Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, August 21, 1876, Page 2

'THIS CHICAGU TKIBUNE: MONDAY, AUGUST 21, 1876, THE PULPIT. Qod's Providence in the Hanford Murder-—-Sermon by tho Rev. John Atkinson, fhe Expulsion of fhe Dible from (he Schools--Views of (he Rev, James Maclaughtan, Fhe Rev. John Williamson on the Moral Influences of Games : and Pastimes. Dedication of the Roman Catholic Church of the Annuncin- tion. Tho Disoiples of Christ Regard Preach- ers as an Excrescence on the Church, PROVIDENCE IN MURDER. BEIMON IY TR KEV, JONN ATKINSON, Tho Rev. John Atklnson, pastor of Grace M, E. Church, corner of LnSaile and White streets, preached yesterday morning upon “The Provl- dence of God In Murder.” i text wass 'Phe King's heart la fn the hand of the Lord, as the rlvers of water, 1lo turneth it whithersoover Ue will.—Proverbs, axi., 1. He sald the remarks ho wWas nbort to make had been ealled for by an fngnify directed to bim last Monday by TrE TRiBUNE,—a question of very great importance—onowhich notmerely agitated the mind of the individus! who pro- pounded it, but one which had risen In the miuds of many persons during the time of fear which had prevalled in the community for the last two weeks: What had God to do with murder? Could murder in any case be re- rded s a dlspensation of Divine Providence! Vas it one of the cvents which was to be reek- oned ont of the category of Providential dis- vensations, and recognized as a thing which ol had nothing to do with, and whien, there- fure, they wero to_ regard as in nowise within the sphere of His administration? Or wero they to regard an event 8o direful in Its nature and vonsequences 08 within the clrelo ot un overrul- fng Providence, so that in the midst of the trouble that came from such a catastrophe they conld cast themeelyes atitl upon the Almighty Ruler and sny, It Is the Lord; let me do as seemeth good In 11ls slght"'t He !mrpuwd vindieating tho wnys of God to man, in 50 far as related to the present nspect of the question in this community, lad God anything to do with a deed so wicked and atro- cious, ahd an event so calamltousi There was either u God who took cognlzance of evervthing, who governud all things, controlled all events, or elge thore was not. Nene were 8o practically athelstic as to dony the proposition that thero was w divine, overruling power ln the universe. All accepted that without question, There was n possibility, however, of men recelving o thing s a mutter of fact or of falth, and yet not al- Towing it to have any practical (nflitence upon thelr thought or Jife. They might accept the doctrine — us a matter of cducatlan, und yet o fath ypractiee us If tuere were no God at all, 8uch men, while they wight apparently be orthodox, practically exr?\nh‘u God froin ‘the world and from thy splicre of their thought. 1115 licurers were not such, They revogmized a God living and gov- erning—n Uod whose eye was never closed—a Uod who never slumbered or slept—na God who earrounded Himeeli with all the affalrs of the universe, whether they be great or small, This wus fundumental in ‘the consfderation of tho question. Gud, ns the overrullng power, yuled cvery- thing, or else thera were some things which He aid not rule. God governed all. 108 rule was absolutely universal and complete, or eles it was partial and fncomplete, ‘That was to say, there were some events that God governed according to this hypothesis, and there might be some other things that Ile did not goveri and control, 1f that be 60, they had only an {ncomplete, par- s, and unsatlsfactory Providence. This coulil aot be. God cither controlled everything, or He controlled nothing, If there was such o i ne Providence at all, it was universal—an H-compassing Providence. It Uod ruled vome things and nut others, how were we to distin- pulsh between those things which appencd ac- cording to s will and plau, and tbe things which "He had nothing to do with? Onu was left fn doubt, lu darkness, In confusion, by this, e could not go to (tod in the midst of his disnsterand say, *Oh God, Thou rulest aud eovernest, Thou carest for everything; and Thou dost control all events and all mens and, therefore, I cast myself on Thee fu the mldntn( this disaster, knowlng that It Las Imiw\mncd in accordance with Tl:]y plan and Thy will." It neght be asked, ** But fusuch acaso you make (jod the author of sin!” By no means, "I'his secemed to have been the dificulty with the person who mkiressed the Inquiry to “him; and ]L wus the difliculty In the minds’ of muititudea of others. It wus hlaspbemnous for a moment to hold ffod respofisible for the inlquity of o wicked man, ¢ God cannot be tempted” with wvily neither tum‘;uum Ile any man to evil.” When men sinued, they sinned wholly on thefr own responsibllity, God aever introduced sin into the world, and God was not respousible for auy sln that ever hl'lj)rlcnl:l\ in tho world. Uod hud no plewsare in the deeda of the sinner, nor in his character. All that was sinful was ap- parent to Him; He was cternally ot war with all evll, snd never countennnced ity nor instizat- ed, nor upheld it. Notwithstanding, wicked men did exist, uud God permlitted thum to ex- fst. Mo could wipo them all out with one stroke of His hand in an fustant. The reuson there were wicked men on earth was not becsuse God wmade then wlcked, but beea they belng wicked by thelr own choice, God pernittisd then to live, wnd to curry out thelr wicked purposes aml designs, Would it be usked, Do you not theu come Into direct antagoniam with” the ldea of God's rnrlly und goouness { If He permits evil to be 0 the worla, does it not reflect on s Huudnms and the purity of Hia administration ¥ By no mieaus, Bome peoplo had troubled themsolves very much ubout the origin of evil, and had eald, S0 God 8 a belug of intlnlte gooduess, Ho cor- taluly wever “would have dreated a befng that - could sin, and thuy en- tail upon himeelf and upon uthers so’ much intsery,'t It o conld not create such u one, He could not crente anybody else. God per- mitted for goud purpuses the race to exist, even wicked aa (¢ 135 and ke thought this fuct reltected the beneficents of the divine character, The great purpose for which the wicked existed was @ remedid purpose, If God Qid not - tend tosaye men, he belleved Heo would sewd them to their doom at onee, The great deslgn was to restore them to purity, and Giod was cantinually exercising such fufiuences and bring- Ing to henr such forces upon the wicked va to Tewd thent to repentunce and cause them to aliawelon thede evil ways, tiud controlled the Wicked man, Ho did not sxist outside of His government, He did not ke His bity 50 to speak, fromn his wouth, Gol beld Ll dn his ruge and desperation fn s hand. lie wus under His government aid sublect to Ills eoutrol, and could not absolve Wimself from tho uuthority and power of his waker, Clting the ease of” Daulel fn the Hou's den, he nsked, If Jud could control viclous uasts, could He not control viclous meni Ho d not care how bard o man's heart was, how wurderous ntizht be his dlsposition, God ruled acvertheless § und 1t was a truth they were aound to sccept, or discard the doctrine of un Allvompasaluge, sleepless diviue provideace that zoverned ull thinge, Could God prevent 8 man who had murder in Ats heart from committiug theerimel Certaluly. If He could de anything at all, he could thwart thedesigns of the murderer’s heart, If He could uot, they might ne well give up praylug at ouce, {t. would bo sheer folly to pay tu fie protected from the deslgnos of evil men, 1 God could not contrul the licart of & wurderer, God could have prevented Bulltivan from executing his fell, Justardly purpose, but did not do {t. God per- mitted il to b @ murderer. Must not God, then, fu sonie way have participated u the mur- der( Noatull,” God had mn.mu;f to do with the tman's evil purpose, It was fostigated by bis own evil thoushts, or by the devil,—the (roduct of Ws own mullcdousneas, 1t wis in teropdunee with the plan of ol that Alr, Han- Lord shouid die. Gud knew the cod Jubg betore, ihd adluwed 1L 10 come tu pass In_just that way o subserve His own purpose, and wisdom, and tuodnese, aud glory, T8 BIBLE IN THE 8CITOOLS, BERMON BY TUE BBV, JAMES MACLAUGHLAX, The Rev. dmnes Mavlsughlan, pastor of the Scuteh Presbyterlan Churcly, coruer of Wost dudamg und Baugamon strevts, presched the fol- luwing dlscourse yesterday forcnoon to a lurge Longrey: o ’.l'hu eutrance of thy words gives lght,—Pialma, 2 {E Whasa the Board of Kducativn expelled the., Bible from aur public schools many felt that the act was an insult to their