The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-10-25
FOSTER BREACHES TWO ABLE SERMONS Will Announce Decision on Call
 In Few Days HIS TEXT FROM MAT THE NS Morning Discourse Was On Liberty of Conscience and Close Relation
 Between Religion and
 Education.
HIS TEXT FROM MAT THE HS

Between Religion and
 Education.
 Dr. J. H. Foster who has been extended call to the pastorate of the First Pres byterian church, preached two sermons at the morning and evening services at that pulpit yesterday to large consrega- tions. pr. Foster seems to have made very good impression with the congrega- ton, and it is hoped that he will &C., cent
 At the morning service prior to the preaching of his sermon, Dr. Foster took occaskon to express his pleasure at the courtesy extended him in being made the recipient of the call. Your field of labor here is a most attractive one," he said, lone in which any minister of the gospel should be glad to exert his influence. Your church is a great factor in the Pres byterianism of the south, and I feel deeply the honor that has been accorded me in asking me to accept the pastorate. I feel it my duty, however, to return to my church in Petersburg before taking the step. and to confer with the officers and members of my congregation on the advisability of entering this field of labor. I shall return to Virginia early next week, and will as soon as possible ac- quaint you with my decision" pr. Fosters Sermon. Dr. Foster preached an absorbing and impressive sermon in the morning His text was taken from Mathew 5:13-1e: "Ye light Of the world Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is In heaven"
 Dr. E,ster's sermon in part was as fol- lows:
 "There is perhaps no more marvellous discourse in existence that the sermon on the mount, of which the text Is an ex- tract. It is designation of the powers and duties with which man is endowed In His sermon Christ states to His disci- pies that they are the recipients of ines timable privileges, and places a value upon the personal benefits and influence of His adherents.
 Christ could not have made use of two stronger figures to convey the idea of His estimate of the value of Christian manhood. 'Ye are the salt of the earth, He says; salt that cleanses, seasons and preserves. 'Ye are the light of the world He adds; light, the emblem of purity. The symbol of knowledge is light, as the symbol of ignorance is darkness. It is the symbol of benefieence and of activity. The power of Christian man. hood is exalting. It is the power that upholds the home, the church and the state.
 But man is not endowed with these qualities merely for the personal benefits derived from them. Christ rejoins with the admonition, Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which Is in heaven.' It is the duty of Christian manhood to manifest the knowledge en- dowed by the Savior.
 "Civil liberty is the fruit of Christian manhood. It is in Christian nations that intellectual and civil liberty, earths brightest hopes. flourish and are enjoyed. The Christian is the epitome of the right eous and liberty-lovlng citizen. Liberty in civic matters was long suffered to re- main immature but 1t triumphs today as Christ's estimate of Christian manhood. It has long been said that the struggles af the Scotch to obtain liberty in religious matters was the foundation of English civic liberty. The Christian religion was the foundation of civic liberty; It has pro- duced an atmosphere of freedom in thought speech and action.
 Influences of Religion.
 'tEducaton is the child of religion. An educated scitizenship carries alone the hopes and ideals of mankind, and the Christian religion has been the means of producing it. Tn the history of all coun- tries the influence of Christian manhood in the development of the mind and in the formation of character is clearly evident. The Bible has been the spelling book of the world, Christian congregations have constituted the schools piety and education have been inseparable The re- lation of religion and education is seen in the institutions of learning that have been established by the church. The aim of such institutions has not been merely the acquisition of knowledge, but the for nation of character The church has been. throughout, the foremost champion of education
 Liberty of conscience is found to be the direct outgrowth of religion. Its ex- istence may not be explained apart from religion. It has been the worlds inher- tance from the ages, from the persecuted Paul, the Christian martyrs of the Roman arena, Martin Luther and the Pilgrim fathers who braved the dangers and hard ships of an unknown world for liberty of conscience.
 ITO religion we are indebted for the preservation of the home. When the home goes to wreck the entire social fab rio Is likewise ruined. Religion is all in