" THE WORLD IS A VAPOR; ONLY THE VISION IS REAL; NAUGHT CAN STAND AGAINST HELL, SAVE THE WINGED IDEAL 11

11 THE WINGED IDEAL"

PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO KNOW DEPLORE THE ENDING OF A SERMON WITH A POETIC QUOTATION. CALL IT "A WEASEL TECHNIQUE". WHAT THEY HAVE TQ SAY ABOUT STARTING A SERMON WITH A VERSE OF POETRY IS NOT KNOWN. PERHAPS THIS IS THE UNPARDONABLE SIN IN PREACHING. BUT WHO CARES? .

BUT HERE IS A VERSE - A QUATRAIN. HAUNTING! NO IDEA WHO WROTE THEM. BUT THEY SERVE AS A TEXT FOR TODAY. AND THE TITLE IS FROM LAST LINE.

IDEALISM AND TRUTH ALREADY BEGINNING TO SIGH AND TO SAY, "ALL THIS IDEALISM AND IMPRACTICALITY! DOESN'T THIS

PREACHER KNOW WE LIVE IN A VERY PRACTICAL WORLD? WE CALL A 'SPADE A SPADE'. LET'S BE REALISTIC AND GET DOWN TO BRASS TACKS". AND I'M ALL FOR BEING REALISTIC IF THAT INCLUDES GETTING DOWN TO TRUTH OF THINGS, OF MAKING SURE OF OUR FUNDAMENTALS AND DEFINING OUR GOALS.

YOU SAY "LET'S HAVE THE FACTS. NOBODY GOING TO FOOL US WITH ALL THIS IDEALISM STUFF. A LOT OF MERE IMAGINATIONtt. IMAGINATION IS NEVER "MERE". IMAGINATION IS THE FAIRY GIFT OF GOD TO CHILDREN WHEREBY AN OLD CHAIR BECOMES AN EXPRESS TRAIN AND THE DAVENPORT BECOMES THE DECK OF A BATTLESHIP. LIKEWISE AN OLD DRESS OF MOTHER'S BECOMES THE GOWN OF A QUEEN AND A DARK CORNER SOME ROBBER'S CAVE.

IDEALISM AND IMAGINATION ARE GOD-GIVEN. THEY CAN BE UTILIZED FOR SPIRITUAL ENDS. THEY BECOME THE DOORWAY OF FAITH. THEY HAVE BUILT C'ITIES AND CONQUERED KINGDOMS. WHAT A SHAME WE GROW SO WISE, SO BUSY AND SO SOPHISTICATED, THAT WE LOSE OUR IN­SIGHT AND FAIL TO SEE "CLOUD-CAPPED TOWERS AND GORGEOUS PALACES". OUR MENTAL PICTURES TEND TO BE COME STEREOTYPED - FIXED LIKE CEMENT • THEN WE CALL THEM "CONCRETIONS OF THE MIND". WE SAY THEN "LET'S BE CONCRETE 11

- AND WE ARE • AND WE FORGET WORDS OF APOSTLE PAUL, "WE LOOK NOT AT THINGS WHIC!H ARE SEEN BOT AT THINGS WHICH ARE NOT SEEN; FOR THINGS

-2-WHICH ARE SEEN ARE TEMPORAL, BUT THINGS WHICH ARE NOT SEEN ARE ETERNAL". MEN LIVE NOT BY THE PRACTI-CALITIES OF LIFE BUT BY THE ETERNAL AND INVISIBLE THINGS OF LIFE. AND THAT REMINDS ONE OF THAT FINE VERSE IN HEBREWS - SPEAKING OF MOSES, uHE ENDURED AS SEEING HIM WHO IS INVISIBLE". REMINDS ONE OF A RATHER ATROC"IOUS PUN "A CHRISTIAN IS ONE WHO HAS INVISIBLE MEANS OF SUPPORT". EXACTLY! THE MAN WHO GOES THROUGH SOME HELL OF SUFFERING OR TEMPTATION AND SURVIVES WITH HIS FAITH INTACT, IS THE MAN WHO HAS A VISION AND A uWINGED IDEAL 11

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IDEALISM'S EFFECT ON AN MARGARET APPLEGARTH TALK INDIVIDUAL ABOUT WOMEN HAVING "FIN-

ISHED FACES". ARTIFICIAL AND HARD. A CHILD HAS AN

UNFINISHED FACE. SE& FLASHES OF SURPRISE UPON IT. GOES ON TO SAY THAT OUR INNER L:tVES ARE INSCRIBED UPON OUR FEATURES. THUS, A GREAT DESIRE, A WORTHY AMBITION, MOULDS EVEN THE FEATURES UNTIL AT LAST THEY CORRESPOND TO THE INNER DREAM - THE WINGED IDEAL.

