Year: 1878

WHAT THE CENTURIES HAVE WROUGHT-SERMON


BY THE REV. Mr.. HEPwoRTH.


.Is Christianity Failure 70 was the subject of Mr.
Hepworths discourse in the Church of the Disciples
yesterday morning His text was Ecclesiastes, vii,
i0-Say not thou. What is the cause that the former
days better than these for thou dost not in
quire wisely concerning this


Brethren" said Mr.. Hepworth. II am more and


more impressed by the fact that the theory of politics
and religion that is based on the statement that
the world continually becomes worse is
very slender and insincere foundation. In politics
1t indicates infdelity to the laws of progress; in
religion it indicates infdelity TO the omnpotence OF
God. If it be truc that the Church is like rover
rowing against the tide making no headway but. on
the contrary, being carried against his will down the
current and becomes at last so discouraged that he
lays his down and takes his fate whatever 1t may
be; if it be true that all on board ship which
has been scutted by austere and unseen forces and
no matter how hard labor in destroying the work
of the adversary conscious that are aboring
unsuccessfuly, may well conclude to die
Thousand miles from land attempt to reach the
shore. The heart sickens at such thought; our
faith in God is almost lost. II. on the other nand
Christianity is divine it Is sufficient Tor All the
means of rue progress II every sermon @ tnat s ut
fear disspate doubt if every decd that is in
spred and done under some inspiration from on high
really tends to make the world stronger ana give more
vigorous help TO mankind and to encourage them,
then we work and work ever, since we are per-
mitted TO hope and to hope ever. God has de-
cared that He will be the conqueror and He has gra-
cously permitted to take part in the victory DO
You ask me for the proof OF this There Is no part
OF the earth that show this to be true There
is not soul the globe that is not conscious OF
higher hope to-day than it was yesterday Every cen
tury adds to the number OF helps for the promoton
of physical and moral good.


A SURVEY FROM ALPS.


Mr. Hepworth then asked his hearers to go with him
In Imagination and take their place the loftiest
peak of the Alps and from that proud eminence over
look the countries of Europe They were TO look at
them not only they to be seen at present, but
to allow their imaginations to take backward
glance. In the fourth century Russia was peopled by
tribes of Tartars; they were savage warriors, ana
knew no domestic ties, for state of war did not
allow that There were no cities but only warrior
camp. The soil was not cultivated, neither were the
hearts and minds Of the people Germany was one
huge, impenetrable forest; the people were saw
aces barbarians as brutal as the wild beasts of
the Jungle. England covered with the stones of
Druidical worship and the people We're supersutlous
and cruel with knowledge of the higher duties OF
morality and intelligent hope concerning the mys
teres of the future life. America was wild waste,
the dreamland Of the poet the fairy land Of the states
man. Now, Russia is so powerful that Europe trern-
bes at its power and within few years millions OF
its slaves have been emancipaed and from the Black
north the Greek Church holds its sway That church
might not be the satisfaction of all Christians.
but it was infinitely preferable to paganism that
bowed down TO wood and stone. The German forests
had been cut down and in their places towns and
cities had been built and great had been the change
that to-day Germany spoke for the world. The
highest civilization of Great Britain drank at the
fountain Of German thought. France was no longer
the football of the Roman Emperor. Christianity was
taught on every hillside and in all the cities of the
land.


ENGLAND AND AMERICA


England, no longer robbed by the Saxon or the
Eorseman had political organization that demanded
the respect and the admiration of the civilized world
an organization that was founded the basis of
larger franchise increased freedom to every sub
feet OF the sovereign power. In America. our own
loved land the glorious experiment had been tried
of allowing educated to govern them
selves. Up to the present moment the expert
ment had been to a large degree eminently
successful. II might be said in reply to all this that
1t had taken ], 800 years TO accomplish il. But the
answer TO that that IL had only taken 800 years
10 accomplish it, If so much had been accomplished
In 80 short a time what might not be accomplished
in the future. We to remember that 200 years
were but day in the reckoning of God, and all
this had been accomplished in few OF these days


Mr. Hepworth then took glance at the various
nations and pointed out what great and beneficial
change had been brought about in their daily life. In
the progress of time mems laws had become more re-
fined, and justice and goodness was more prevalent
to-day than they had been since Christ stood on
Calvary. Literature had also been cleansed by
growing spirit of Christianity.


cHRIsrs RETURN.


After referring to the growth of Christian brother
hood Throughout the nations the preacher closed with
denunciaton of a Bible reading and Bible interprc-
tafion that confined itself 10 the books of Daniel and
Ezekiel and caused the readers time TO be employed
In arithmetca calculations 10 when the Son OF Man
was coming for a second time upon the earth. He
urged the necessity of living prepared that when-
ever Christ each and all might be ready 70 re-
ceive Him. For work of this character the Sermon
on the Mount and its obligations were amply sufh-
cent 10 occupy the attention of all Christians.