feclings, The hook had long oceunled a placo on the teacher's desk, bad. been long used within the walls of achool, but all at once, without any instructions on that point from the soverelgn people, the Board threw the book out of doors ns an unfit tenant for n eeat In 2 seml- nary of learnfng. Angl what was the supremo wisdom that moved the Board to drive this old dweller out of its placel Because, for- sooth, the book [n the schaols was objectionn- ble to Cathiolics sud skeptics. And ao the day has come when the feelings of many Proteste ants must bo sacrificed and ignored ln delerence to the wishes of Catholies and skeptics, Now, i Catholics hind actunlly given their hearty support to our school system, i they lhad pat- ronized our schools and filled them with thelr children, then we might see somethlrig reasona- ble in the members of the Board removing what, might be objectionable to that cluss of Lhe com- muulty, But do 'Catholles commend our school szal.clnl By no means. The hicrarchy of that Church have condemued our system ot publle education, they have branded our scliools as defective and godioss Institutivng, they have erected schools of their own for the edueation of Catholle children; and In view of this, we ask, If schouls were godless with the Bible, will they be less godieas without it! It objections- ble'to Catholics with the Bible, how cau they be less objectionable without the Bijvlet The Board of Education s very short-sighted If it eannot sce what the Cathofies ar atming atin thelr objections to our schiovls, To Rowanize themn may appear to them sumewhat hopeless, but to change the educationul system of the land appears to themn possible. For this they are worklug, II they can miplish this, theo there will be sectartan education, and thef will get their ehare of the school funds, either this, or the free-school system will be abolished alto- gether, and then they will be free from schou) tax, In this matter the netion of the Board of Educatiou ls_upen to severs critiasm. They have offended niuny of the friends of free un- scctarian edueation (n a yain attempt to ]plenee its enemics. They huve allgwed the wedge tu eater which may be driven farther and farther until this nonle fustitution be split and shatter- ed, and ita nw)uu euts, [n thelr Joy, shout, * Suc- cuss, victory|? Hud the Beard, which should bo the honest guardians of var tree, unsectarian lnlnn of educntion~had they been rucd, a8 s supposed, Wwith uny outslde juflucnee to remove the Bible from the schools, thoy wmight lave said, We must be cau- tlous: the Bible ls not a sectarian book; it hos a kind of preseriptive title toits 'x!mu in the achoola; to eflect the change muy dlspiease the frlends of the system moro thun it will pledse thoae that are not fricnds; wo mwust be slow to move, and If the Biblogie removed at uil we be- Heve that It should he'che action of the pevple. Had the Board of Education taken that Impur- tial course, then we might bave had no murder connected with this question, and_no surmises about riogs and cliques in the School Board runuing matters fu sellish and scetavlan in- terests. But some may say, Had it not a kind of scc- tarlan louk to ask foman Catholle childron to read the Protestant translations of the Blble! Well, 1 would say to that, that I would not force tie children of Cathiolics or skeptivs to retmain {u schuol durlug the n‘udlulg of thie Dible if their rnrmlta objected, And with rezurd to the truns- ation used, that diltheulty might have been solved by an arrangement to huve our English verslon und the Douay teanslation used by the Cutlholes read on alternate days or alternate weeks, This done, of course, withvut note ur comiuent, But certainly tohuvo the Bible hurled wul altogethier tn an attempt tu please one see- tion of the comtnunity at the riek of offending anutlicr section no less the patrous aud (riends of our school system appears one-shled, sad o high-handed excrcise of privilege vu the part of the Board, ?n act po glaringly partial cannot Dt forfeit all claims to conildencs {n thoss who ure manuging school matters; and, while I say thly, [ do so in no offensive spirit to any one. I looklng at this combined vpposition to the Bible in the echools, how strange Lhe coalition of Torces In this crusade ugainst the Buok! Catho- 1ics und skeptics! Extremos will meet, Here (n the ariny divisin of skeptics we huve men who call themselves ratlonalists, who will believe nothing that the five scuses dow't prove; and bere fo the army division of Catholles we bave men who belleve what the five seuses disprove. They belisve that o lozenge, at the magle word of a robed priest, becomes a mun with body and Dones; and still more, that this “lozouge becomes the great God, who mude all things; still more, that this lozenge, now both 8 man and a God, they swallow down thelr throats, body, bones, and boundlesa divinity, We have heard of mogicians swallowing swords and all sorts of things, but thelr tricks ure nothing to this, The luman stomach recelves un entlre mun, yea, disten:ly sufticiently to coutaln that Befug whose e cnee flllg immensity, Ratlonalists lnugh ut . this as stupendois credullty, aml Catholis curse rationalists for not Uelleving ull tius ¢ transubstuntintion; aud still “these two 50l wien, whose creeds are so far apart, unite in one grand crusude to expet the Blble from the atmosphere ot our free publie schools, Marvelous coshitfon! Asthese two partles have no sentlment fn common, the ultimato object of wach must b wide from each other as the poles, Catholles use skepties to destroy our fres un- scrturlan schools, and skeptics use Cutlolles to destroy all prospect. for the Biblc, Now, we nak Ratlonalists is this conlition with Cathollcs agninst the Bible consistent and nly( Ratlonulists are the professed adyo- cates of free thought, freo speech, free oplnlon, Rationatists are the professed ecuemlcs of a pricatiy tyranny thut enslaves the mind, fetters the Intellect with superstitions und fears, and commands & biiud obedivnce, Rationallsts are the prolessed friends of mental Hierty und free toleration. How, with these grand mottues on the banners of Rationallsm, Is it secmly and consistent in Ratioundists to furm u coulition with Catholles, whuse relizlous system lag roved tself Itolerant aod” vruel, and whoss attle-cry hus been snbmlsslon or elaughter] Iaft umnll{v in Ratlonnlists to wage war sgalust 2 boolc which fs the grand proclumation of men- tal freedom, tho great megna charta of human rigtal We ask Ratlonallsts to look back nnd sey what the Bible has dons in emunciputiog the hwmnan mind from u rellgious tenor and o stupeflying superstition” which the Catholic system hiad long lorded ovor {ts dllud- ed votariea, Let them Jouk back to the ftlu- ence of the Bible on western Europe 200 or 400 yeurs ugo, and thay will ses whetlier or nut It descrves to be treated as an unholy intruder und driven vut of our school sancturrics with & whip of corda, 1t is wheu a spring sun visits our Iatitudes that tho face of nature s cmanelpated from the iy bonduge of stern, sterilo winter, aud that tlis vital encrgy of secds and shruts, delds and foresty, starts (nto activity, 8o, when the Bible nruse fron its dusty tomi, and shed [te lizht on the darkuess of medhevat uges, then it was that the human mind wus cninciputed from it bondage, and started on the buld murch of ne- tivity ‘and progress, ‘Thut was a memorable day—tha last of October, 1517—on which Luther nailed his oluety-llve t)rnpuulllons on the doorof the old church of " Wittemberg, It was the denth knell to mental cdespotism; v the inauguration of u wew ern of dom and thoupht, From that tlme to this the humun miod has been - tonsely uetlye, wik'in discoverles, inventions, amd uchievements has displayed how preat und run ara its lnate powers, - Hud It not been or that old, duaty, Latin Bible, found i chufus by the minee’s won in Gernany, who will say thot those articles which exposed error uml started froe Im‘ulry would have been posted to publie view then” and theret lad the Bihle sull rematned In dust and ehains thy durkness of the dark u;;u- might bave been to-day brood- Ing over sleeping nations. Withall thelr hard spiceclies aguinst the Bible, I men were but to louk back they ualight see that very much of the present 1berty of thought and cxpresslon is dug 0 the book which they slander. Away back be yond thedawn of the Reformation hud skept! Csm end doubt ralsed thelr voles us they o now, what would bave bLeun the result Blind obedlence then wus the duty of the Kuuple. ‘The priests then wero wasters of the uman mindi it was thefr fpse dixit that molded oplnfons sud senthnents. To pre- st to differ fruin thetn was the worst of crimes, und entalled the worst of punislinent, Under the sway of u despatle and cnsluving system with which vationalism las leugued [tself agafnst the Bible, where wonld huve been the frecdom of thought, the liberty of expression which even skeptles now enjoy't Comiug under tho category of hereties, they would have fouud u heretle's doom. s It nut strange, In view of all this, to sce how the nodern advocates of free thought unite with the old enemies .of free thought fna cumnon erusade to drive out of sciools und seminuifes ol learning a book to which we wll so need! The Bible Is the great magun charta of the freedom und rights of mind und con- selence. 