The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1915-07-23
Fine Sermon Appreciated.

SUNDAY morning, MS theme being "A
Religion Warranted to Wear" The
sermon was intensely practical, appeal
ing to the every day life, and was filled
with the spirit of devotion and worship.
The text was taken from James 1875:
He that looketh into the perfect law
of liberty, and 80 continueth, being not
a hearer that forgetteth. but doer that
worketh, that man shall be blessed in
his doing" In the course of his sermon
DR.. Msttson said:
How startingly modern is the kind of
man this text describes! He is the man
who is successful, that is evident, and
surely the modern emphasis lis on sue
cess Can he deliver the goodsS This
Is what the modern world asks.
But this mans success is in having a
religion that doesn't play out. Of this
religion James gives four essential fea-
lures in his terse, business-like descrip-
tion. First, it sets man free; second.
it enables him to endure; third, it holds
him to the two inseparable tasks of life,
the training of life's powers and the use
of life's energy. Finally it promises
him such satisfaction in the life he is
living that he becomes sure it leads
through the gateway to the goal of
blessedness.
l raise the question, do we really
believe all this about our religion2 Does
it really work. Suppose we should visit
the patent Office at Washington for a
study of the steps in the progress of
human achievement. Among the mod
els we should see there of the working
ideas which have wrought marvellous
transformation in the conditions of
human life We should also see thous.
ands of other equally intricate devices,
over which might be written one final
judgment, ''These would not work"
Will the Christian religion work.
In the mighty world conflict with its
apparent breakdown of modern civiliza.
tion men are asking this in all serious
ness and sometimes in bitterness.
think have an answer that is worth
more to you and me than that once
given by keen thinker who said.
will Christianity succeedS 1 don't
know since 1t has never been tried"
Some day, say, Christs way Is going
to be tried as the world policy of new
civilization, but you and 1 have no
business to wait for that. Here then is
my answer:
Let our religion cease to be specula-
tion and dreamer's theory of far off
'Utopian heaven. Let US have done
with mere soothing meditations for an
idle hour.
The chief thing we can do for the
religion of Christ is to put fresh conf.
dence and enthusiasm into the business
as its personal representatives.
Let us learn our lesson from those
keen witted knights of the grip who
sell the world the things men need.
Learn of the travelling man how he
succeeds. He has the goods and he has
the zeal. His success lies in convincing
the merchant that his product is all
wool and yard wide, that it will wash
and that it will neither shrink nor fade
and that it is just as good on the inside
as it is on the outside.
1t is fair, submit, that our religion
should meet these tests of genuineness
and that we should be expected to give
to it the winning enthusiasm of the
salesman who gets the orders
The great human needs of men and
women are calling out to this religion
of ours, "Can you deliver the goodsa"
We want a religion that is not shoddy.
We want it TO be broader and more
generous than sectarianism We want
religion that will wash when stained
with the dust of life and the sins of the
world. We want religion that is as
good on the inside as 1t is on the out
side. This is the religion that is war
ranted to wear.
This thing of the Spirit with its four.
fold power to set US free, to grid us for
endurance. to hold us to the teaching
and the task of life and 80 to lead US to
the goal of blessedness is no delicate
plant of hot house growth. 1t is never
so strong as when it goes down into the
thick of the worlds turmoil, all ex-
posed and undefeuded against the as
saults of evil.
To us who are called to live In these
searching days comes the noble sum-
mons. To it we dare not be neutral
Look you into the perfect law of the
Christ who makes men free, and 30 con-
tinue, not as a gutter, not as one who
wavers but as one who, having done
all. still holds undefeated his uncon.
querable soul. Be learner who holds
unforgot the mighty truth of the un-
destructible gospel. Be worker nobly
investing life's energy in every common
task, being sure it is linked up with the
creative and redemptive work of God.
Thus the goal of blessedness shall be
won.