Title	Date	primary Bible citation	other Bible citations	other literature citations	themes	politicosocial referents	personal referents	Keywords	other WR dates	S
A Day’s Journey	7/21/1940	Luke 2: 41-52.			The Bible story is about Joseph and Mary taking for granted that Jesus was with them as they left Jerusalem to return to Nazareth. We should not take Jesus for granted ourselves.	Some of us took democracy for granted, or the concept of world brotherhood. The emergence of dictatorships and the beginnings of World War II show how mistaken we were.	Refers to his own family losing his 4-year-old brother while visiting in California. Also tells a story of getting temporarily lost in Wind Cave in the Black Hills of South Dakota, because of running ahead of the guide. Too much like our running ahead of Jesus without trying to find out what is his way.
Encouragement in the face of adversity	9/8/40	I Samuel 30: 1-19	Job 13:15.	Diary of a Polish nurse (Atlantic Monthly)	alcohol abuse; adversity as a challenge to overcome, and the help given by those who encourage people under adverse circumstances.	repeal of prohibition	student in physics story; need to be prodded	alcoholism; prohibition; adversity; encouragement.
Christ in the House	9/15/40	Mark 2: 1-12		“Reynold B. Bowden of Los Angeles” is given as the author of the sermon title.	Knowing one’s faults thoroughly and facing up to them, then asking and receiving forgiveness, as the surest way to health	Having Christ present in the workplace as well as in the home, as a way to a better society, indeed the Kingdom of God on earth	a favorite character from his youth; “Uncle Captain” had married his great-aunt; told civil war stories, drove a fancy horse and carriage; it was a treat to have “Uncle Captain” visit
The Right to Criticize	9/22/40	Luke 6: 37-45			speaking out from a religious perspective on the issues of the day, rather than“just religion”; he says you can’t do that, because religion is a way of life.	limitations (elsewhere, specifically in current Japan and Germany) on human rights
What Makes a Life Great?	9/29/40	Luke 12: 4-21		“Neighbors”, (a play) by Zona Gale; “Country Lawyer,” Bellamy Partridge.	self-respect; the quality or greatness of a life is not properly measured in things accumulated, nor even in accomplishments, but in the quality of the individual character or soul, whether or not the person lives into love.	The residence of Queen Mother Mary in England is the second most expensive home in England; makes you wonder why.
Why does God permit suffering?	10/13/40	Lamentations 3: 12-33	Job; Genesis (the fall of Adam and Eve); John 9: 3; John 16: 33; Matthew 26: 52; Galatians 6: 7; Ecclesiastes 11: l.		suffering; moral law; “why me, Lord?” is the wrong question. Suffering sometimes is the moral fire that refines character. But is seems that God suffers with humanity, and does not will the suffering of innocents.	bombing victims in war	Father giving son permission to enlist
Those who would be great	10/20/40	John 1:35-51			There seems to be a natural desire to be great and that is probably good; but one has to understand that in order to get where you want to go, you have to do things; it won’t just happen.	Mentions Wendell Wilkie and other notables.
Living by Regulation	10/27/40	Romans 8:28-39	Proverbs 13:14; Romans 7: 19.	Silas Marner, by George Elliot	personal responsibility; “proper” regulation; this is the counterbalance to the natural desire for freedom which is evident way back in Exodus, and in the history of the US, but which can run amok if not regulated a little, like a clock without its pendulum.	totalitarian abuse of freedom in Europe & Asia
Christian attitudes on controversial issues	11/3/40	[no scripture listed]			compromise, seeing the other side; need to respect the views and rights of the minority. Refers to Quaker custom of never putting to a vote something that clearly will divide the community. Religion does not shy away from hot topics, should be involved--but with love.	labor-management disputes
Salvation is not free	11/10/40	Luke 1: 68-79			repentance, forgiveness, maintaining service; salvation is not free; you have to work at it. Finding God is important, but once you find God you need to do something about it.	scourge of war
Religion in Action	11/17/40	Exodus 14: 5-15; Isaiah 40: 31.	Ecclesiastes 3: 17; Hebrews 12: 1,2a.		need to implement plans, to act. Prayer as preparation for action. Story of Moses, who not only led the Israelites, but himself was led by God.	starving in China; need for relief funds
Thanksgiving	11/21/40	Phillipians 4: 1-7			our Puritan heritage, with emphasis on family, civil liberty, and education. Thanks be to God! [Thanksgiving is the topic]
The Right Kind of Boldness	11/24/40	Acts 4: 5-31		The Yearling (book)	boldness can be good, but it can also be destructive [see below]. The right kind of boldness was demonstrated by the apostles, who became bold to proclaim the gospel.	gangsters, kidnapping; German submarine that sneaked into a “safe” harbor and sank the British battleship “Ark Royal.”