1t wss whea the old ducament was freed from ity coveriog dust and cuptive chatn that men dearued thetr fualicuuble birthrights, Tuught by §ts word, the loug-ensluved uruse, filr\lud ou thelr urmor, wsserted und achleved ine ependence of thought and consclence. True, sune of the early Heformers and Proteatants were sluw iu learatug the lesson of unlversal toluration, It wus burd for them tu forget al ut unce those precepts which zhu,y luad Tearued witnln the gloomy, grim walls of Popery which they lud left. Dut us men forgot the b tolerunt training of Rome, uud drew thelr in- spiration moure wud wmoere from tha Blble, the graud rglits of fee thuughl, rad speech, frce Was tree- .on tie blazing bontire Chureh dignitarles consclence, bLecame to be more and maore acknowledged and respeeted, But has old Rowme learned this lesson of Intolerationl No, yot even at thia our. She ls Ll the same old foe of clvil and religious liberty, She has just the same splrit, but uot the same power, as ol oli, and sliice this Is ko, we ask are not rational- fats the most {reatlonal of men in making com- mon cause with au old, uuchanging, Intolerant Chureh, and umting fn a crisade againat a book when atl outside that Church owe o0 much to that book for the frecdom and safety In which they can now express and Told thelr opinlonsi We reapect the man who llllcrrnl(V and lionestly sagat 1 bave examiued tho Bible, and I find dliflcultles which bar {t out from my acceptance; but with history open before mey 1 cautiot sec how the lYatrmu of frd@thought, the ndvoceates of elvil lberty and religlous toler. atlon, can with any reason unite with nn Intol- erant Popery lu preventing s book whose eman- cipation Irom duat and chalus was the death- kel to a long mental and spiritual despotism, 1t s an unseemly atliance, and {a feratlonul in rationallats, ‘I'lic entrancs of Gud’s Word bas glven light. When llmtf‘m!rlut and son of liberty, Gurl- baldi, was asked 1f ho wnunL‘nlhullcl Ms an- swer was significant. *I0" said e, to bo n fullower of the Pove I8 a Catholle, then 1 am no Catholie,” The free soul of that noble hero could submit to no such slavery as the rule of the T'ope. When ongaged fu that struggle whieh hurled a royal nud an ceclesinstical tyrant from his throne, and made Italy united and free, this wonderfnl man pald a lhigh compliment to the Bible. IHoldiug up the Look, he said, ‘This Is the cannon that will llberate Italy, Ho Kuew that the aword infght crush tyranny on the battle-tield, but he knew also that Bomething more than the sword was necessary to make and rrcscrvuu nutlon of frectien. This something, 1 hiis opinfon, was the Bible, and we lold that he was right. The Bible waa the best educator of mun I the principlea of buman rights. It corimands an Independence of thought that will call no mau tnaster. While It teachies an out- ward submission to clvil power and rule, it frees the mind from the sway of tyrants and pluces 4 under tho laws of the Almighty overelgn of fove and leht, whose service ls the purest liberty and the best life. The eutrance of God's Word aives light. We mizht uow ask, why should Catholics unite witl the professed foes of the Blble fu ex- fir.‘lllng the book from the echools! s the ible the divine charter of the Christlau re- Mxglon, amd if Catholics clufin, a3 they do, to be the true Cheistion Church, \Vll)‘ unwilling to ex- pose before their youth i sclivuls the charter siving exiatence to that Church? Socletles dun't e thele churters under bushiels, 10 an ol ns- suclutfon wanted to coneeal its charter from view, it would ralse ot once tho suse plefon either that Lhat old {nstrument was efective, or that the assoclation wus usurp- Iz sume privileges to which It had no legal right, Now, on which of thess grounds Is It that Catholies object to the cunrgrugntcd youth reading the BDible In schooll [8 IE leat these youtl gt be led todiscover that the Catholic Chureh wits yot fuithful to lhier divine clarters that she was usurping o power to which she lad 1o proper ttle, and carrylng on a traflic for which she had no divine'warrant? True it Is, that we tind the root of ull this upposition to the Bible In our free public achools,” The entrance of thut Word would give too much light to suit tho Interests and increaso of the Catholle Chureh, The young might see that mary ol the pretensfone and practices of that Church were witliout sulliclent wurrant. They might know too_much to remauln good aud trus Cathollcs, And hence it s that the old war contlnues, Still the Cutholle hlerarchy are agulust the Blble, because the Bible is azulnst them. But [t wny be safd that the Catholles have translated the Bible iuto the vernacular tongue, and read it In thelr own private schools, Yes, where teacliers can explain the janguage and put u gloss upon it to sult thelr own purpose, and where I nevessary they van inlx with it quotations from the fathers and from decrees of councils and from bulls of Popes to make up the duse that will suft. But when and whers have Catholies ever advocuted the publie use s free cirealation of the Bible? When Wick- lifTe, the morning star of the Reformatlon, zave the Bible to bis countrymen tn the well-Known rough garb of thelr owu veruacular Saxon, how diu the Romish hlumx'cll{ vivw his work? Did they give thefr approvall Nod they condemned the freo use of the book on the ground that It was the source of heresy, A Bible-reader then wis u hieretle, und the pussession of the Bible was o crime punisbable by denth ot the stake. In 1403 the Catholic clergy deerecd In conncll that no schoolmaster should mix religlous instruction with the tenching of youth, or permit the reading of the Serlptures ?n English; that all persons convicted of mak- Ing aud ualug translatlons of the Bible should bu punished us favorers of crror aud leresy. ‘Then, in the tilteenth century, the Catholies had the kmwcr, und the vernaculir Bible wus ban- Ished from schools and halls of learning I)( strengths now, in the nineteenth century, (& st be banished by strategy. When wo trace down the historle sire;un nearer our own tlines we ilud the Catholfe Church no less hostile to tie free use of the Bible, When the uewly-ln- veuted printing-press In Germany wad throwlig oil the puges of Tyndale’s trauslation of the New Testament for the use of the English peo- ple, the Cutholle hlerarchy, hearing of this, wus thrown into u terror which the myrival of o hostile urmy on Dritish soll could have searcely produced, Tu bar out the book they resurted tu proseription and cvil statutes drendful and penal, Laws torbade the {mpurtution of the buok; vesaels wers scarclied for the contrabuud artlele, mrents were sent to the Continent to buy up all the coples,~not to spread them, but Lo consumo then,—and nx:]— (e with us much delight as If the flumes were n great religious festival; and not only nwulnst thie bouk Itself, but vlso awainst the owners and rouders of the book, the hostlllty of the Roman hierarchy was fulminated, Soine were fined, sume whipped, somo linprisoncd, and somne wery burued at the stake, for presuming to possess and cireulate the proseribed bouk. Cutholle rulers huve not the power tu do these things now, but what they cannot effect now by strength they whil try and effect hgutmtug g Ano why all'this hostility to the Biblel Just because the entrance of that book gives light, tou mueh H%lu, for tho interests of un_cceles!