A SERMON.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 7222, 18 July 1884, Page 3

A SERMON.

We have much pier n-e in pnMish'ug the /all text of a sermon delivered on Sunday last at the Atheinoum by the Kev, James Pate cn of St. John’s Presbyterian Church) from Proverbs xiv., 34— “Itighteorsne-B exolteth a nation, bat sin 5 • a reproach to any people. The sermon is exceedingly apposite to the Urn wo are living in : . Kero in the test is the secret of a nation a greattiff.'H ; here, also, the cause of its weakness and decay. Many things, no doubt, i octribute to a nation's wealth and power ; but the one thing which makes a nation troly groat is righteousness. On other hand, many things operate in weakening a nation a strength, and in retard’ng its progress ; but that wh’ch directly tends to its corruption and decay is sin. This is the canker worm which gnaws at the root of national life, and causes it to decline and die. “Righteousness exalteth a nation ; but sin is a reproach to any people, 1 ’ From the text we have th"* two-fold proposition to illustrate 1. That righteousness reigning in a ration—pervading it j social and political life-—and distinguishing both its rulers and people, tends to exalt the nation in dignity, in • »wer, in true moral greatness 2. But that sin—prevailing in a nation, polluting the streams and fountains of it i individual and national life—is a reproach to the nation, and a source of its weakness and decay. These two propositions we proceed to enforce,

And let ua remember, at the outset, that what refers to a nation equally applies to individuals and families. It is aa true of them as of the nation, that righteousness exalts, and that fiin is a and a curse. A truly righteous man is exalted by his righteousness in dignity and moral worth ; he is exalted in thh esteem and confidence of his fellows ; he is exalted in his own self-respect; and, above all, bo is exalted in the favor and blessing of God. A righteous man is a man just and upright ; one who fears God, and who walks in the ways of righteousness and truth. This man is exalted in the respect of his fellow men j he is beloved and trusted \ ahd hfe has the approval of his own conscience, and the favor and fellowship of God. Righteousness crowns him with honor and dignity. But sin is a reproach to a man. It is the cause of his shame and misery. Sin, unsubdued in the heart, unrestrained in the life, is the cause of a man's greatest unhappiness. Nothing else can make him really miserable. He may bo unfortunate in bis career, he may suffer all manner of adversity, but if be bafre the conscioUmess of having acted righteously, of having always tried to do what ia just and right before God and man, he will not be inwardly unhappy ; in the consciousness of bis integrity be will have an unfailing source of strength and support. But if he he conscious of wrong-doing hia sin will bo a reproach and a curse to him and the cause of his greatest misery. Well may we pray with the Psalmist, “ Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,” Further, let ua remark that we understand righteousness to be hero descriptive of the entire moral life of an individual or of & nation, It is Christian virtue combined with Christian piety. We do not believe in morality without religion, nor do we believe in religion without morality. The one is essential to the othe’*, and the two must be blend'd into one. Christian faith must show itself in Christian practice. The one is the root> the other the fruit of the Christian life. I T hteousoeLi is practical godUncci ; it impli i truthfulness honesty, justice, and humanity. This in the righteousn i which exr I *-- a nation. The sin which ft reproach to tiny people, h not only individual sio, but rat'onr.l sin ; the sin which Is prevalent in the natio’, and which pollutes the national life. Have we ro such s’ * reproaching us a people ?A*s ! w » can say we have not ?

