Page:A semi-centenary discourse.djvu/17

 to perform, and in that work there must be progress. Righteousness through it must be established, truth maintained, justice advocated, mercy pleaded; love, free, full, universal love to all, among all, contended for, with a zeal and fervor and sincerity that should know no abatement; to this end every available means must be used, every effort made; hearts and heads and hands of men must be enlisted to work out the redemption of the world; sin of every kind, cast, or color must be destroyed; against them all the church must fight, though it be against principalities and powers or spiritual wickedness in high places; every instrumentality must be seized upon to carry forward the interesting work of Christianity, civilization, redemption, reformation—revolution if need be; sin must be slain. The church must do its part, and do it well; discouragements and opposition should be no barriers, we must go forward, it is God's command. A body of godly working Christians is a sight which angels can contemplate with delight, and which God himself approves. The church must move on; from what we see it must move on, there is no encamping here, amid this battle-field of life. Men and nations and communities are heeding the command and moving forward: science is holding up its magic lamp, and by its light athwart the pathway of men and nations does she throw a broad glare to guide them in their onward course, and along its brilliant pointings is the world moving forward. The church must not lag behind lest she be pushed aside, to be passed by unnoticed and unhonored; it must go forward towards perfection in every good work; it must increase in efficiency, to benefit the world; it must be diligent and active in the pursuit of every enterprise which claims its attention and care; its efforts abroad, like its efforts at home, must