- asticlsm which buy lldm'rcd the place of primi- tive npostulic Chrlstiunit! But some may say tl this langungo Is too Btrong, too severs on Catholles; the Catholle Chuirch has chunged tluce those dark days of In- tolerance, flames, and blood. Well, T veply, if the Catholle Church 1a not now what she once was, It she has thrown off that haughty mien and proud luok which she onco had, if ‘she has ubandoned her pretensions to dowinjon over the humon consclence, 10 she has renounced atl clalms to be the sols altnoner to man of grace and mercy and the bliss of Heaven, If she s repented of that Intolorance and tyranny and eruelty which furmed the Inquisition, invented the rack, the fugot, the stake, und inearnndined with blood the early history of Reformed churches; if she hng done these, and Is now walking [n amended ways, then Jet her stand out before the world sud manfully say soj I whe lus cast off her old medleval garb and manpers, then et hier Joln the alsterhood * of | churehes, and with progress on her banner masch ouward to entiguten, elevato, and bless men, But, we uak, what the Rumun Cutholle Chureh changed i spiritt Let not the cltizens of this freu Ree publie deecive themselves, With that doetrlne of Iu[ullllvllll{ throwlng its nureole around the head of the holy pontif, how can thoe system chungo! ‘The head of thy Chureh jufallible, all the yentinents, suggestions, sets, sl measures of that head must ve right ln every age, nnd can never be Iu‘unummcd a8 Wrong., system with an dufallible head eannot be changed., it would be the renunclation of the d falllbility und the destruction of the whole eeeleslustical editice, Let not men fatter them- eelves that the old splrit of the Catholle v?'ucm 13 changed for the better, In the exputsfon of the Bible frum our achiools wo have an lnstance of the same unchanged llmlllltf’ the entrauce of which diffuses i understanding to the slmple, Hut s tny usk e, do I not think that there ure good men iy the Catholle Chureht I have no doubt of {t, whatever, There are men in that Chureh who would be no discredlt to thy ma ol {u- to that boolk, jght und glves membership and character of any church, men of lutegrity, truthfulness, and virtue. 1 would not suy of those tn that Church whiat sha arro- puntly saye of thuse outside of thut Church, that they'ean never rench heaven, It 1s of the principles of the Catholle system that we speak, and gome of thess principles we conshiler un- worthy of w pluce In o Christian ereed,and lead- Ing to'practices which deserve numoasured con- demuation, The sonl of that system 18 Intens Iy prowd und arbitary, it wmust rule or ruin, it {s futensely subtle and politle, and henes the neeeselty of belug on our guard ogalust its fne sllous wurklnfa. Dwelling so long on what [ had at first cons sldered but preliminaries Lo my subject, 1 have no spave left at this thue for presenting my vea- sons why the Bible should liaye un honorable place 1 our educational nstitutions. Thisinat- ter wa shull uttend to again, My only spolugy for {ntroducing this subject now’ls the late truw- edy which has brought the school questlon afresh before the public mind, 1f, by agitation, discusgsion, wud inquiry, we con arouso the Amer- fean people tu the necessity of reslsting the in- trigues of thosu who have ho leve for our frew unsectarian x?'xn,um of edueation, It wo can do auything in the way of getting goud siud trug men urpuiuml ou the School Board, men n s{lmp;s Ny with the system, men anfmated with the pure desice of scelug the youth tralued fn way us will muke them ood, honest, ln- nt, taw-honoring cltlcens, if we whythine of this, U wo cau Liclp furward & that will restora to our schools that Book which nerved the arma of the Pllgrim Fathers to la; the forndation of this natjon on the snow-clad rhores of New Eugland, then our work will hiave its tull roward. GAMES. LECTURS NY THR AV, JOUN WILLIAMSON, The Rev, John Willlamson delivered a lecture Inat evening at tho Wabash Avcnue Methodist Church, Without any preface {n the shaps of text, hie spoko as folluws: I am confuscd at the outsct to deine a Game, Tdonot mean tobe as precise, as popular, in my definition whose merlt or Insufllciency runs in this lne: a Game Is a deed In whose perforim- auce and memory people take hearty pleasure, Pleasuro may be present whers innocency I8 o vocancy. In the radinnt and propnetic future, virtuc may be the one condition of pleasure, but, as yet, such millental chance and fortune are not upot us. Siuncrs are ahlo to freely In- spire the Incense of sin. Human naturo is shrewd enough in its unfortunate and eriminal catate to Invent many congenlal amusements, The “Evil One’ ffeeds the sovinl Ufs of bis children upon a redundancy of the meat of doom. If Iam not greatly mistakon, Chrls- tians attend, and attemd worthily too, many kinds of devotfonal amuscments. In # very high and pure sense, the prayer-meeting s fu- tended in purt to amuse and entertain the soul, The conditions of dlversion are often all met In the sanetuary, or bending at the altar. Peopls chooso thelr amusements and games according to thelr tastes and natures. When the splrit ot the Redeemer gets control of our human cholee, we are not divested of all desire to Indulre In Eamies, but onr selectfons are chastened and our appreclations become rofined and esthetle. One catmot go very far umiss when his heart 8 right aud lmproving, while it the heart 18 wrong only oveaslonal deviations futo rectitude are pussible, Everything of life depends upon the heart, and this Chrlstlanity proposes to make pure, Everybody, then, fs disposed ut times to in- dulge In sport, but the purticular gapes by which this sistural propensity Is geatiled differ as do human art aud consclence. Wo must be very cautfous In our condemnation of certaln ganes, whily we engugo in others equally objee. tlunabie to tastea dilfering from our own,” It certaln sports ace eritainal, they are erhninal for reasons, The Chureh, I fear, loses much by tho fudlseriminato pronunclation againat all games fn which 1t s prone to fndulge. [incan, of couraa. the Chreh as a practical awd wnrklngi ordery and not as an ceclesiustieal direction wid Taw; for when the Church speaks dellbhoratoly ond” with determiniation it kuuws whereof ft atlirms. Every Individual inember should foyally bow to tho laws and counsel of his Chureli, he- cause the many are wiser and better than the few, The ganies to which tho Bible refers aro the juvenite, the manly, and the publie, These distinetions, tuo, run paratlel with the history of games, oW much the fifth verso of the elghth chapter of Zacharinh sounds like a de. scription of one of our Afericantowna or citl ¢+ And tha streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls pluying in the strests thereof,” The Juvenile games of that far-distant day were Just stich varied and rollleking sports ns “glve musie and varlety to our homes and atrects to-day, Children have a singulurly felfcltons and uni- form genlus for luventing games, The language of the munuments tells us that the chilaren of E'._r{pt thuabands of years ago played with dolls and rattles just ns our little péople do now. The games, too, 1n whichour youthtake present delight are often the most servile reproductions of the games of auclent tnd glurious Rome. The gane of ball Was u fayorite sport, both in Rume and Egypt. In the Blbie thoes o furm of amusewnent ereatly rellshed by children was the toying with birds,” Surcly no more beautiful and reflning sport is possible_than gentls and patient ganies with bieds, 1n Job, xli., 5, thers s u_reicreuce to this kind of juvenlte' play: SWilL thou play with him os with o bird(" Another form of “sport mmong tho Iebrew ¢hil- dren wus less harmless and Tnoffensive. They played ? marringes und funeralsy very much as our boys, just after the perfudienl infliction of a circus, play *clown," or #athlete,” or ** tum- Marriages and funerals, In that day, wero conditeted with o great display and nolse, exefting and bewlldering to the llvely faney of chlidhood. Christ alludes to this form of pla; In Matthew xL, 10: *But whercunto shall ken this ‘iennrulluni It 18 llke unto children, stting In the warkets and calling unto thelr fel- lows, and saying, we have piped unto you, and yu have not danced; we have mourned unto i'uu, and yo baye not lamented.” Indlvidually, am persuaded that the parent has no grayes problem bofore him thun this same problem of gumes sultuble for his chlldren. Unlesa you provide somothing excollent and Innocent” for thein, they may Invent sumetbing crude and fm- mornl,tur ret £ames from some sonres they will The judiclous parent will early prooceupy the ground, ns affection, consclence, and reason may tirge. You might as well try to rafsc u child without milk us without fun. There aro certain Ineyituble things that prudence and wisdum enrly learn to respect. The Savior has uot in “ull lis ministry of love nnd mere onereprool or condemmnation for lnnovent versfoh and sport. The Jews were not much given to gamces of any