Bridlington and Quay Gazette. — 1886-02-20 (Bridlington, Humberside, England)

BAPTIST CHURCH.  The annual sermons on behalf of Home Missions were preached in the above place on Sunday last by the Bev. v 7. J. Hunter. In the course of his craning sermon on the "Good Samaritan," the preacher made the following remarks :—Certain excuse. might possibly be offered in extenuation of the ! neglect of the priest and Levite. To be caught redhanded by the side of a murdered victim, has more than once led to the punishment of the innocent or the guilty. Moreover, who could tell but the! murdering band .till lay concealed behind the rocks waiting for additional prey? Ido not say that such excuses are entertainable, or would at all mitigate the inhumanity of these officers of religion. Bat is there Beta treatment of human suffering far more condemnable and contemptible than theirs?! The luxurious selfishness which chute both eyee I and ears to the poverty which exiling almoet at j very door We have all of us been stirred by the I riots which during the pant week have disturbed the ! serenity of our great metropolis. Far be it from I me to say one word in mitigation of the severe ! oondemcetion which must be weed upon the marauding crowd. But is there not something , radically wrong to which in this terrible way orir thoughte are turned? I. it what ought to be, that in England, Christian England, the richeet country in the world, there should be found almost side by side the extremes of wealth end poverty? That! almost ander the shadow of lordly and palatial j mansions, men and women, neighbours, brothers, and sisters in distress should be permitted to pine ! and droop and die? la there not something wrong in these tilings being found in • professedly Christian land? I do not speak politically, but ' entirely from the standpoint of the religion of Chriet. lam not appealing for mere legislation; I but for brother-heart and help. Ido not believe in I ruthless appropriation of others' goods. "Thou shalt not steal" is binding alike on poor and rich. I But oh that men of wealth and power might realise that they are but stewards of their vast po aaaaa ions ! Such celamitoce experiences as thou to which I have referred must surely mule if the spirit of the commandments—love to God and love to man— were only dominant in the social life of our country. I °But what'. says some one, "can we do in this I matter? We have not the mean, to halo. It is • I long way from Bridlington to London, and we have no connection with the grievances of London life." Ay! but the name selflehnese may be killing the humanity of us all. It is not • question of means but spirit, and I am afraid vre are all apt to sin in our measure. Ido not ask and pray to see j throughout our lend • mere increase of charitable I doling out of superfluous possessions ; but I do sak and pray for a fuller recognition of brotherhood ' between man and man. The spirit of the law, and the spirit of the gospel too, is love to God and love to man—not love of position or posseceions, but love of man. The love which stoops, which binds up, which assuages, which inspirits, which elevates, which save.. Oh Son of Men, when shalt Thou indeed "see of the travail of Thy soul and be satisfied ? "  The Annual Home Missionary meeting was held on Wednesdey evening, the pastor in the their. Addrrs,es wore delivered bf• the Chan man, Be,. R. Wyatt (Congregational), end to Be,. J. D. ltodway, of Gall. The contribution from the Bridlington Church to the county fond for last year amounted to £I2 7s. Id On the motion of Mr. Gray, seconded by Mr. Dale, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to tte epeakers, and .most interesting meeting was brought to • dose with the benediction.