The Water of Life, and Other SermonsKingsley, Charles
Religion
The Water of Life, and Other Sermons
Kingsley, Charles
Church of England -- Sermons; Sermons, English -- 19th century
I am certain of it, if only the ecclesiastical staff employed by this
Fund will keep steadfastly in mind what they have to do. True it is, and
happily true, that they can do nothing but good. If they confine
themselves to the celebration of public worship, to teaching children, to
giving the consolations of religion to those with whom want and
wretchedness bring them in contact—all that will be gain, clear gain,
vast gain. But that, valuable, necessary as it is, will not be
sufficient to evoke a full response from the people of London.
But if they will, not leaving the other undone, do yet more; if they will
attempt the more difficult, but the equally necessary and more permanent
labour—that of attacking the disease of barbarism, not merely in its
symptoms, but in its very roots and its causes; if they will recognise
the fact, that with the disease there coexists a great deal of sturdy and
useful health; if they will have courage and address to face, not merely
the non-working, non-earning, and generally non-thinking hundreds, but
the working, earning, thinking thousands of each parish; in fact, the men
and women who make London what it is; if they will approach them with
charity, confidence, and respect; if they will remember that they are
justly jealous of that personal independence, that civil and religious
liberty, which is theirs by law and right; if they will conduct
themselves, not as lords over God’s heritage, but as examples to the
flock; if they will treat that flock, not as their subjects, but as their
friends, their fellow-workers, their fellow-counsellors—often their
advisers; if they will remember that ‘Give and take, live and let live,’
are no mere worldly maxims, but necessary, though difficult Christian
duties; then, I believe, they will after awhile receive an answer to
their call such as they dare not as yet expect; such an answer as our
forefathers gave to the clergy of the early Middle Age, when they showed
them that the kingdom of God was the messenger of civilization, of
humanity, of justice and peace, of strength and well-being in this world,
as well as in the next. The clergy would find in the men and women of
London not merely disciples, but helpers. They would meet, not with
fanatical excitement, not even with enthusiasm, not even with much
outward devotion; but with co-operation, hearty and practical though slow
and quiet—co-operation all the more valuable, in every possible sense,
because it will be free and voluntary; and the Bishop of London’s Fund
would receive more and more assistance, not merely of heads and hands,
but of money when money was needed, from the inhabitants of the very
poorest and most heathen districts, as they began to feel that they were
giving their money towards a common blessing, and became proud to pay
their share towards an organization which would belong to them, and to
their children after them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account