la nob intemperance a national sin which is a reproach to any people ? Is it not a curse to any people ? JNow, I do not say that the sin o£ intemperance is more prevalent here than elsewhere ; I do not know that it is even so prevalent as in :ome other countries and I do not think it is so prevalent here ai it was some years ago. All my observation and. experience lead me to thehappy conclusion that, as a national vice amorgst us, iulempe-r *ce is greatly on the decrer-e. A change, vastly for the better, *- coming over the habit.? of society* As an ordinary beverage} and as an expression of ho'jiitallty in respectable society, drink is far le a used than it w: *, wont to be. It is far lets used in the ordinary intercourse of social life. Even where it was formerly used, but in a very moderate degree, and with* out any abuse of it, now it is altogether discontinued, People find they can do without it ; it is not essential to the heartiest social enjoyment. They find that it was a needless expense ; and that it wr.i a source of great temptation and danger, erpecially to the young ; and therefore they have altogether discarded it from their table. And one cannot but be gratified to see so many of the younger generation growing up in the dread and the dislike of it. Sure I am that no parent will ever regret, but will rather be thankful, that his children grow up abstainers from their and continue so through life. It will keep them free from many a tempta* tiou and safe from many a danger. Many are thus growing up trained to it in our Bands of Hop© and other kindred institutions, which deserve the countenance and encouragement of all Christian people. But while there are these indications that the vice of intemperance and the habits and customs which lead up to it are on the decrease, one cannot but see with deep regret that it is still a too-prevalont evil. The statistics of crime, the records of our police courts, the crowded state of our gaols and asylums all too clearly point to the prevalence of this vice. Trace out the history of those criminals in the gaols, or of those poor afflicted ones in the asylum, or of those degraded and unhappy ones in the home or reformatory, and you will find that, in the great majority of case*, drink is, either directly or indirectly, the cause of their being there. The united testimony of judge's, and magistrates, and ministers, and city missionaries will fufly bear out this opinion. Yes, friends, drink is still a curse in this land j it is still a reproach to us as a people; Bet us seek* in every way we can, to counteract this evil; to discourage and put an end to that which produces it; and so to wipe out the reproach of this national sin. (2) covetousness, and a too eager hastening to be rich, and the inevitable accompaniments of this, to wit, gross extravagance, luxury, and self-indulgence: these, too frequently, are a sin and a reproach to a people. And to some extent, at least, wo have suffered from that reproach in this colony. A few years ago a commercial crisis occurred which wrought disaster in the community, which brought ruin to many, which paralyzed trade, and caused a heavy commercial depression from which tho colony has not yet fairly recovered. Now, what were the causes which led up to that crisis, and which have continued this depression ? Some of these causes lay outside of us. Commercial failures and disasters at Home affected us hero in the colony. But there were ako causes at work among ourselves. There was over speculation, over trading, a hastening to bo rich, leading many to leave the paths of honest industry and legitimate trade, and to launch out into reckless adventure till business became with them a species of gambling, which resulted in failure and ruin, not only to f he designing and the guilty, but, in many ca?"s, ako to the Innocent. And with this over speculation and overtrading there was tvlso in many quarters a gross extravagance in the style of living. The old simple social habits of the colony were departed from, and ru^r' - . expensive and luxurious habits were d. Where, in earlier days, friend' were wont to meet in homely ways, and to enj*»y one another a homely hospitality, now nothing would satisfy but the most costly and sumptuous entertainments. And this recklessness and extravagance was carried 1 from private life into public life, and from public life reacted again ou private life. Public men advocated gigantic schemes for the rapid development of the wealth and resources of the country ; gigantic loans were negotiated, and millions were spent with lavish band. The day of reckoning came, and the colony found itself ou the verge of bankruptcy. And our public men awoke to the necessity of pursuing some so.fer course of economy and retrenchment. But the evils generated by such a reckless system cannot be counteracted in a day ; they are too deep and widespread. As recently stated, and very truly, by the Premier, when setting forth the causes of the present depression, there had been reckless extravagance in every department of life, and too many living beyond their means. Indeed, the colony as a wholo was living beyond its means.

Now, this is wrong. It is wrong in prin* ciple, and it is evil in its results. It becomes a national sin—a aio which is a reproach to any people. Far better that wo should be known as a people dictiiutuishod for honest industry and simplicity of life, and selfrestraint, and wise and economical administration of all our affairs, than that we should be noted for our grand schemes and speculations, and f«r our luxury and extravagance. Let us, eich in our own spheie, seek to promote these virtues, ami so to put away that sin which is a reproach to any people. Let us seek to carry the truth and rtotitnde, and selfdenial of Christianity, into every department of social, commercial, and public life. 3. Ignorance and irreligion are a reproach to any people. I do nut say that these are specially a reproach to ns. Ignorance certuinly is not a prevalent vice in the colony. Ear from it. Education—sound and good—is brought within the reach of all classes in the community ; the humblest and poorest, as well as the highest and richest. Is this an evil ? Is it an evil that the children of the poorest are well educated equally with the children of the wealthiest ? And that by their education they ara qualified to occupy any position