Friends of the Church	12/1/40	Acts 2:36-47	Matthew 16: 13-27; John 15: 14.		Stewardship Sunday; the need for the organized church to be Christians in community, to support Christian education, granted that one of the goals of Christianity is living the righteous life, and that theoretically that can be done alone.	The church helps us keep our focus on God, on the way of living of Jesus Christ, and on the brotherhood of all.
Consistent Christianity	12/8/40	I Peter 2: 11-25	Isaiah 30: 15	“consistency is the bugbear of small minds.” “Rise up, O men of God.” (Hymn, first verse).	The Christian life requires a certain well- reasoned consistency, and involves purity, a willingness to accept suffering [not unlike Jesus], and dependability.
Can We Build a New World?	12/15/40	Matthew 7: 7-21			interdependence of people in the modern world; need to adhere to Christian principles in order to get along in everyday life.	war as a failure in applying Christian principles to the affairs of nations. Corruption in local politics or business affairs is a more close-to-home example.
Christ, the Savior	12/22/1940	Luke 1: 46-55		“A few bars in the key of G.” (story).	Christmas; there is an air of expectancy about Christmas; it should be not “what am I going to get” but about welcoming the arrival on earth of Jesus, born to be our savior. When Christ truly enters our lives, they can be changed forever.
The Mission of the Christian	1/5/41	Matthew 28: 16-20		“Disputed Passage”, by Lloyd C. Douglas (movie version).	priesthood of all believers. We all are called to take the message of the gospel to all the world, both abroad, and right where we live as well.	mission needs close to home
Living Messages	1/11/41	II Corinthians 2:14 - 3:6			How will our pages of life look? Like aimless doodles? Or like a purposeful attempt to live and spread the gospel? Whole classes of people are judged by the behavior of a few.
A Matter of Emphasis	1/12/41	John 1: 1-14; Genesis 1: 1.	Psalm 8: 3, 4a, 5; Matthew 22: 37-39.	Sweet, p. 14 of CTS Register, August, 1936.	In the beginning, God. This is the first and most important part of the beginning of Genesis. And the creation of Heaven is mentioned before creation of earth. Love of God is the first and great commandment; also as corollary to love neighbor as self.
Foundations of Character	1/19/41	Proverbs 4: 14-27; Matthew 22: 37, 39.	Ten commandments; first and great command	a pamphlet by Dr. Norman Richardson	Examples of Amos, John the Baptist, Jesus. A good character means possessing a keen sense of right and wrong, and doing the right.	Example of Lincoln
Spiritual Power	1/25/41	Acts 1: 1-8		Walter Rothwell, in Moody Monthly, p. 43, September, 1939	Need to concentrate on things of the spirit rather than possessions in order to have fulfillment in life	War having broken out in Europe, right after a glorious World Conference of Youth, in Amsterdam.
Doing good in the midst of Evil	1/26/41	Matthew 15: 32-46.	Matthew 22: 37, 39.		relief work; overcoming evil with good. Makes a direct plea to support the Herbert Hoover plan for relief shipments of food. Also supports appeals for the campaign to enlarge Riverview Hospital in Wisconsin Rapids, and to contribute to the March of Dimes against polio.	war in Europe; relief shipments of food
If you Ask	2/2/41	John 14: 14	Luke 11: 1-13; Psalm 42: 1, 2.		Prayer, public and private; how to pray; the Lord’s prayer explained and analyzed.