THERE IS THAT STORY TOLD BY HAWTHORNE ENTIT­LED "THE GREAT STONE FACE". A LEGEND CURRENT IN WHITE MOUNTAINS THAT AT SOME FUTURE DATE A CHILD SHOULD BE BORN IN THE VICINITY OF THE "OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAINS tt, WHO WAS DESTINED TO BECOME THE NOB LEST PERSON OF HIS TIME, AND WHOSE COUNTENANCE IN MANHOOD, SHOULD BEAR AN EXACT RESEMBLANCE TO " STONE FACE". PROPHECY LONG UNFULFILLED. SOME SAID IT WAS JUST AN IDLE TALE HANDED DOWN FROM INDIAN TIMES.

ONE YOUTH WHOSE NAME WAS ERNEST WAS CAPTURED BY THE STORY. CHERISHED THE DESIRE THAT THE TALE AND PROPHECY MIGHT COME TRUE. WATCHED ALL HIS LIFE FOR SOMEONE WHO MIGHT RESEMBLE THE "GREAT STONE FACEl" BUT NONE CAME TO THE ~ULLAGE WHO BORE ANY RESEMBLANCE. NOT THE FAMOUS MILLIONAIRE, NOR THE GENERAL, NOR THE PRESIDENT-ELECT, NOR THE POET. HE CHERI SHED THE DREAM HOWEVER AND BECAME AN OLD MAN. WITH FAITH STILL VIVID, ONE EVENING HE IS SPEAKING TO THE ASSEMBLED VILLAGERS, GIVING THEM OF HEART AND MIND. AND HAWTHORNE TELLS HOW THE PROPHECY IS FULFILLED IN ERNEST •

CAME ACROSS A REVEALING VERSE OTHER DAY. IT EMPHASISES THE TRUTH OF HAWTHORNE IN A REMARKABLE

-3-WAY. HOSEA 9:10 "WHEN THEY CAME TO BAAL-PEOR THEY DEVOTED THEMSELVES TO .BAAL THE INFAMOUS, AND BEC AS LOATHSOME AS THE THIN'G THEY LOVED". THEY WOR-SHIPED BAAL THE GOD OF FERTILITY AND DEGRADED THEM SELVES. TREY BECAME LIKE BAAL. HOW TRUE! BECOME LIKE THE GODS WE WORSHIP • WE BECOME LIKE THING WE LOVE. IF WE LOVE THE LOATHSOME THEN WE BECOME LIKE THAT. IF WE LOVE AND CHERISH AND I:OEALIZE HIGHEST, THEN WE BECOME LIKE THAT. WHAT GETS OUR ATTENTION, GETS US.

THE GREATEST IDEAL AND WHAT IS TRUE OF THE INDIV-OF ALL !DUAL IS ALSO TRUE OF A NAT-

ION. WE SHALL BECOME LIKE THE GODS WE WORSHIP • GOLD, POWER,

MARS, VENUS, OR MAMMON - OR GOD THE FATHER. AS CHRISTMAS APPROACHES WE ARE REMINDED OF THE

WINGED IDEAL - THE DREAM OF ISRAEL. IT WAS A GREU DREAM. THEY DREAMED OF A COMING REDEEMER WHO WOULD SAVE ISRAEL AND THE WORLD FROM SUFFERING AND SIN. THAT LONGING WAS EXPRESSED BY THE PROPHETS - "HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED WONDERFUL, COUNSELOR, MIGHTY GOD, EVERLASTING FATHER, PRINCE OF PEACE. AND THE GOVERNMENT SHALL. BE UPON HIS SHOULDER 11

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WHAT A DREAM! IN EVERY GENERATION MEN SCANNED HORIZON TO DISCERN HIS COMING. WAS SAID THAT EVERY MOTHER IN JUDEA HAD A DIGNITY NOT SHARED BY WOMEN OF OTHER NATIONS - A DIGNITY RESTING ON THE HOPE THAT SHE, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, MIGHT BECOME MOTHER OF THE PROMISED ONE, THE MESSIAH. AND, OUT OF THAT DREAM, DREAMED BY A NATION FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS, THERE CAME AT LAST THE PERFECT FULFILMENT IN THE PERSON OF JESUS. BORN IN A MANGER AT BETHLEHEM.

