The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-12-13
GhHULUE RTu
TAKEN AS SUBJECT
Sermon on Righteous Unset
fiShneSS Is Delivered at First
Methodist Church.
DR.. SHORT GIVES VIEWS
"sEE THAT YE ABOUND IN THIS
GRACE ALSO"
DR.. SHORT GIVES VIEWS

See that We abound in this grace
Also from II Corinthians. viii Z. was
the text of a sermon delivered at the
First Methodist church last night by Dr.
Francis Burgette Short, who said in part
The final object of Christianity is the
perfection Of personal, individual char
acter. The final object of Christianity is
the perfection of the human race and the
ushering in of the reign of righteousness.
Christianity must accomplish both of
these things or acknowledge that its
Founder and followers have been domi-
mated by an enthusiasm and zeal of SUI
perstitious error.
The complete man, the man Of perfect
poise and bearing in his development
the mission of Christ and his church viii
be realized. To this end almost innumer-
able forces operate. The state provides
the public school system for training the
mind to think correctly CEurcneS nave
provided Institutions for the development
of heart life, as well as brain power. So
ciety has its institutions of instruction
and helpfulness for the beutsrment or
conditions which affect mankind. Nations
are striving to reach the ideal of inter
national relationship. Indeed, everywhere
perfection is the ultimate and final goal
for which the best ia men and the best
Of men strive.
Purpose of Savior.
For this purpose the best among men
came that he might save men to them
selves and to society. The early church
caught his spirit 1t saw the perfect man
and had a vision of the race redeemed,
and at once began its worthy and in
spring task-the development of those
latent powers and faculties which ire
quently slumber I'm most of us. The
church has special mission here. Her
appeal is made to the conscience, the
of
spiratiOn. This mission cannot as yet be
accomplished by the state. Its beliefs are
TO varied and sometimes at variance. The
social fabric is not sufficiently perme-
ated and dominated by charity Perfec-
ton is greatly lacking even in denOmina-
tlOns. Observe you. l would differentiate
between the church and denominations.
The church, therefore, as expressed and
represented in denominations, has its
task-it must teach, train and produce
this ideal man.
Hence the Holy Biole as our textbook.
Hence our teachers, evangelists and
preachers. Our task is inviting and our
victories inspiring.
Objects of Pity.
The imperfect mani speak physically
nOw-the defOTmed man, is ever an OBJ
iect of our pity and an opportunity for
our sympathy. And more the pity when
such imperfectiOn is permanent. The
mission. 1t must assist in the pTepara-
ton of homes for earth's needy ones.
But the chief mission of the church is
to develop the conscience life Of its mem
bers and through them to quicken and in
tensify the CONSCIENCE life Of society, TO
purify motive and produce an ever up
ward activity I'm ethical thought and life.
That there are EnfVerfeCt ones in the
church none will Eueotion That is the
place for them. It was ever so. Jesus
had Peter with him and Paul had the
Corinthians. Each required patient
teaching, because each manifested de-
grees of imperfection. Peter was impa-
tient and vacillating. But why should
Paul write to the Corinthians, See that
We abound in this grace alsoE' In what
grace did they lack? Did he not tell
them that they abOunded in faith and
utteTance. and knowledge, and in all dill
gence, and in your love TO Us?" That
would suggest a pretty goOU man, don.
you think? But Paul was not satisfied
As Christ had said to another, "One
thing thou laCkest,' so Paul writes the
Corinthians that they lack in one grace
He coveted for them the best gifts, the
| perfect measure Of manhood, and urged
them to meet its requirements See thai
We abound in this grace also the grace
Of fiberality, the willingness and eager
ness to contribute ones earthly substance
for the promotion of the university OF
| righteousness.
The collection department is too fire.
quently and often too lightly considered
| Some regard it as charity" while others
act as though it may be attended tC
! whenever convenient.
No Charity Institution.
The church is not a charity institution
| 1t renders full value for every dollar Il
| receives and the whenever convenient
system of supporting the church is sui
Cidal both to the contributor and TO the
| church. To the individual it means q
periodic performance Of a regular duty
and a loss Of enriChing fellowship which
[ is the OutgrOwth of a systematic express
sion of ones gratitude to God, testified
to in the willing and liberal gift made
I to the church.
tanned that the church is constituted by
spiritual and material hemispheres. And
! this has led to a further thought that
/ giving" is not necessarily a part OF
/ ones spiritual life and has no connection
/ with il. Grave and fatal mistake. Wher
! Alexander the Great had conquered Per
| STA and robbed its treasure houses, some
one asked him where the treasure was
Pointing to his poor followers, he re-
/ piled: "In scriniis which meant in my
Then he was asked, What have you
| kent for vourself2' He replied: "Spen
maiorum ct meliOrum"-the hope Of
! greater and better things. This heather
| expressed a fact we shall do well to con
slider. He thought both of the one II
/ need and of that greater and better
/ thing-rendering help.
! There are better things than getting
and holding" The entire man must bt
/ developed: the spiritual must be dOmi
| nant. and it cannot dominate unless fec
and cultivated and pruned. The grace Of
| liberaIity must be cultivated until the
/ church is prayed to receive our gifts
/ Then our Golfers will bulge with fairness
/ and giver and receiver will rejoice to
I gether in blessings received
! why abound in this grace alsO2'
/ For spiritual enrichment
! 2-Men cannot rob God without seR-im
/ poverishment.
| 3-The financial status of your churcf
/ Is on trial Your creditors have jus
claims for consideration and need theil
! remuneration equally with other EN-
plOyes.
| U-How should one contribute?
/ lin the main. contributions should be
made through the church It knows Des
both where and how to apply them.
] Contributions should be made regu
larIy and systematically and literally anc
/ according to ones own ability
| Such giving" will mean prayerful plan.
ming. produce spirital growth and guar
antee the largest success for the kingdom
| III-The actuating motive IN giving
! Gratitude.
! FOLLOWING our Lord, who for oul
/ sakes became poor and gave himself
/ Abound in this grace also, ana JoiI
/ in the kingdom of heaven.