Laws of Abundant Life	2/9/41	John 10: 10	Psalm 24; Psalm 1; Daniel 1: 8-16.		Scout Sunday; Boy scouting, and its Oath and Laws as they apply to life
The Quality of Mercy	2/16/41	Matthew 5: 7	Micah 6: 1-8	The Merchant of Venice, by Shakespeare	Shylock’s insistence on his “pound of flesh” contrasted by Portia with qualities of mercy. Jesus pointed out that the merciful also receives mercy. Lincoln pardoned a soldier who was under death sentence for falling asleep on guard duty; the pardon helped Lincoln as well as the boy.
God Stands By	3/2/41	I Corinthians 1: 1-9	John 16: 2; Psalm 36: 5.	“The Citadel” (movie)	God’s faithfulness, with us in hour of need. Our charter to face difficulties squarely.
What is Lent For?	3/9/41	Romans 12			Self-examination, self-denial, and working for a worthwhile cause.	examples: Lincoln, Jane Addams, Jesus
Why I believe in the Church.	3/16/41	Acts 14: 21-28		“What the Church means to me”, Presbyterian Circular pamphlet, by Raymon M. Kistler.	church as the body of Christ; invitation to join.
Great Beliefs of the Church	3/23/41	John 14: 1-14			core beliefs; explication of the creeds. God, Jesus, immortality, brotherhood of man.	ending of reliance on war
The Outreach of the Church	3/30/41	Matthew 28: 16-20		“Letters by a Modern Mystic,” by Frank C. Lanbach	missions; “giving away God” and other precious things	need for charities at home	growing up in the church; father’s involvement in church governance, and as Sunday School superintendant. Early choir experience.
The Triumph of the Meek	4/6/41	Matthew 21:1-11; Matthew 5:5; Matthew 11:29	Zechariah 9:9; Psalm 37: 11; Isaiah 29: 19; Psalm 25: 9.	The Fellowship of Prayer (1940), a Lenten devotion, by Gaius Glenn Atkins.	meekness as strength; kingdom of God in the hearts of people. Palm Sunday.	futility of war; dificulty of postwar reconciliation
Life Before Us	4/13/1941	Luke 24: 1-12; Deuteronomy 33: 19.			Easter. Not just another anniversary; a reminder of life. Hope for life eternal for the aged; support for the younger crowd; comfort for the bereaved; welcome for those seldom in attendance, and for those who recently joined the church. “Therefore choose life.”
A “Good” Man	4/20/41	Matthew 19: 16-26	Ten Commandments		physical and mental fitness; efficiency; atttention to spiritual concerns
I Believe in Man	4/27/41	Genesis 1: 1-27		“I Believe in God,” by Dr. A. Maude Royden.	faith versus cynicism	disillusionment after the last Great War.	his personal statement of faith, including faith in Man.
The Christian Religion Is Spiritual	5/4/41	John 4: 24; Luke 18: 18-22.	Luke 22: 39-46; James 1: 17-27		Christianity is spiritual, rather than laws to follow, or a way to get special advantage	war, and the fallacy of praying to win
A Christian Attitude on Mother’s Day	5/11/41	Proverbs 31: 10-31		“Mother o’mine”, poem, by Rudyard Kipling	family values; risks of commercialization; make a good life visible thanks to Mother	poor conditions in slums, migrant camps, on Southern share-cropping farms
The Place of the Church in the Community	5/18/41	Matthew 22: 34-40			Love the Lord thy God, and thy neighbor as thyself. Church in education, nursing.	Rise of cities, and urban churches. Need to sustain rural parishes.
What Do You Live For?	5/25/41	John 17: 13-26	Philippians 3: 13; I Corinthians 2: 2.	“Magnificent Obsession,” by Lloyd C. Douglas	redemption by works; living out a purpose, with God’s help.
