The Detroit times., 1917-02-28
OBEDIENCE
/ S SOUL OF
RELIGION
} Noted Divine breaches
Second of MONDAY
Lenten Sermons
MILES THEATER is
FILLED WITH MEN
70 Surrender To God Is
True Religion and
Manliness

Blnh0D William n. fneer, OF Mon
taua. formerly rector OF ST. Johns
cbsrcA here. preached the second
OF his Lsuten sermons IN the Miles
theaGsr Wednesday noon. The
ssrSes. which will continue until the
end a. the week, when another
clergyman win follow him, Is on
the general topic OF True religion"
The Wednesday subject was "A re-
lisioo OF obedience"
The btE theater was crowded.
Many IN the audience were business
men. who were glad OF the oppor-
tunity 20 hear religion discussed BY
such an authority. The meetings
are belng conducted daily In the
th<atsr and win continue until Eas.
ter.
bishop raber voiced the idea that
enc must be sincere in his religion
az well as IN his business TO make
n worth while. He said. In part,
without q spirit OF Obedience. a is
imDosnibIe to be truly religious man.
Our Lord In concluding Hts great
Sermon on the mount. said Not ev-
esv man that saith unto Ne. Lord.
LORE shall enter into the Kingdom
viii Of Ny Father which II In Heav-
en. OF this great truth He was
Himse1f the most perfect example
From Infancy 20 death He was 'ohe-
spoke the truth: but he DETAINED
neither temple nor synagogue. and
breke Fellowship with peither He
80 60 OF an oppressed people but
tho government was de fscto the
eovOTnmsnt under which He was
ana preserved order over their tur-
hulanoa. and 20 II He owed allie
glanosf He paid Hts taxes He COM
mandsd 60 render unto Caesar the
things that are Caesars" He refused
20 head an insurrection and be pro-
20 the death upon the cross. Tho
He<Were a Son. yet learned He obe-
0fonce by the things which Ne suf-
fsred.r wherefore. because OF this
perfect obedience. God hath given
Hin . name that is above every
u would help men much were they
60 realize that the spirit OF obedi-
ence alone makes possible a true
freedom Every man essayinG 10
EAINl ONA NHnt - kOOa w HNA Nv ~
syes means confusion. anarchy aud
no freedom st all.
IL would help men much were they
20 feel that God Himself does not
issue arbitrary commands. We are
not 90 think thai a thing IL right
simply because God has chosen TO
command a.. but God commands "a
because ~ In right.
And every form OF authority In
state and church with whatever Of
tmperfection In "a. rests on the same
principle. with the spirit % Obedl-
ence 20 guide. how much more sweet
~ reasona BILE. how much free we
should be, while we fitted. without
this incsssant unruiiness into the
fair order Of society. human and
divine.
We may fairly say that " any
man thinks he Is religious because
Of the correct knowledge he has Of
God, or beca use Of the warmth Of
hts emotions that mans religion IL
vain. Doubtless a man Saay be ac-
cspted with God whose ideas OF God
and spiritual life are most crude
and defective. doubtless a man may
be una BILE 20 feel the rAptures or
the woes OF other souls. yet IN Cod
eyes be as truly religious ne they.
Hut no man who In unwilling 20 give
10 his own will. who refuses 10 SUR
render his TN do az ! please can
be truly religious or manly. He r.
wrong. and God Almighty can do
nothing for. him I'LL he puts himself
right.