; a life to which their talent ami steadiness and persevering industry may raise them ! Can education in itself ever be a bad thing to any one, whether rich or poor ; to any indmdua,, or to any people ? No ; it is and altogether a good thing. One of the bes- things any individual or any people can cossets. P suredly one of the best tilings for any country Is that its people should bo well educated. One of the grandest Unrigs in the history of our native Scotland is the high estimate ever put on 'ducation, and the means rnd facilities provided through the parish schools fur all classes sharing that blessing. What is the result ? That in every part of the world, and in every community where talent Snd intelligence and skilled labor are rctpiired, you find. Jcotc-imen taking the lead. What has ever bsen the noblest ambition in a humble and industrious Scottish home 1 That the children of the family should receive the very best education that could be obtained* and .that at least one of them should receive special advantages, so that he might acquire the higher learning, and rise to some position of honor and usefulness in the Church or .State. How many a one sprung from humble parentage —aye, how many a poor widow’s sou—have we found iu the class rooms of the university, and afterwards in the most honorable positions of pub* lie life. 111 would it become any of us who have come from educated Scotland to undervalue the blessings of a sound and good edu* cation for all classes of the community. But, it is sometimes said, we spend too much ou education jit is too costly. It may be so, but we spend it on a good thing. Material interests aro no doubt important ; roads and bridges, and railways and harbor improvements and land reclamations are no doubt necessary for the progress of the country j and we spend millions upon them. But alter all these are simply material interests ; they produce wealth, and, as we say, open up the country and lead to settlement. But education tends to the culture and improvement of the people themselves. It tends to elevate them in the scale of being j to develop what is best and noblest in them ; to make them more intelligent and thoughtful j and to give them the means of enjoyment and advancement which the uneducated can never possess, I have said that irreligion is a reproach to auj people. And is it not 1 To be without the fear of God, without the checks and restraints of religion, without its purifying and ennobling influence, without its hopes and consolations, without its faith in things unseen and eternal, this surely ia a reproach to any people. And how much there is of this arouud ua. How much infidelity j how much utter ungodliness ; how much practical atheism I Surely this ia a sin and reproach to any people ! To deny or to ignore the God who made us ; to refuse or to neglect tbo worship and homage due to Him ; to profane the divine institutions he has appointed ; to treat with indifference or contempt the glorious revelation of Himself in the Gospel, and the unspeakable gift of His love in His own well-belovod Son j to trifle with our own spiritual being and our immortal destiny—this, surely, la both a sin and a reproach to us. And what does this want of religious faith lead to 1 Where it prevails it leads to a low moral ton© iu the community. It leads to laxity of moral principles ; it often lead* to social impurity and degradation of life. True religion in its simplicity and sincerity ia the salt which preserves society from utter corruption : take that away and society would soon become rotten to the core. Oh I let us seek to preserve amongst us the true salt of society, earnest living faith, pure spiritual religion, consistent Christian piety j and let us see to it that “the salt fetaina its saltneas," —that religion retains its reality and power 1 IX. We have spoken of the sin which is a reproach to any people, let us now speak of the righteousness which exalcetb a nation. Here, as we haVa said, in the secret of a nation’s true greatness ; here the mainspring of its advancement. Friends 1 the air is rife at present with manifold theories and policies for the progress and prospei.ty of the colony. Various modes of taxation, various schemes for opening up and settling the land, various plans for adjusting thepublicDurdena, various methods for increasing or retrenching the public revenue. All good, doubtless, in their way j but how little attention is given to the real moral and social evils which exist amongst us j how these evils are to be remedied ; how those moral powers and agencies which alone can ro* generate society are to be increased, and how most effectually that righteousness cun bo promoted which alone exalteth a nation.

Righteousness—what ia it ? It is earnest religious faith ;it is practical godliness. No nation ever becomes great in an unbelieving age. The sceptical or scoffing spirit never exalts a people ; it never develops the best and noblest virtues. The grandest principle of humanity ia religious faith—faith in the unseen and fhe eternal—faith in the Divine Father and His infinite love to His children. This lies at the basis of all true greatness of character, whether in the individual or tho nation. It is an essential clement in that righteousness which exalteth a nation, 1. Combined with earnest religious faith ia a pure, sound, healthy morality. Justice, rectitude, truthfulness, purity, sincerity, self-denial, selfsacrifice—these are elements in true greatness of national character ; these are essential elements in that righteousness which exalteth a nation. Now, this righteousness should pervade every department of national life. It should pervade the Government of the country,It should be a righteous Government —that is the main thing. The particular form of government, or the political party in power, is but a secondary consideration. The main consideration is, what are the principles on which the Government is founded and administered—are they principles of truth and justice, and liberty ? And what is the character of those who administer the government ; are they men of honest, upright character, and of the patriotic spirit, free from sordid ambition, and from partisanship, and from all self-seeking ? Men who hwe at heart the highest good of their country, and who will be guided in thei** administration by the principles of truth and justice 1 Here is the righteousness which exalteth a nation, 2. righteousness should also pervade the commercial life of the country. Wo know that trade and commerce can bo carried on on righteous principle's and they ought to be, and they can be, and often are carried on on unrighteous principles*. If men in their commercial transactions try to over-reach each other; if they arc grasping, and selfish, and unscrupulous ; if they are dishonest and untruthful iu their dealings, such conduct, rtuch dealings tend to make commercial life utterly rotten. Far be such evils from ua as a community. Let our trade and commerce increase, and let righteousness be stamped upon them—that righteousness which exalteth a nation I 3. Yes, and let righteousness pervade our whole social life. Let onr soci d life be pure and truthful, just and upright, humane and generous. It is of the first importance that our whole colonial life should rest on a sound basis of righteousness and truth. And if this is to be the character of our social life it must begin in the family life. Here must bo the root of the matter. Family* life gives its character to social life. Lot our homen be homes of purity, of fidelity, of sobriety, of love and piety. Then shall wo have that “ righteousness which exalteth *a nation,’ 1 and tho best safeguards against those “sins which aro a reproach to any people.” Amen I