Pentecost - Birthday of the Church	6/1/41	Luke 24: 13-35; Acts 1: 6-8; Acts 2: 1-4.	Genesis 32: 1-32; Luke 15: 11-24.	Eugene M. Austin, article in Xm. Cent. Pul., June 1941, pp 131ff.	despair with the current world; need to accept it, try to sense the Presence of the Holy Spirit	war, armaments, social injustice			6/6/1954
The Fiery Furnace In Our Day	6/15/41	Daniel 3; Psalm 46: 1.	John 14: 1; John 14: 27; John 16: 33.	Georgia Harkness, in Xm. Cent. Pul. 6-41	God’s support in trials like war, not God’s intervention in same.	War in europe and asia, and the preparations for war in America. Need for Good Samaritan
Guiding Pillars	6/22/41	Exodus 13: 17-22		Drawn from Dwight C. Smith in Xm. Cent. Pul., June 1941	Trust in God’s guidance	need for guidance systems for air flight in the Pacific; similarities to Exodus “pillars”
Keeping the Cutting Edge Sharp	6/29/41	Romans 12: 1-8	Philippians 4: 8.		renewal; the need to reexamine beliefs and renew them, in order to keep them sharp	One paragraph on the downsides of life in Hitler’s Germany; on suppression of thought	His own childish belief in God (not spelled out)
A Higher Test of Christian Living	7/6/41	Matthew 22: 23-46	John 21: 15-17		right living and love of Christ as “tests” rather than creeds or formal affiliations	religious resistance to German occupation during World War I; Salvation Army’s success
Guided by Faith	7/13/41	Exodus 13: 11-20; Hebrews 11: 1-10, 22-38.	Exodus 3: 12a; Hebrews 12: 1, 2a.		sailing, navigation, getting through life as acts of faith. Also, as you sow, so shall you reap.		Not much of a sailor, even though his ancesters were.
Dictator of the Human Spirit	7/20/41	Leviticus 19: 1-14		From Preston Bradley, in Xm. Cent. Pul., February, 1939.	ideas about God; God is Love.	emergence of dictatorships in Europe as a result of the 1918 treaty.	Seeing the firmament in a planetarium in New York City.
Rest and Renewal	7/27/41	Joshua 22: 1-6	Exodus 20: 8-11		Sabbath rest; worth of vacations, sabbatical
Who Is Your Hero?	9/7/41	I Samuel 17			Need for heroes; heroic qualities; need to be a hero to others	Hitler as a hero to some, anti-hero to others.	Boy’s father is frequently his hero.
The Testimony of Action	9/14/41	I Peter 2: 11-17			Advertising our faith and the gospel through what we do	Ghandi’s example of non-violence; good deeds of Quaker groups
The Place of Reverence	9/21/41	Exodus 3: 1-12		“El Christo,” play, by Margaret Larkin	reverence for God and for each other, not in place of but in addition to science, technology
More than Fair; (more than required)	9/28/41	Matthew 5: 38-48	I Peter 2: 19-25; Amos 5: 24.		Justice is a mere minimum; go the extra mile; it will give peace to your soul.	Unfairness rampant as a part of the escalating world conflict.
The Christian Family	10/12/41	Proverbs 4: 10- 5: 2	Matthew 19: 14; Matthew 18: 10.	Ernest Fremont Tittle	“family values;” father as head of the household, and responsible for spirituality		Indirectly, a reference to his regard for his own father.
Things That Last	10/19/41	Hebrews 12: 25-29	II Thessalonians 2: 2		Even in turmoil, God and Christ endure; so do friendship, courage, moral values, and careful thinking	probable impermanence of official atheism in Russia; tragedy of broken trust among nations and between individuals.