kind, beeause of thelr naturally grave charatter, and the depressing lulltenee ot their climate, which indined to re- press ull dispusition for the setive oxertion do- munded by the athlotle zames of Rume. The men seem to have relished conversation sud Joking us pastimes and sports congenlul to thelr zono and to the singular solemnlty of thelr characters and history. Jeremioh afludes to Joking asaJewish game. Jer, xv, 17: “1 sat not In the assumbly of mockers, nor re- julced; I sat aloue because of thy land.! Also fu Prav,y xxvh, 10: “Sols the mun that decelyeth his nelghbor, awd salth, *Am not I fusport?'” In Jerome's day, the ususl sport conslsted fn Ulting welghts, a8 a trlal and dis- cipline of strougth and endurance, This feat was llrat practiced in Egy[:l. Dice are menticned in'the Taltnud as probably introduced from Egypt, and the Jews, likewiso Imitating the sports ot their neighbors n other games, doubtiuss played ‘odd and even,” draughts, hoops, catching balls, ete. The Jews engaged In pul il gunes very raroly, aud with but wivderate Interest. Thelr great religlous featlvals furnished then with all'the einotional exhiluration and rapturs they needod,whilethe; sulted their gravity and condelentiousncss mugl betters The Romuns durlng theie supremucy in Judea attempted to supplant this natlonal pro- clivity of theJew. IHerod built s theatre and wplitheatre at Jerusalem, after the models of Rome. 11 mads provision for tho sane sporte aud lmmoralities, 11s bullt another ut Coosa- Tew, und o third at Berytus, In each of * thess bheathes tonples of sport there wuas colebrated o quinquennlal festival In honor of Cassur, with the usual con- teata In gywnastics, charlot races, music, and wild beusts, The Jows could not fezally ex- pustulate, for they wore dishunored vassals, but morally they looked ou with the despest mortl- fication and'aversion, This subject is nat wen- tloned In the Now Testwneut, which shows how little attention the Jews really gave it. Sowe lurelt;u Juwa, however, lmbibed a tuste und skill in theatrlenl repredentatious, Jueephus mens tlons onu Allturus, an actor of farces, who galned great favor with Nero, This incldent inuy not bo unsuggestive of un (mportant gans oralization, Men of Nero's woral grade are the Imtrum of theatries! representation and farcleal hutfounery, High-minded people cannot find any solld “gratification, or vven esthetic plees- uro, in thy comie, trogedie, furcleal stage, 16 s 0ot my purpose to protruct thers historie allus slons to any greut lengih, us [ dosire to refer to the history” of Individual games, when I shall huve occaslon to troat each” us a mornl ngency, pramotive of inuocent recrention or of dobasing moral decline, "These rofercuces show sulli- clentla’ that, from the earlicst tlmes, people have been prone to engage {u sports, Lifu hins nover seemed 80 grave, sud hnmun experlence has never besn so engrossed with enrs or dread, ns to wholly repress the spirit of play, Tome Itisatonce o plessure xnd & Budiess Lo see men, nnd woren, and chifldren {n luigh plee and murr{cmunuullum, wi they ull make hasto to Diden the tomnb wid enter” their eternul obliy. fon, Nuture hus mwie provision for humun sports i the construction of miou as unfinuls. Feople enjoy gamea not essentlaily unlike those rellstied by the colt, the lumb, the autclope, the horse, and the robla. Cuneerning ganus, wa may sppropriately gk for certain specitle bunctits, “Unless gamons can do ua detlnfts gomd, we muet not touch tho en- chantiient they offer. We can atford to be pe- lated ouly to those sgencics that beuelit us, Firat, xumnes must benefit us by chunging our minds, Not in the scense of inconslstency, but of variety. From the fact of our nutural Hmitation und littlencas, we aru unable to prue- tive u very whic rango of virtues at once. No matter haw goold we may become, wo caunot he otherwise than very finife sud very weak, Wo muy practice w few speclad vietues admirably, ‘I'hon, vur hearts may be clean of sin by th forglving grave of tod, wiils our minds and lives wro uncducated nthe fulliess of wpeclul virtucs, Quu luancunnot become yery proflelont fu several unlike trudgs or oceupatiois, und he cannot beeomy eminent for a multiplicity of virtud Not to be emlnent for uny spoctul vir- tuu does not Y.I“w us in antagonlsn to that vir- tue. Vo o gkilled with the plune aid the saw doea not dectale war upon tis ouvil and tho smithy, und to be an expert with the scalpel 13 vonsistent with admiratiun for Blackstont and Ureenteal, Mauy a man hos litegrity whosa benevolence he hus Ll neither tine nor money to cultivato aud ennuble. The vivtues, then, of guod men wo fow, restrivted, wnd full of rontine. Even In uniform well-doing, within a Timited and apeclal sphero, there {s uitimate and eventual weariness, Now, our games should be choscn to give our mninds rest and chiange when orpruued and embarrassed by the routine of 8 cady virtue, It 13 lnunan nature to et tred of uniformity, The divine e too, 1s olfended by uul- lnrmlty, ns the varloly in Nuture shows, Then our minds need change from the routine of stemly thought and work, Our worklng and our thinking nust by the same old thing over and over agaln and ngain, ‘Tho smith makea his horseshoes inthe uniform mold of his patlent and practical skill, and the shocwnker tinds human feut on one commaon footing” Thetallor nnt dressmaker must run {n a limited cirelo of fashion and caprice, while slster occupations ;{_romlnn no better variety and compensation, he teacter advances with his closscs to gradua- tlon, and then retraces his steps to marshal and induct avother elass, 1f he be an independent student and ceascless sclentific worker, he 1s soon out of hearing distance from hls unfor- tunate classes. The poct finds his ideals ox- hausted by the deain of one epic, and the palnter [mfl-a the golden eggs for the price of his {mmors ality. Ag{nln. games are needed to explore our ac- uaintances, 1lunan nature can be studled only when its disgulses are removed. Peopls do hnt often appear in public unmasked, Only a few are fit to bo seen just ns they ave. I fear wo do tot sce people just as they are in the hol sanctuary or bending at the communion-rail. When we are unprovoked and deliberate we arg singularly cautious and concealed, The renl character of men {4 often more admirable than the counterfeit they stmulate. I am not of the number who havelvst confldence in their fellow- men, Jesus loved human pature so well thas he died to redeem and save it, and mny we, too, not admire and congritulate the human gifta that drew from heaven the redeeming plan and from God an shidiug gracel It is unwise, {tnot crhinfual, to underrate the soul Jesus thought b “worth while to buy from gullt with Iis own prectous hlood. Amid the exeiting rivalries and devices of popular gumes, people forget thelr tustinctive and studied pnhw. The sentry, unchallenged, steeps tranquilly on his post, while the ahrewd uxpl‘z‘m:r alips nolaclesaly by Titn tato the hither- to unknown soul. There I3 o great denl of hu- muan aature fn genuing sport, - Upon the play- ground are some marked and unmistakable reve- Intions of human charaster, Muny n one sighs for appreciation, - If the chancu could unly come by whoze good fortne pv.-uylu could fiuil him out. Thechance will coine to any such one, the st time he becomes absorbed Ina game., Ex- citement [s 2 wonderful telltale. The resson why the real of character {s 8o apt to leak out upon the play-ground, s beeause at that thne people are 8o wrapt in their Ideals, Games, then, are the best introductions of mutual acs quulntances. Games, too, are adwmirable for tho Tostraint of temper and cheating, Now, we can 1ot refraln from auger unless we are provoked. Men gt moral power by lll:fl.‘(llhl?, not possible, but actual temptation. * It s well enough to be trled oceasionally, ‘There can be no full discl- plino in s uniformity of experfence. Trial ‘and triumplt must be mixed to_give to human cn- durance o sititabla test. “The best of games nre full uf temper-testing diacipline, Oh, huw ecach will provefe the other during the best-planned games! Thme spent in enduring worthy trinl cannot but be salutary. Competitions come as near belug intrlusically unprincipled as anything 1 know. This during the rivalry of any gamo you cannot fall to see and condemn, though hien your time come, you may be fast enongh to repeat It, Lut on the opposite side, If, however, you lose your tempor when the rl- valry scems unfair, the moralobject of the gameo 18 frustrated. ‘The best dlsposition to muke ot “ spuuk " I8 to swallow it. Never let ** kzrlt o sottle in your * flst " or your * tongue.” \When vt have consumed 8o nuch that there Is no onger uny rovm for an odditional morsel, pick “F your lot and wallc away, With the lnatinet ol temper {oxl may not hnve much todo, You may not, durlng “the whole game, be able to keep your chieck of one even color, and you may not be able always to keep the tecthof your consclentiousness from slizhtly ¢ gricting.”’ 