AND JESUS, IN HIS TURN,. HAD A WINGED IDEAL -A DREAM; AN AUDACIOUS DREAM; AN ASTOUNDING DREAM. FOR THAT DREAM HE DIED ON A CROSS. HE DREAMED OF A KINGDOM- A KINGDOM OF GOODWILL, PEACE AND LOVE. HE CALLED IT "THE KINGDOM OF GOD". HE BEGAN HIS SERMON ON THE MOUNT WITH THESE WORDS, ''BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT, THE HUMBLE, FOR THEIRS IS THE KING­OOM". AND HE ENDED THAT SERMON WITH THE WORDS "AND SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM AND ALL OTHER THINGS SHALL BE ADDEJ) UNTO YOU". WE UTTER HIS DREAM VvHEN WE SAY HIS PRAYER, "THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS DONE IN HEAVEN".

AS I WAS WRI'I'ING THESE WORDS I BECAME AWARE

-4-0F A MAGNIFICENT AND HAUNTING TUNE GOING THROUGH MY MIND. THEN I BECAME AWARE THAT IN THE NEXT ROOM SOMEONE WAS PLAYING THE PIANO. AND I RECOGNIZED THE PIECE - FROM HANDEL'S GLORIOUS ORATORIO "THE MESSIAH". AND I FURTHER RECOGNISED THE PART OF THAT ORATORIO. IT WAS THE "HALLELUJAH CHORUS". AND I FOUND MYSELF REPEATING THE WORDS TO THE MUSIC -"THE KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD SHALL BECOME THE KING­DOM OF OUR GOD, AND OF HIS CHRIST; AND HE SHALL REIGN FOR EVER AND FOR EVER. KING OF KINGS AND LORD OP' LORDS".

AGAINST THAT DREAM THE DREAM OF FINE SOULS DOWN THROUGH THE AGES, hTHE WORLD - MATERIAL AND TEMPORAL THINGS, THE WORLD IS A VAPOR. ONLY THE {THAT) VISION IS REAL. NAUGHT CAN STAND AGAINST HELL, SAVE THE {THAT) WINGED IDEAL".

"HIS WORDS HAD POWER BECAUSE THEY ACCORDED WITH HIS THOUGHTS; AND HIS THOUGHTS HAD REALITY AND DEPTH BECAUSE THEY HARMONIZED WITH THE LIFE HE HAD ALWAYS LIVED. HIS EYES GLISTENING WITH TEARS ,

. THE POET GAZED REVERENTIALLY AT THE VENERABLE MAN. AT A DISTANCE, BUT DISTINCTLY TO BE SEEN, HIGH UP IN THE GOLDEN LIGHT OF THE SETTING SUN, APPEARED THE GREAT STONE FACE, WITH HOARY MISTS AROUND IT, LIKE THE WHITE HAIRS AROUND THE BROW OF ERNEST. AT THAT MOMENT, IN SYMPATHY WITH A THOUGHT WHICH HE WAS ABOUT TO UTTER, THE FACE OF ENRNEST ASSUMED A GRANDEUR OF EXPRESSION, SO IMBUED WITH BENEVOLENCE, THAT THE POET, BY AN IRRESISTIBLE IMPULSE, THREW HIS ARMS ALOFT, AND SHOUTED,- 'BEHOLD! BEHOLD! ERNEST IS HIMSELF THE LIKENESS OF THE GREAT STONE FACE!' THEN ALL THE PEOPLE LOOKED, AND SAW WHAT THE DEEP-SIGHTED POET SAID WAS TRUE. THE PROPHECY WAS FtJLFILLED. 11

"Stir Unto ~lame'' Stir me! oh stir me, Lord, I care not how, But stir my heart in passion for the world! Stir me to give, to go-hut most to pra}1, Stir ' til the blood-red banner be unfurled O'er lands that still in heathen dar/mess lie, Lands where the cmss was never lifted high.

Stir me! oh stir me, Lord, 'til all my heart Is filled with strong compassion for these souls, 1Til that compelling "must" drives me to pray, 'Til Thy constraining love reach to the poles, Far north and south, in buming deep desire, 'Til east and west are caught in love's great fire.

Stir me! oh stir me, Lo1·d, 'til pra}1er is pain-' Til prayer is joy-' til prayer turns into praise! Stir me, ' til heart and will and mind-yea all Is wholly Thine to use through all the days. Stir, 'til I learn to pray exceedingly, Stir,' till learn to wait expectantly.