Say - “I will”	10/26/41	Matthew 6: 1-14		Bailey, in Xm. Cent. Pul., January 1939, p. 13	Planning ahead together as a success factor in marriage		Remembering summer jobs on a farm when in high school and college
How Practical is our Christianity?	10/26/41	Luke 10: 25-37			Importance of helping others; strength in this area of the Wesleyan movement and the Salvation Army	Reasons for supporting the fall United Welfare fundraising campaign, as a way of living out Christian values.
Choose Life	11/2/41	Deuteronomy 30: 14-20	Ezekiel 33: 11; Daniel 3: 13-30.		sticking to truth and basic moral principles even when it can be a disadvantage in the short term. God is with us in adversity, just like he was with Daniel’s three friends in the fiery furnace.	Lincoln losing the senate race over principle; Martin Niemoller incarcerated over defiance of Hitler; Scandanavian countries under the yoke of dictatorship
The Spirit at Work	11/9/41	Matthew 25: 31-40; Matthew 25: 34-46.	Isaiah 61: 1,2.		differing reformation theologies of Luther, Calvin, and Wesley	refers to the good works of Wesley, and is supportive of this sort of social gospel
Freedom In Our Day	11/16/41	Galatians 5: 1, 5, 13-18			Approach of Thanksgiving day; giving thanks for liberty, freedom, and our democratic form of government, which is God-given	Refers to dictatorships in Germany, Japan, and the Soviet Union, and the need to maintain our own moral compass and connection to God.
The Third Dimension	11/23/41	Genesis 28: 10-22	Matthew 23: 37.	Charles J. Wood in Xm. Cent. Pul., October, 1941	the role of religion in expanding life from a flat 2-dimensional affairs, to a fuller 3-dimension- al existence; our need for self-development	Rather complete reference to worries about the war going on (interesting in advance of Pearl Harbor)	Several references to “barnyard,” and the fact that he grew up on a farm and so knows what a barnyard is and isn’t (“not very poetic”)
Our Gifts and Our Selves	11/30/41	I Peter 4: 8-19	I Corinthians 16: 2	Pilgrim’s Progress (Old Man Honest); Magnif- icent Obsession, by Lloyd Douglass	Stewardship Sunday; giving as good for the giver; giving regularly, individually, with a prior plan, and proportionately	a litany of the good things done by local and national charities, and by mission work abroad	“I sent a telegram to Chicago last night for a few cents.” Compared this value, of an ordered service organization, to the value obtained by funelling money into the church.
Dealing With The Impossible	12/7/41	Matthew 17: 14-21	John 2: 23,24.	Charles Heimsath, in Xm. Cent. Pul., October, 1941	faith moves mountains; not blind gullibility, but faith which moves us to prayer and the staying open to new and different possibilities.	Faith as a component of Franklin’s discovery of electricity, research efforts in medicine, “the man who ate the first oyster.”	He outlines a story about George McCune (his father-in-law, president of Huron College) who prayed and “sassed God” in a particular crisis situation.
Things to be Absorbed	12/14/41	Psalm 46			important things in life are not bought and sold, perceived by the senses, but are admir- able qualities that are absorbed from others.	Remarkably, no reference to the 12/7/41 attack on Pearl Harbor!	He lists five important items: goodness, courage, peace of mind, love, and religion.
All Things New	1/4/42	Revelation 21: 1-7	John 13: 34.	Henry Hitt Crane, in the Christian Century, December 1938, p 279.	God makes all things new; opportunities for change for the better in a New Year	This particular year, being at war, a war against evil. Counsels praying for God’s guidance, and that we be on God’s side, rather than that God join up with us.
Light on the Lord’s Face	1/11/42	II Corinthians 4: 1-6; John 14: 9; John 16: 33.	John 2: 1-11; John 14: 27; Luke 19: 10.	Lee Jones in Xm. Cent. Pul. 12/41 [Peter Marshall, p 73]	Jesus’ face (his character or personality) shone with gladness, inward peace, & his redemptive mission. Communing at eucharist
Prayer and Patriotism	1/18/42	Matthew 26: 36-46; Matthew 5: 44.	Matthew 6: 8; Matthew 6: 28.		War is hell. War represents our failure to live the Christian ideal. We ought to pray, not to win, but for one more chance to do it right.	The ongoing horror of World War II, of a second world war in one lifetime. The failure of science to bring peace, e.g. airplanes raining down death and destruction.
