Norwich bulletin., 1910-10-31
MEMORIAL SERVICE AT
BROADWAY CHURCH
Special Sermon by Rev. Edward s.
Worcester and Music by the Choir.

OPSSidt oSifiOh ny nov EoWdt q ~
Worcester and Music by the Choir.
At the five o'clock service at Tr1aG-
way Congregational church Sunday af-
ternoon there was a commemorative
service both in Sermon and music The
choir sang beautifully The Radiant
Morn Has Passed Away, by Woodwar1,
and Bucks Crossing the Bar was Civ
en- in fine voice and excellent express
sion by Mrs. Charles Tyler Bard. The
service was for the members Of the
church who had passed away during
the year and also for those in the
families of the members. The deceas-
ed members during the year are Mrs.
Hezekiah Huntington, Miss Elizabeth
p. Ripley, Mrs. Walter F. Lester, Mrs.
George NJ. Rathbone, Mrs. William J.
Blackburn. Mrs. William 3. Robertson,
Mrs. George Greenman and Mrs. LOUIS
r. Southworth.
Rev. Mr.. Worcester's theme was
Christian Faith Demands the Future,
and he took his text from l. Corintl-
ians xv:19, If we have only hoped in
Christ in this life, we are of all men
most pitiable. He said, 1t is a favDr.te
ing at the Christian church that it
is overmuch concerned with a life te-
yond this world. In these days it is
not outsiders alone that find fault aft
er this fashion, its very men,ers join
in the accusation. The church is 50
DuSy, we are LOl0, getting Souls 20
heaven, that it has no time to save
either the bodies or spirits from the
Ills that beset them here.
For my part. | do not admit the
fact to be as charged. We Il ,at Ire
cious little either said or sung ir the
modern church about heaven, and We
hear a great deal about the c,rd..fons
that surround us. And I do not admit
the justice of the complaint ut all. AZ
if the church could do nothing for this
world SO long as it looked ultimately
for another AS il it were blind to
everything material and finite because
il still lifts I'D its voice-th )ug1 with
nothing like the positiveness tf its
Master-in behalf of the spiritual and
the infinite.
On the contrary, it is precisely in
| that emphasis, which no other institu-
ton gives us, that the church's unique
and priceless service to this world
, must always lie. Without the vision
that penetrates deeper than the tanai-
ble forms of things and sees far beyond
the temporal duration of them. we
should not only have no inheritance
in heaven but-what far more nearly
concerns the temper of these critics
we should have no kingdom of God on
earth.
When Christians cease to look for
future and an endless life, they will
cease to be of much service in this
When they cease to live as in the fore
count of eternity, the gladness, power
inspiration of the present will soon
vanish. Christian faith and life de-
mand the future. Without that, you
| may have various pretty PHILOSOPHERS
and philanthropies, but no Christian
ity.
How So" someone protests, "is YOUR
| ChristiaM system altogether dependent
upon some pay day? Even If one has
| only these years to live. will it not
he hotter live them
| ly in imitation of Jesus. in the fear
of God, and In the service of man ?"
| one can make a plausible argument
/ OF that tenor, no doubt But, after
all, would it work? Why would it
be better2 Why labor to improve a
world that has no permanence? Why
strive for the betterment of a sould
that will hardly last long enough to
feel the impression of your effort? No
one else has future worth mention
| ing; and as for ourselves, what is bet
ter than to please ourselves while we
I may-by yirtuous living, If that chance
, to please US best, or by the Indulgence
of greed, passion. or hate. if these seem
/ better? 1t will be all over a genera
tion hence. Ask the man who lives
in such Q short lived world how far
sacrifice for any ideal would payday
YOU or anyone else. 1t think it would
be hard to tell.
Paul goes even farther. on such
itEIHo, ne hectares, we WHO claim -
| following Christ ARE of all men most
pitiabe." Now. why is that? How are
We worse off than others for trying TO
! live Christs ways2 For here is flat
! disagreement with the conceptions of
| those who urge strictly this world
Christianity upon us. Consider a mo-
ment.
Christ has awakened in the hearts of
those who sympa thize with him certain
lofty and compelling aspirations which,
in their full circle at least. no others
know. He has set higher ideals before
his followers than other men have
| fashioned for themselves. than this
! lifetime of ours. gives room or oppor-
tunfty to realize. Being Christians Wa
are constrained to ser our hearts on
these; the greater therefore is our
sense of emptiness and ppoinement.
Happier the savage with his little
hopes; perhaps even happier the oys-
ter. who has none.
Nay, we are men with conscious
spirits, capable of growth and espe-
cially of fellowships. Listen again,
Christ has drawn those among men
who have chosen his discipleship into
relations with one another and with
God above of such tenderness and init
, macy that the sun6ering of association
is bitter sorrow. There is none
among men that weeps for departed
| friend. few that do not crave the i'm
mortality of true affection but the
Christian most of all for love is tho
keynote OF his life. 1t is all very well
to speak of the healing of time: we are
| familiar with that and exceedingly
thankful for It. But We want mora
God who is rot Fate but Father, an
eternity for LIE and love. II thzn our
partings here were final, it, beyond
| thar, our own deeease meant an end
TO communion with God and growth
| through his grace, should not We