Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 236, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 October 1913 — Short Sermons POR A Sunday Half-Hour [ARTICLE]

Short Sermons POR A Sunday Half-Hour

Theme: EXPERIENCE. * + + + BY REV. DR. JUNIUS B. REM-EN-SNYDER. 4* 4 4 Text—Knowing that patience worketh experience.—Rom., v., 4. * * * This Is the great defect of youth—that it discounts the patient schooling and preparation of discipline, and would rush unguardedly upon' the the stage and into the battle of life. But there is danger of placing extreme emphasis on experience. We must have theoretical knowledge; the mind must be furnished by reading and the understanding strengthened by reflection. Our srtongest and noblest Inspirations come from within. It is in our still inner life that are nourished those visions of sentiment and poetry that make life noble and beautiful This is the mistake we ofter hear in regard to religion. It is said that religion is wholly a matter of experience. But experience cannot give us facts. It is not a creative but a testing faculty. He who takes the conclusions of his experience for the word of God will remain in as deep darkness and hopelessness with respect to the blessed truths and hopes of religion as were the great pagan thinkers. On the other hand, however, the apostle is altogether Justified In insisting in the text upon the necessity of experience to religion. One may be the most orthodox of believers, the profoundest of theolgians and the the most regular of church members, but If be does not know religion by experience he “denies the power thereof,” and his profession Is but “sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal.” Religion first must be experienced in the heart. Our piety must be sincere. It must breathe within us the spirit of brotherly love. It must make us fear God. It must incite ub to hate wrong and meanness. It must make us broad minded and charitable. It ifiust create within us pure affections. It must stir us with high alms and noble ideals. In Bible language, It must make us "new creatures, created after God in true righteousness and holiness.” * But the supreme test of religion is that it be experienced in our lives. A man may have deep religious feeling, but if It does not prove Itself la action It is but emotionalism. Sentiment and prayers and tears do> but make a mockery of God and the Church If they do not isßue In right life. It is only when our religion masters our temptations, sweetens our ugly, tempers, overcomes our bad habits, oasts out our selfishness, moves us to do good to our neighbors, gives ns courage in danger sad faith and calm under the fire of affliction that it Is real. Then it has set to it the seal of experience, and then will it bring, th efavor of God and crown with an Immortal hope. The defect of too many professors Is the lack of this vital religious experience. Those who know them best doubt them most Those whose close contacts show Just what they really are have hard work to believe their piety genuine. If believers would only be more consistent In their lives and Illustrate their faith In their deeds, no argument would be needed to win the worldly to follow so gracious a guide as religion. Gibbon, In that famous chapter of his history where he seeks to account for the wondrous progress of the early Church, states that "the primitive Christian demonstrated his faith by his virtues’’ and "exercised himself In the habits of humility, meekness and patience.” The same Christian qualities will give more power to the Gospel today than all the learned arguments of theologians.