Stir me! oh stir me, Lord. Thy heart was stirred By love's intensest fi,-e, 'ti l Thou didst give Thine only Son, Thy best beloved One, E'en to the dreadful cross, that I might live. Stir me to give myself so back to Thee

O A. P. H. Uflo• ltt US. II. No.412J

That Thou canst give Th)1Self again, through me.

Stir me! oh stir me, Lord, for I can see The final glorious triumph day to break! The dawn aheady gilds the eastern sky, Oh Church of Christ, arise! awake, awake! Oh stir us Lord, as heralds of that day. For night is past-our King is on His way!

AUTHOR UNKNOWN

FREMONT STREET METHODIST CHURCH Gloversville, New York Fred Clarke - Minister

Dorothy E. Mellick Minister of Music

Grace L. Gifford Church Secretary

Lewis Cunning - Sexton

ORGAN PRELUDE Ave Maria Bach-Gounod CALL TO WORSHIP - By the minister HYMN 85 Hail, to the Lord's Annointed INVOCATION AND LORD'S PRAYER

* RESPONSIVE READING GLORIA PATRI APOSTLES' CREED

*

50th Sunday - page 618

SCRIPTURE LESSON John 1:1-18 PRAYER FOR THOSE IN THE ARMED FORCES

0 Lord of Hosts, grant to those who have gone forth to fight our battle by land, sea, or air, Thy protection in danger, patience in suffering and moderation in victory.

Look with compassion on the sick, the wounded, and the captives. Sanctify to them their trials, and turn their hearts unto Thee. We beseech Thee to comfort and bless the dying; have mercy upon the widow and fatherless, and give the assurance of Thy presence to all who mourn.

And, 0 God, who makest wars to cease in all the earth, restore to us the blessings of peace; and grant that our present trouble may be overruled to Thy honor and glory; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

* ANTHEM God of Heaven, Hear Our Singing Sykes PASTORAL PRAYER ORGAN OFFERTORY Andantino Bohm. PRESENTATION OF OFFERING ANTHEM I Walked Today Where Jesus Walked O'Hara

HYMN 111 Fairest Lord Jesus SERMON · "THE WINGED IDEA.L11

HYMN 119 Brightest and Best of the sons of the morning BENEDICTION AND DOXOLOGY ORGAN POSTLUDE Toccata Boellmann

The altar flowers are given by the Laurel Band -o-

10:30

10:30 11:00 11:00 11:45 6:00 8:00 7:00

DECE~ffiER 10, 1944 - CALENDAR FOR TODAY

Morning Worship. Sermon; "The Winged Ideal". Anthems by the Chorus and Junior High Choirs. Church-time Nursery; Miss Ruth Foster in charge. Primary Church; Mrs. J. G. Thompson in charge. Junior Church; Mrs. Earle J. Fonda in charge. Church School with classes for all age groups. Youth Fellowship; leader, Richard Brooks. Student Council meeting at the church. The Union Evening Service will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church. Preacher, Rev. Schuyler Jenkins of St. John's Episcopal Church, Cohoes, New York.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS TODAY

MONDAY 10:30 Mohawk Valley Methodist Ministers' Association meets at the Fremont Church. 3:45 Junior Choir rehearsal. 6:00 Council of Churches dinner and meeting at the First Presbyterian Church. 6:30 Girl Scouts' Christmas Party. 7:00 Boy Scouts - Troop 7. 8:00 Mrs. Kennedy's class will meet at the home of Lorraine Leavitt, 184 First Avenue.

TUESDAY 6:30 Laurel Band .Christmas Dinner at church. 3:45 Junior High Choir rehearsal. 8:00 Muddle Class will meet at the home of Mrs. George Griffis, 10 North Judson Street. 8:00 Anna Mosher Class will meet with Mrs. Manley Williams, 7 East Boulevard.

WEDNESDAY 2:45 Weekday School of Religion. Special Christmns program. Parents invited. 6:30 Supper for Committee of a Hundred with CRUSADE FOR CHRIST reports. 8:30 Official Board meeting.

THURSDAY 6:30 Winning Six Class meets with Mrs. Willis Loucks, 277 West Fulton. Bring table service. 6:30 Ber€an Class covered dish supper at hom~ of ~ws. Blanche Fritcher, 28 North Street. 6:30 Venner Class oyster supper at the church. 6:30 Epworth Workers covered dish at church.

FRIDAY 7:00 Werner Workers Christmas Dinner at churoh. -o-