Year: 1870

Sermon by Professor Whittlesey, OF Howard


Universlty-The Mystery of Growth in M


ture and Religion.


WASHINGTON, August IA, 1870.


Professor E. whittlesey, Of the Howard University.
filed the pulpit to-day at the First Congregational
church, corner OF and Tenth streets He took his
text from Mark iv., 2a-2S-the parable or the
seed growing secretly-and spoke upon the mystery
Of growth In nature and religion. He said:-The
facts OF vegetation are familiar. We are SO
accustomed to the process that 1t Is not
regarded as wonderful, but as matter
OF course that the earth should produce herbs and
transyield seeds after their kind. We also know
some Of the conditions OF vegetable life We know
that seed and proper soil and right mode OF cul
tivatlon are necessary. AS science continues her
marches we shall learn more of these facts and con-
ditions but beyond all this lies sphere which man
cannot penetrate. In every flower leaf lies hid-a
secret which science Is unable 10 reveal. The most
learned can only tell US what the operations
Of nature are, without explaining WHY they are.
The seed springeth and growetn up, they know not
how. SO 1t ls says the Great Teacher with spiritual
lie. 1t shows Itself in the changes wrought upon
men and upon society, making the cruel humane,
the dssOlute virtuous, the prOfane reverent.
people who fifty years ago were barbarans are now,
through the influence OF religion civilized and re-
hned We need not go abroad for proofs that


THE PREVALENCE OF RELIGION


spreads new c0orlng over the face OF society, as
after rain the springlng grass changes the brown
hIhS " A'iuB ereeu. we also KNOW more OF tne
conditions on lch the grow Of religion dep ends
Truth is necessary; spiritual life and absolute lZflO
rance or COD and His will as impossible as corn
without seed; but piety often ffourshes among the
unlearned. True, but those who called
unlearned often have knowledge OF divine truth
which philosophers have not acquired Another re-
qulsite rational mind TO the truth-a mind
unpreJudlced, anxious to know the truth and willing
10 obey IT, third condition OF spiritual life Is the
supernatural influence Of the holy Spirit, without
which truth Will not germinate in the SOUL Beyond
these lacts and known conditions there is still a
mystery which We cannot fathom, Who can fully
explain the process by which lad man becomes
good, or tell the precise order OF phenO-
mena9 Somehow by the combined ction OF
tnc mlnq and the spirit "a new life begins in the
soul, ana Dy the same means II continues to grow
lntO per1ectl0n Some OF The practical lessons which
the parable teaches are:-FIrst, humility. We esome-
modern science, which has made such rapid strides
that some imagine


THE WHOLE UNIVERSE WITHIN THEIR GRASP,
ana pronounce unreal what they do not COM
mystery beyond human comprehension. Why,
tnen, should religion be pronounced ianatical?
because IL contains things hard TO comprehend
IL Detter becomes finite mind to accept as true
are not to wait IN ldIeness for the growth OF religion
without careful culture we shall witness no good
results our WORK Is to learn the truth and TO make
1t known to others. Third, lesson Of patience and
suit with God. The winter wheat is buried
IN snow, yet Its vitality remains. Our laDOrS
Ior mankind are not lost, though they may seem for
time TO effect nothing missionary in China
t0iea nIteen years before he gathered any harvest
we may desire and look for quick returns, but
we must not be impatient. Every earnest effort will
help toward the great result, when earth shall be
filled with righteousness and heaven with Joy. He
that g0eth forth carefully bearing precious seed,
shall doubtless come again with rejoicing bearing
his SheaVeS with him.