that great many people
who call themselves liberals are pursuing
tho sterile ideal of cXtucat!ou. believing
III tho great object OF life Ia gain for them
selves something which they make no cf
fort To- win for all others utter strangers
10 this missionary passion 10 pcrmcatc
tie whole of society with the sacred sense
OF brotherhood and moral purpose which
alone defines religion and makes life worth
while,
Mon and women. that attempt Ia find
some sort OF cNtricatlon from the mass Oi
our human kind. that seeking to save
your soul or your life or your wealth or
your social standing out OF what seems
! thc universal scramble IL the opposite of
religion And 1t is not a good thing ply
sically or mentally or morally. for any
man or woman. That way Hes physical
degradation. intellectual shailowHrss
moral and spiritual poverty. II is as true
InoW as II ever was. as true FOR YOU and
mo as FOR thusc To whom Jesus spoke
! that he who would save hls life loses it
ios"- X in That prOcess--an1 ho who is
willing TO lose his life. who knows some
| Thing IN bchnlf OF which " wcrc worth
while 10 lose ones llfc. who serlfs-bc-
cause he must--thc closest possible con-
tact with the mass of hs fellow men that
man alone saves his life. for that very
process IS life. and tHc other process
| Is death. PcrmeaLon is life; cXtrCatlon
| Isolation. is death,