The Detroit times., 1910-10-31
WEEKLY SERMON
REV LEE s. MoCoILEsTER=CHURCH OF OUR FATHER
(Unitarian)

-s-s-s-S-o-~-s-s-s-s-sO
things known. Civilization has de-
vclOped by correcting the mistakes anu
building on TO the true OF the past
Each age has sailed into the new by
getting It's bearings from the old. The
course has been safe and satisfactory.
Men live more by the laws or God
written I'm their constitution, than by
the temporary artiiices set up by any
system. True politics is measured by
the progress OF nations in justice and
equality, the true religion is measured
by Kindness, intelligence, purity. ser
vice and love The worlds faith is not
determined by the occasional fndfrreF-
ence OF men TO customs and rituals, but
morality and honor. The esseptials OF
faith are practlced instinctlrely by
men, and often in diametric opposition
TO the dictates OF thcolC gical creeds.
The lives OF men are perpetual afhrma-
tons OF the realities OF essential
righteousness.
Nineteen hundred years ago on Mars
Eill Paul said TO the Atbenians: The
God that you ignorantly worship | de-
clare unto you" Prophets In every age
have said this. 1t was the word OF Au-
Calvin and az the way down TO Chan
ming, Bailou and Brooks. This age re-
peats the word The only change Is to
u palmer statement growing out OF
better knowledge. The message OF the
prophets has grown simpler stronger
more Ineligible. The prophet OF the
UNKNOWN says To-Day Let US ulFetl our
course into the future upon the bear
ings given US from the route over
which we have sailed Out beyond us
Is the course. always we shall be trying
the unknown. Thus far Humanity has
moved onward; from the things learned
let US shape our course forward.
Shaping the COurse-ThinKs We Know.
Naturally every man asks But what
are the things known Just az the
lawyer asked Jesus, Who Is my neigh
hnr nj ahax hnF No
Eeighbor was one nearby, who needed
, our help. SO our course In this life and
for the life TO come is TO be shaped from
things which often are SC simple that
we do not appreciate their true rela-
tion 10 the eternal things OF life. To-
day | wish TO urge on your attention
some OF the things known from which
we do now ard shall forever shape
our course safely onward.
Cd one or the things we know Is
that good and evil unite In the lives
OF US all. Zach man dreams OF victory
Each man weeps over mistakes. Each
nan means TO do better than he does
Each man wants mercy for himself and
knows he ought to give to others the
mercy he asks. Eaci man spends some
days dawn in the valley OF despair
all ambition and hope gone he feels
himself the worst or the worthless,
EaCn man climbs up TO the sun crowned
SUBMITS once In while, where life is
worth living, and there is not man
OF us who does not know what Paul
two selves The good l would do not,
and the evil ! would not that do, and
l do not know myself"
O. We are sure Of another thing,
and that Is taat in the real battles good
Is stronger than evil. There are times
when we do not see II. When one Is
stunned by "A sudden sorrow he can see
nothing happy In the morrow. Down In
the slums CT our great cities IL Is easy
10 doubt II God is, and II is natural to
ask. II God Is Love, why Is there 50
IA 49,
true religion, why is there so much mis-
cry after nineteen hundred years OF
Christian teaching? But life does not
continue always I'm the slums and the
sick room Every mature man knows
that time heals wounds and health
brings strength, and even the poorest
may climb out OF his poverty 1t is not
human nature always TO weep. Dis
ease Is not our normal condition. Bad
men are not in the majority. Fathers
are not usually cruel Mothers have
not the n bit OF deserving their chill
dren. Men do not make saint OF a
monster who makes torches OF the liv-
iLg. even though he be an emperor.
Nero. The prophet OF the new day pro-
men to think and talk OF goodness
which makes the world unafraid. and
everywhere souls have caught the
quiet courage Of the Concord sage, who
said. "Oh. friend. never strike sail to
a fear. Come into port gently or sail
the seas with God"
Doing One's Best Brings Happiness.
80 We know another thing-tnat
doing the best We know brings us our
higher happiness We must leach
paint the thing as we see it for the
God OF things as they are" Men do
not see things alike, and with the best
OF Intentions they do opposite things
one eats meat and the other eats
herbs. one keeps Saturday and the other
Keeps sunday, one wears crucihX and
another reads his Emerson. Each is
happy. not I'm opposing hts brother but
In keepInE faith with himself. Under
an equally high ideal of honor. men
have marched against each other.
Brothers nave killed brothers, and each
died happy Ia the consciousness that he
had been true TO life as he understood
IL. Men IN blue and gray were both
brave. each did his duty as he saw e.
81 We also know that the men
who take the path OF duty or OF service
never turn back IL Is an inspiration
TO know the triumphant gladness OF tho
men who have struggled through the
worst. These hold the masses up to
We stand at the foot or the mountain,
20 wonder II the hard, climb will be
worth while. The timid viii doubt and
| wish TO turn back. IL is the assurance
OF the oes who has gone over the path
most that the climb pays. which gives
courage TO the weak The wsrld gets
I it, Inspiration from men who have done
/ things It Is Impossible to estimate the
inspiring value OF n Moses n Socrates,
a Lincoln. The greatest thing I'm Linz
coins life was not tho writing OF the
| emancipation proclamation. nor the