1 these instincts arc only kept from urfi:mlz)ng In expression and resentinent, your spirit. nuy cn- Joy the festivity of tho body unharmed. ['wish young people would more ‘geneyally fuvite Je- aus to attend them to thelr gamies, ns their guurdian and thelr restraint, Games are also poud schools for teaching a) propriate lessons about cheating. It any ono Is ever tempted to cheat, {6 §a during tho exclting and micertaln contest of games, when each fs trying to “beat.” One 18 willlng usually to P“rv lmost any moral pricoe for the privilege of *heating,” “This slngulnr competition, too, lasts mennll thelr lives long, Famllles try to “heat " on _honses, or acres, or millinery, or dry goods, Men want to get foremost n Ehelr professions, their connections, thelr history; und, of course, ench woman_excels In beauty. winsomeness, and nery. I wm_not sure but this human propensity to beat ¥ Is, after all, Providentinl, and the source of all aggressiva Dumuan fospiration, Even in thelr funerals men greatly desire to ¢ beat”” 'The coflin must be costly, tho hcarse fusblonable, and the retinue {mposing. Human uature sticks to & man - to hls tast breath. In his games our youth gots Lis first chance to be honest. e must wlso win bero his first morul victorles. 1 think gnmes are not usually regarded with suflelent serfousness, We do noc think enoigh of obeying consclence when We aro cn*;’u ol in sport.” To cheat “cutely and * sly| 1a uften a chief element of skill in games, am of the oy;lnlml that muny times mankood morala are incurably debased by lessons of eheating, and deceft, und [i-temper, learned fn games during youth, Sport 18 too much neglucted by those who do not_engage in it. The moral forces concerned in gavies are rarcly stvdled by shrewd and diseriminating moralists, because they are esteemed trivial and unrellable, Men are ore what thelr youthful sports bave made them thun we lmagine. [ am z[lml to seu the Church interferlug to make moral the games of its youth. Again, 08 0 matter of fact, games are valunblo to gmive refreshment’ to vur wearled activities for rencwed exertions. Men who do nob work do not need much sport. Men who do not work, howover, usunily spsml a good share of thelr timo i u kind of amusctients Luzy men do not amount to enything in games, Tuey arc alwaya chosen last, and then only to suve thelr feelings, To Prof\t by punies W must in- dustriously “push? them.” As long us ten hours' lubor are dafly re«yllrufl to earn our morsal of food and stitch of ralment, wany a man und woinau must grow weary. ‘This dally and enforeed aervitude cunnot be chavged by any [nformatlon now ut our disposal. Games mity be admirably chosen with reterence to their lmwurmw(msh und exhilurate, Weariness is argely mental, Men {,u:n tired when thelr Work Jus been I one dlrection for o long gud unvarled time, I wish the hour of noon conld he made 120 minutes lun‘;. Then there could bo forty min- utas devoted to the meal, furty to serlous re- flection aud prayer, snd forty ‘to any innocent amo, § belfeva men would do more in ning hours thau in ten If thesaving could he used us I have suggested, I aw decldedly the friend and sdvoeate of an ndvanced clvilfzation, but It seems to me our niueteenth century stylo Is in too great o hurey, ‘The sugizestion of Jesus, 1 think, ought to bo respected: v Seek yo lraf the Kingdoin of God snd His righteonsuess, and wl of these things shall be added unto ou,” 1 know men aro wise and contldent, but e “Scrmon o the Mouut " s lurdly ovsoleto yet. God I8 surely wiser than meu, sud wmore determined, Tho'highest humun wisdom, as well ns diserotlon, mikes man most obedient to the (reat Father, 1lumnn strength, tuo, is not renewed merely by resting. The food we eat must bo sthnulated to readily snd liberally bo- come a part ol our vital structure by the whole- sume avd potent (nilwonee of dudy that for which the mind yearns must bo supplicd. Would you be caroful for the renewal of the bodyt "Chen our games should come regularly, and'not with uorelfablo and broken perlodieity, The Gernan crowds his * fun " and * frolle, ¥ all of it, nto tho Chrlstlun's huly Babbath, 1iis frreverent and unchusts musle (s'mixed dur- e twenty-funy lhours with his unlallowed “Jagar " and offensive *smoke,” aud all, with stubborn persirtency, ls chrlatencd ¢ Liberty®! and ** Amusement.” Gomes, ko ordinary food, cannot be indulged just once a week withont Lurting the appetite und digestion, Muny Rulnes, too, uro luwvlulent and abusive of the snfinal streugth aud endurance to be highly commended, while others do not provoke o ergy snough, The renewal of the bu«l!fi’ life by udequate mentul aud woral stimulation Is tiie end to be sought in all worthy games, Agaln, wo all need th bnprove our conceptions of nien. Our notuns of our fellow-uien are not ulways surprisiogly lofty and adequate, Wo want to got, In somo fecble manner ut least, the eatimato of mon Jesus possessed when ho vols unteered IHuiself for thelr ransom, 1£ I amn uot mistuken, the savlug notlons of men our Savior pu.unum[ 1o will by His graclous grace cone municaty (o ws, upon appropriate sulicitution, dusus ls meant for distribution to wen to meet thelr fininortul and prossut wants, Wo get uu- foctunuto fdeas of hutmanity when wo sve b whutly absorbed with busineds and materlulisin, Men Qo not luok their best when worn and de- Hied by thujcares und staing of busloess. We sua them respitlug for the uncasiucss or tarmofl of unothor busy duy. People look best when reluxvd and gatlsticd § they mutually unite ju festivity unil “aport.”! Une Feason why our philanthropy 18 so lamely organissd und s0 fntierently successful, fn bos cause W du not halfloveour bumsn kind, Men du not generally Luow the meanlug ofgdlstnter- ested afteetion. Every cnergutle wia fo fn busls sy, und buslness kiows of nothing dlainser- ested. Men cannot bo disinterestod” when ut work to eurn thelr Mylugs, Every vun who calls for any part of their time must be mndo to pay i sonia way, Dualness s not direetly philan- throple, and cannot be. (ames are, nt least In aplrit und tendency, nnselfish and humanitartun, eople do ot expect togrow rich out of * fun,” nor do they hope to got bread from the mer- chandise of aport, These gamesnre chases alter the kieal and Ymaginative. They are more spirit- unl than the gross materialism of husiness and gnln, Eyery game {8 n poein, and every genulne v n,mrl." 1s an interpreter of muale, Uames aro aready placo tolearn tirst and Inst- fug leasons of hounor, They ars conducted wholly upon ‘Vluulph:s of untversal concelt and concesslon, When “any ona {s determined to have his own way in any game, he [s speedily left .o play it alone, ‘There are no laws regu- Inting games to whose authority we must von- forin, "Thelr success and continuance depends wholly upon the virtue of compromise und honor. Now, honor cannot be learned out of & text-book by achild ors youth, The lesson tnust be prictical snd must be enforeed by a Mving teacher, To o child there [a a wuod deal of discipline In a game, Doys o tot allow cach other much latitude when they foln in compet- ing “aports.” The rules of iraines are obeyed bly boys, at least ns woll a8 statutes ave by men, Boya learn to become law-makers for men by the legislatlon they imposs upon their mutual “aports.” 