The Church’s Young People	1/25/42	Matthew 16: 13-20			capturing the enthusiasm of youth for the work of the church; making sure that this energy is not misdirected	the way dictatorships in Germany, Japan, Italy and Russia have captured the hearts of youth and bent them towards evil and distorted ends
The Romance of the Cross in Hawaii	2/1/42	Matthew 28: 16-20			white “civilization” had destroyed native religion, so the Hawaiian were “ripe for” the Gospel	History of the Islands and the arrival of the white man, and missionaries. Success of the effort in creating a written language and establishing widespread literacy.	Experience of the ecumenical Easter Sunrise service at the Punchbowl in Honolulu
A Brotherhood Worth Defending	2/8/42	Acts 17: 22-31			Need to improve race relations in the USA; sad fact that other countries do better than we.	World War II: need to avoid blanket hatred of Japanese, or all orientals; opportunity to firm up Christian love for all as a basis for en enduring peace after the war.	story of an ecumenical, multi-racial conference center and community in Hawaii that points the way on racial justice and harmony
Let the Church be the Church	2/15/42	Mark 11: 15-26	Matthew 5: 16.		The church should focus on its primary mission, prayer to God and being a loving fellowship of Christians (of sinners, actually)	World War II story of a Dutch sea captain who prayed for Hitler when his ship had been destroyed and he didn’t know the fate of his wife and child
A Lenten Journey; Where We Start	2/22/42	Matthew 4: 16-25		George Bernard Shaw; William Pierson Merrill	Lent should start where Jesus started, with repentence, self examination. Must realize, the kingdom of God is at hand, here, now.	Religion as “the opiate of the people;” (he disagrees). Our shortfall of living out Christian principles as a contributor to the world’s current mess.
A Lenten Journey; The Direction We Take	3/1/42	Matthew 6: 5-15	Psalm 23	William Pierson Merrill; Albert Palmer; Nicene Creed, Apostle’s Creed, Athanasian Creed.	the Lord’s prayer as Jesus’ Program. Thinking about its meaning while reciting, to guide our way of living	world war II; “Heil Hitler” in contrast to “hallowed be thy name.” Our obligations to help needy (war) victims.
A Lenten Journey; The Goal We Seek	3/15/42	Isaiah 54: 11-17		William Pierson Merrill;	the goal is a just and moral society; to get there, “All thy children shall be taught of the Lord.” And their elders. reference to prophets	reference to Hitler, and the indoctrination of the Hitler youth; also similar indoctrination in Italy and Japan. Need to make our indoctrina- tion of youth just as thorough, but God-centere			9/24/50
A Lenten Journey; Equipment We Need	3/22/42	Galations 5: 16-25		William Pierson Merrill; Benjamin Franklin; Edmund Burke	We are in as much danger from the enemy within as from the enemy without. To keep our freedoms, we must use them wisely.	World War II as The external threat, and the totalitarian regimes as the enemy without. To maintain freedom, we must practice self- control and self-discipline.	His own journey to the ministry; felt he was free to choose right up until graduation, but then felt it his duty to serve the church, and accepted a call to Hawaii.