1 think ganics are wonderfully pro- motive of justice, fluys‘ with astonishing pre- clalon, record thelr verdicts agatust crhninals by thelr law, aud seldom apologize or pardon, Fair dealfng,in gnmes wins soon fora boy an amazing populurity, aud it wins for an adult his come }muhnm«, perfect sympathy and respect, Justice s not g0 yaluablo as soul-disclpline, 12 (it bo compulsory and enforced. The justice learned and practiced In o game is_voluntary and - tual, Many timesto render o competitor our tributo of appreclation and eompliment for his superlor skill ana knowledge, s our hardest jus- tice to concede, “The sense of justice 18 hust edueated by rigorous competitors, Cmn(utl- tion, too, isn noble thing, if regulated. Men should be urged on by every Incentive. What- ever can push us away front our natural lnzi- neas should be embraced. Gatnes, too, are promotive of an increased flow of antmal spirits. Teaple who Indulgze in no “sports " are usually about half-deceased spirits, They suy the lmd{ 18 such an embar- russment and hindranco to the pure and etheral soul. The body was once thought to bu the homo of sin and Satan, Times have ehanged alnce thep, The hnd% s now at o premivm, Sin 18 quite apt to lurk in bad blood, nud Batan to hida In the dungerous caverns of o bad diges- tion. Healthy bodles have cliances ahead of decreplt and invalld ones. Grpssucss was once commonly ottributed to well-fed men and woimnen, This has beecome emphatieally the arn of *stenks,” und *salnds,” and *eauces.” An unhealthy person s everywhero reckoned an unfortunate. Where God would scloct a detall of ateady and valiant soldlors, he drawa those who catrenter tho campaign with stomuchs, red hlood, and muacle. Now, no one cau engage in any game wlr.)mntfcmmx the body interested, ond the bady, mind, and soul are not to be prac- tleally reckoned npart, Games require the cul- ture of the muscics, the brain, and the heart, ‘Tho museles must et the precision and endur- ance; tho braln, the judgment and varlety; and the heurt, the affectfon and forgiveness, Without muscular procision, gamnes are worth- Iess and soon abandoned; without bralns, dis- couragement and uniform discomtiture; and without heart, anger and diezrace. The flow and exuberance of unfmal splrits characteristle of games und sports are to me thelr most n- vitle and losting merits. Ihave my doubts coneerning the worth of an acqualntance based upou any devicy othor than the solld basis of aniingl sympathy. Intercst Is not a sufliclently urrllent bond to unite human tustes and pur- sults, Then, games aro needed to give to self and friends greater popnlarity, Ifany sensation to our lwmanlty fs thoroughly and sufllelently pleasant, It 18 the rapture that crowds the con- sclousness when we pet a first-class compliment. 1o must ha a stoild man fndeed who la eareless of his personal [mpulurlty‘ I think a man should be willing to make very preat personal sucrifives for the sake of pufiul.lmy. A few persons uppear to study how best to show to o disadvantage. They bave no popularity, In con- sgguonte, und so are sour and disappomted. It u%'hndv 1s much addicted to fault-ftnding he cannot bo popular, We vate agadnst the pop- ulagity of those who find fault with others, even thongh they may approve of us. Tho freatest single foc and antidote of popularity {3 fault- finding, Oh, how slck I often get of it. Fault- finding never cures an 1, but exaggerates aud compticates {t. Now, games, with singular adroitness and fe- 1lcity, get people down to one level, Social ris- tinctions are Inlnfcal to reciprocal popularity. Games abollsh these distinctions, and so provide mutual fumHiarlty and esteem. People caunot feel much mntual superlority, or inferlority, where they often touch cach “others hands, ot run at the signal of each others volees, Goines aro very demoeratic. Footlngs are slippery and {usecure to rich and poor, proud and huinble, wise aud simple, all alike.” Many a republican catastrophe must owunlurll;}:flmhcst reguluted games, These fncldents of common dunger make partielpants in games mutunlly symn- pathetie and cordlal, The only arfstocracy known to ganes is the aristocracy of skill, This is o Just ground of promotion. Thero 1s nulhln{.: artificial about” skill, und inodest skill fs always complimented ud Yupnlnr. The inora) influence of games {s very lmmedl- ate and very salutary, In that they give to lels- ure [unocent employient. Every one bas, at Jenst occnslonatly, some lefsure 10 apsnd ns In- dies do ‘' plu-money,” This leisure, by the ‘urumphln of unature, should be spent for * sporta,’? If the gumes are not ready and at- tractive, the suloon, the gamblinz-den, or thy bawdy-house, will often be chosen. To keep men from (lrinkmgrum, let o frce fountain of puro water bo opetied at every tman’s lips; 8o Lo reatraln men from the crimlnul investinent of thelr lelsure, let adeanate and entertaluing man- 1y ganies be abundantly provided. Lelsure Is at ones o boon and & scourgs to our race. Tho Church should approve of and applaud_certaln ames na heartily as it now condemns others, It s folly to think " of dcnu:{lng unless we are murl{ toconstruct. A falr critlelsm compli- ments more Lhan it condemns, Then a game should cultivate within us more of the apirit of Chrlst, our Master, If ourgumes turn our attentlon from our religlon and from ita duties, wo must inatantly abandon them. ‘The tendency of junocent sport fs not o sub- tract from our plety or our conaecrntion, Same games are Intrinatcatly demoralizing and disus- trous to virtue, and these should nover he lplny- od at any cost, Lf Jesus can be cousistently fi- vited to'accompany you to any game, and if s spirlt can be engazed to participato with you In any sport, you will not be baruied but beiefited by the diverslon.. Bee to it that you alwavs walk arm-in-arii with the Son of God, If Jesus would stop, or retiré [mperll not your soul by advaneing, Break not the mystic’ Hok unltme your soul and Chrlst's. Jesus must bo sml to ahandon you becauso you will not wanage your gawmes by Llis law, DEDICATED, THE ROMAN OATHONIU CIURCH OF THE AN- NUNCIATION, ' Yesterday morning tho new Churchi of the An- nuanclation, corner of Waubansia avenue and North Paulina street, was dedicated by the Rt.-Rev, Bishop Foloy, D. D. Father Thoinas J, Edwards is the Kindly pastor who presidea over this parish, which nutnberssvma 700 fami- MNes, o this good pricst & great deal of credit 13 duw, 1o hus been nine years luborfug fn the parish, When ho came there the comnunity was poor snd struggling, Being dovoted to the Catholts Church and having bis whole soul n the work, he sovu after his arrival had estub- laned upon the present site an unpretentious Traine structure, which was ueed for years us the Church of the Annunctation, ‘The Slsters of Churity of the Order of the Blessed Virgin afterward jolned forces with bim, and with thelr ald was established a paruchial school. It waa in a nelghborhood of paverty, and us the commuulty {ncreased so did Lheir reflgluul wants grow apace, Father Ed- wards set to work to obtuin money to bulld lurgurnml botter house of wurshlp, Ile con- tributed largely of his own tmeans, and It Is sald that at times he alumost denied himeelf the m‘:lud ueccssaries of life to ubtaln the cnd in view, Hlow Father Edwards has succeeded 18 best evinced by tho beautiful structure which now graces the uorthwost sectlon ot tha city. Tho building s of Frcuofl red brick, with lmeatone cappings and teimmings. The house {3 plain, artlatic, und imposiug lo it exterior, aud 15 105 by 75 fect, A tower rises to the heliht of 160 feel (n the centro of tho front, on top ot whichls a gilded cross, Two minor splres wdorn cithor slde. Tho edifico 13 Euwly Gothic fu design, The houss 18 lightod by six wullloued wiudows ou elther side, each ropro- sehting a salut, which are all glits, Bishop Foloy, Archbl nhn[ll Lyuch, and tho Bishop of 8t. Louls having each coutributed une, ‘The seating capuc- ity & sbout 1,100, weurly ail on tho maln #oor. ‘Tho orgun loft und gallery ure immedi- utely abuve thy eutrauco, ‘Tou seats ure mudy of ush xnd muple, trimmed with bluck-walut, The fresco work [njxlulu but elegant, the celling havlug been divided into blus panels, tastefully bordered und ornamented, ‘Tlie nafu altar [s i marvel of beauty, It was bullt by Valentlue Grumer and cost$2,00, It Js 35 Jeet 6 fuches i hehht aud 14 Jeet wide, {L bears the stutute of the Annunclation wnd the Giood Sleplierd, Two angels wlso adorn cltber sidg of the Blessed Virgi. The sltur is built of black-walnut with panels of butternut, o peculiarly pretty combination. It is pure Gothly und the peaks of Ly luWers are orliu- mented n gilt. Over thisaltar s q o blue panef tipon Which n;)pnrmn'llv",\'l'_’,:ll‘y ot angels aver whose heads ts @ lond of hung T lght. T the right of ‘the maln nltap iong shrlsio of 8t Joscpit aud to the lefu oy 5 I8 Bleased Vingin. Both uro gl the ne tasty, and yet plain and \m\\r‘m}n\ LI n tous, The = whole™ structure las _ vow e 0, which Is not quite all puld, but Father hopes to ralee the balance soon, aud e “hmh would not'abject to any fnanefal aid wf;mln iy onz 8o Inclined might feel able to give, any ‘The deddication caremonies were Prealded by the ‘Rt.-Rev. Blaop Foloy, De pe %t celobratod a solemn high minss.’ Thore 'yl voltnteer cholr present from the Jeauly ,:fi which furnlshed excelleut wuste, M”’ Foley was assisted by the n'"“ Edward Smith as celebrant; thy pov M. Lyous setod as dencon: e LSk T. B, Burger, Sub-deacon, and the Rey, qu i Danfel Reardon maater of ceremonies, T‘f' cholr was led by the Rev. Dr. MeMillan, pn“:; oly Name,' T, of the Cathedral of the Ilol e were alao present the Revs. John \\'nmn.m Johu IL Grogan, Mr. Dledeke, of the Paull Fatliers: Fathor MeStamis, Fathor 1y lih 0NWa, or Verdin, Fa l‘c{_fl, i d.’ :»m : » Fathor Gray, ¢ services not commence untf 11 v'clock, when the chant of the lv:lr-c?'::l:" was heard from the ontaido, concliding ) blessing of tho sacrifice, 'Fnthur E«I\mni‘ headed the line, followed by tho scolyieriy attendant leosts. Blahop Foley followlig n the reary Infull canonlcals and bearing the crozlgr, The L!tnny uf the Salnte wos then chapg) after which Bishop Lynch blessed tho chupeh Jo. sida and out, with boly water, [n order thyt Al evll spirits lurking thero mlghh ho exorelseg, The tapers on the altar were next lghted, atgy which "the proccssion of Catholie suhcuu m'i;lu‘]‘m %nr?uull, it bisbis isliop Foley preached a briet though serion, h:lllnjx!;l his audlence in L‘Ell x:gml:} gungo what theg ad to L‘x{cct from the Church, and what the "Catholle Chureh expected of them. He took his text from that portion of the Gospel used In tha dedlcation mass, the first ten verses of tho nineteenth chapter of 8, Luke. The serviees wero marked by g nn|£n|3nlly for whidh the Cotholie Chiry g noted. In connection with the parish therefs a py achinl school of 530 puplls in suceessful opers. o, in chnrge of ten Sisters of Charity of tyy Ordur of tho Blessed Virgin, *TIE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST, TUE AVERAGE PREACHER AN KXCHESCENCE oy TIHE TRUE CHURCIT The Disclples of Chrlst are a religlous orgapt. zatlon which meets on Sundsy afternoons s 230 West Randolph street. Like the dlsciplesof old, they gather togetlhier In an upper room, They are a a much sinller organization, how. over, than the original disciples, to judge from the number present at thelr mecting yesterday afternoon. Tha chlet dlsciple was n gentlemen who 18 getting on well fn life, to judge from nty turncd huir and beard. Ifs name s James Brammer. The next In fmportauce, but theone who uppeared to have tho most Biblieal leame ing, wos a younger man, with dark balr agd beard, dreased in & regulation sult of black, Iis name Is John Ring. His wifo et next to himn, while to lier left sat Mrs. Melvin MeKee,s middle-nged lady, who sald she had beena .diseiplo slueo she was 17 years old, Another lndy wns present, but, whilo sho acemed to bo n disciple, she did mot appear to helong to this parlicular fold. Sho deelined to gise nername. The room In which the disciples meet would be taken for the sitting-room fa Mr, Ring’s lousc. It was scantily furnishod with n gofn, severud chinirs, and o table, the lat- ter covered with a snowy-white cloth. A nap- kin fugpested the fden of communlon service, and whon, further on, it was removed, there were disclosed to view n plate with a soda cracks cronitand a amall goblet contnining what looked very much ke blackberry wine. Tl gervice was of the most primitive descriy tion. Mr. Ring led the singing and wazs_unaid el by any sort of musical lpstrument. Withaa unfortunate dlsroultlon to piteh the tunes some what too high, ho found his volce hreaking fa oue or two plices in the service, aud the gener ally weak elfect of the slugring was not {miprov: cd’by the modest efforts of Mr. Bremmer and the ludy who wouldn't give her name to sdl force and volue to the sound. But tho alng: ing was earncst, nevertheless, aud for this rea son it should not be critlelsed. After the singing of the first hymn, Mn Bremmer led in prayer, everybody kuecllng, After this, Mr, Bremmor read the sixth chapter of Romans, and followed it witha few words concerning the institution and purpoees of the sacrament, The disciples then partook of the cracker and tho wing, the ceremony of giviag thunks aud asking s hicsa(n;: on the clements being performed as usual, with the exception that each dlseiple stood while Mr, Bremmer re turned thanks. Another hymn was sung, and then Mr, Brem- mor, saying” that the Apostle’s fnjunction wss for disciples to teach and advise one another, started oft with the flrst verse fn the fourth chapter of Coloasians, cach dlsciple readlngs vorse until the whole chapter had thus been presented, . After this rending, the subject scomed to b nron, by cummon cotsont, for exposition aud dlscussion, Mr, Bretnmer announcing it na his conviction that tho chapter ontered into all the ramfiileations of Iife, defining, atnong other things, the dutfes of husbands and wives, chll- dren’ and parents, mnsiers and servants, The discussion which ensued turned upon the mean- fng of the word master,” and Mr. lllnanvn hiis Ldea of tlhe terms * tnuster,” ** servant,’ aud “uintster,” He sald o gomi many people o jected to belng called scrvants of Christ, but they wera really nothing clse if they were truo disélples. Chrlst had boueht them with ilis Blood, and they were veally and trul%ms sefe vants, und Christ was thelr Master, ‘Mr, Ring then took a atep further. e malntatued that there was no authority In the Bible for now call- ing peopls ministers, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, Thesgoxlsted once,but the Bibletaught that these things wers to last only untit the 4 gtatute of Christ had been compléted, and this, he sald, hul come to Enna In the comple- tion of Gud's revelations through His wonl The Disciples of Christ aceepted the Now Tes tanientj what waa not there they rejocted alto- other, Others buflt ineeting-houses and cmples, Tho diseiples denfed the right of un{ man to build o temple to worship God In. DNl not Steplien, the Hrst martyr, say that Gud dwelt not in temples mudu with handsd Mr. Branuner turned to the passugo referred o, 1n Acts, and read it for the sake of the be- lievers {n this doctrine thut thopeopluof UGulare not to worship Iim fu churches. 1o sald the old dispensation hud passed awny. There was 10 such thing now_as_ building a housv for God to divell in, for I dwelt lu 1)s peaple, who wero the spiritual temple, Ar. Ring safd the Campbellites bullt temples and gave It as an excuso that the diseiples wero tou pour st tirst to bulld liouses to worship Gi {u, but that, whan thoy were able 1o do 8o, the! had built them and worshiped in thom, Bu Mr. Ring had rgument to upsct this, ilo mmnrlmmly uskod: * Was God too poor ab thut thng to'provido bouses for His chlldren to worship Him ui" Mrs, McKeo aulid Qod could have bullt them temples it Io hud wanted to, since nothing was mposalbie with Ifm. Mr, Ring sald the Church was a mnfns)nflflfl of dead materfals, whils the temple of ol was o lvelystone, Solumon‘u'l‘umlplu ho consldere simply as a shadow of good things to come, Tae ludy who wouldn't glve Jier namy usk Mr, Ring what position he tuok in regard to the end of the world, the Judgmunt, wud other seciningly remote events, Mr, Riog ouswered by saylng that he took nono at all, aud thot fe only walted for the eumln[iot b Lord, The Savior hud already come, but He would come_agaln, not as a B vior, but as u Judge, to take vengeance. ‘The troublesome tluenlun as’ to just what waa meant in thu Bible by tho Airat and second resurrcctions soon came up, and Mr. Ring asked tho disciples what they understood sbout tho tirat resurrection, s, McKeo sald she supposed that thoso who got the firat call would riay first. Mr, Riog sald that the first resurrection meant converalun,—the new birthy—and made extent sive drafts on ure Lo bear out hls wiser tlon. This resurrcction took place on curth The other was thu resurrcction of tho bo«lfl when Christ should come to_judgmeut, Did not John say that * fle who had part in tho first reaurrection was passod from doath unto 1ife, uud should never cume to judgmentd” Mru, McKeo had & deslre to know what was 10 boeome ot backsliders,—those who wont back to their sins, 60 that thelr lust condition wab worse than the first, What was Mr, Ring going to do with them? Mr. Ring calmly replied that he had nothlng to do about it, J{o wus simply here to do Ll dluty 83 a diseiplo of Josus, and when ho had doyv that it was all ho could do, And 5o the study and discussion went o Mr. Ring expressed’it as his opinion thut the clorgy wero referred to In Jude, when that writer spake of some who should mako mer chundise of people. Every elergymun, he saldy expected to 1auko a lttlo protie out of Lis pov ple., They were, 83 o rule, hu-rbud(u-] [ would not labor with their hands for a livios In fuct, i ulmost every respect, it°seemed té Timn, they correspouded to those falsu teachors spukien Uf by Jude, 'l reporter did not stay to hear it oub