A Lenten Journey; Strength for the Journey	3/29/42	Mark 11: 1-10	Habakkuk 3: 19	William Pierson Merrill; Prof. Benjamin W. Robinson, “The Second Mile.”	God is our strength in time of trouble; religion doesn’t always “pay off” but God gives us sure footing in dangerous situations.	World War II; the problems of Holland, Greece Belgium, Norway as similar to ancient Israel. The plight of Martin Niemoeller and his col- leagues as example that relgion doesn’t “pay”
Christ’s Victory	4/5/42	I Corinthians 15: 57; John 16: 33; Mark 2: 14.	John 1: 12; Luke 23: 34; Juke 22: 19.		Christ’s Easter victory over death, which is the real victory rather than the apparent Palm Sunday one; Christ the true leader of people	world war II oppression, which is only temporary, and will be overcome by Christ; the need for Christians to get busy and implement the plan of God and his Christ
The Lordship of Christ	4/12/42	Joel 2: 21-29	Luke 11: 1-4.		prayer as central in the Christian life; needing to make Christ Lord of all, of personal life, family, church, school, city, nation, and world	Story of Kagawa and his wife, living in slums, under threat of death from a drunkard they housed, literally putting their lives on the line every day for the work of Jesus Christ
A Lenten Journey; The Companion of our way	4/19/42	Matthew 17: 1-13		William Pierson Merrill	“We could use a mountaintop experience just now.” Need for church unity, to present a united Christian front to the rest of the world	world war II; outcome is of great concern, because the dictators we oppose do not permit freedom of religion. Assume we will win, and get ready for a just peace.	Story of the Buddhist girl who was a member of the youth group in Hawaii, knew she was Christian, but did not know what “flavor” (denomination)
Unfinished Business	4/26/42	Acts 1: 1-8			most worthwhile business is never finished, and it is in returning to it again and again that much is accomplished	World War II as a consequence of the unjust settlement imposed on Germany at the close of World War I.	He would really like to see a clean desk top at the end of a day; or a yard that doesn’t need continuing attention; but that is not reality
Good News	5/3/1942	Acts 1: 1-8		(Drawn heavily from Halford Luccock’s book, Acts of the Apostles in Present Day Preaching	The Gospel, as conveyed in the New Testament, is good news for all. It is explosive (TNT) as a little story has it. The power of the gospel spreads like the ripples caused by a pebble in a lake, in all directions, and everywhere.
Good Women	5/10/42	Philippians 4: 1-7	II Timothy 1: 5].	(References from W.E. Brooks in Xm. Cent. Pul., May, 1939); Ferraro, Women of the Caesars.	Mother’s day; making your own life better and more worthy is a better tribute than flowers or poems. We should also pay tribute to women without children who as teachers or surogate mothers have had a postitive impact.	makes mention of despots who have “put woman back in the kitchen as gallery slaves;” states that in our country women are more highly valued than that.
The Christian in an Unchristian World	5/17/42	Philippians 2: 12-30	Matthew 5: 16; Luke 11: 33ff.	Brinkman in Moody Monthly, July 1939, p. 628	Living life the right way, making our own lives a Christian witness to the people around us; “Let your light so shine....”	war in Europe as evidence of unchristian behavior of christian nations; the official godless position in Russia, a previously Christian nation
The Spirit of God	5/24/42	Acts 2: 1-21			Pentecost is a mystery, but is the birthday of the church; and the spirit of God still moves in people today	Resistance of the church to Hitler in Germany; to the militarists in Japan; to Quisling in Norway. Also, the survival of the Holy Spirit through 3 centuries in secret in Japan			9/12/54
Eyes Front!	6/7/42	Philippians 3: 1-14		William L Stidger in Xm. Cent. Pul, 6/42: “All that is past is prologue.”	need to focus on going forward; the sky is not falling, the world is not about to end; God is in his heaven, even if the world is a mess.	World War II, and the need of the church to confront evil; also referred to Washington going forward from Valley Forge, and Lincoln going forward, against odds, for the right.			9/19/54
The Bible - Treasure of Life	6/21/42	Psalm 119: 97-106; Psalm 103: 1-5.	Psalm 23: 1-3; Psalm 121: 1-2; Matthew 5:13; Matthew 6:14; Proberbs 16: 31; Proverbs 22: 6; Proverbs 20: 1; Proverbs 16: 32; Proverbs 3: 5-6.	Hymns: “Wonderful words of life.” “Lamp of our feet.”	the Bible as guide of life; brief history of the formation of the Hebrew canon, and the Christian canon	the translation of the Bible into multiple languages; particularly the story of the translation of the Bible into Hawaiian	the occasion of the sermon was the awarding of Bibles to the class just joining the church
Salt of the Earth	6/28/42	Matthew 5: 13-20		Ralph W. Sockman in Xm. Cent. Pul. 5-42	Christianity as savoring and preservative in 1) personal life, 2) family life, 3) the arts, and 4) nationally and internationally.	spread of totalitarianism with loss of civil liberties. His own unflattering portayal of other religions, especially with respect to their treatment of women (feels Christianity better)			5/15/55
Being American	7/5/42	Hebrews 11: 8-16		Wm. P. Merrill in Xm. Cent. Pul. 7-’42	Much in our nations ideals to be pround of; much in actual performance that falls short, eg treatment of Negroes and American Indians	ongoing concern about World War II and its outcome; what if Britain, Russia or China should fall?
What Kind of Courage Do You Need?	7/12/42	Mark 11: 1-11a		Harold W. Roup in Xm. Cent. Pul. Feb, 1939; W.M. Clow, The Cross in Christian Experience	facing burdens (life’s inevitables) requires courage; but a different kind of courage is required to volunteer to take up a cross
Now How Shall We Pray?	7/19/42	Matthew 6: 5-15; Psalm 100: 3; Acts 17: 26.	Galatians 6: 7; Isaiah 53: 5; Isaiah 43: 1; Matthew 10: 28.	(From Bruce B. Maguire in Xm. Cent. Pul. 7-’42); Bishop Gore, Oxford, England, a prayer from World War I.	Praying as Jesus taught us, not “in these words,” but “after this manner.” Praying not for special favors or advantage, but for forgiveness, for safety of loved ones, for wisdom to see and do the right.	World War II. How can we pray to “win” when there are Christians in Germany, Italy, and Japan with similar desires? pray for “justice and freedom, among them as among us.”
God in the Out-of-Doors	7/26/42	Genesis 2: 15	Psalms 8 and 23; John 14: 1.	Sociology teacher Steine, “Against the Current”	God is available in the outdoors, if we are prepared; but he is sceptical of those who claim to worship on the golf course or fishing
In God We Trust	8/30/42	Psalm 20	Luke 6: 27.		Trust in God means buying into his value system, including Christ’s dictum to love our enemies.	World War II and its evils; need to hate the enemy’s deeds, but not the enemy himself. Need to prepare ourselves (if victors) for those acts that will provide for just and lasting peace
A Forward-Moving Church	9/13/42	Ephesians 4: 1-8; 11-17			Giving of time, talent, and substance as central to the health of individuals and their churches; planning carefully and thoughtfully
Half a Christian	9/20/42	Mark 9: 2-13		E.N. Jackson in Xm. Cent. Pul., April 1939. Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress. Swinburne.	“For tender minds he served up half a Christ” (Swinburne)Not being fully Christian accounts for the failure to have a harmonious world.	sell-out of the Spanish Church to fascism; world war II and the ascendancy of Hitler and Mussolini, as the national equivalents of not being fully Christian at the personal level.
When Life Tumbles In	9/27/42	Romans 8: 26b-39; Deuteronomy 33: 27.	Psalm 27: 1; Job 1: 21; Luke 23: 46.	Harold W. Roupp in Xm.Cent.Pul. 9-42; Dr.A.J Gossip, “The Hero in thy Soul.” Invictus, by William Ernest Henley.	How to cope with overwhelming tragedy; he contrasts: escape; cynicism; “eat drink and be merry;” stoicism; and a Christian response.		Tells actual stories from personal experience of tragedies; father of 5 children whose wife died; young woman whose father forbade her education; man whose life savings were in a bank that crashed; illness disrupting professio
The Quality of Fellowship	10/4/42	Ephesians 2: 13-22		Schopenhauer, the Porcupine parable. Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island.	church as a fellowship; interdependencies of people in church and society. Meaning of holy communion as a remembering of God and Christ, but also all the people who put the bread on the table.
The Fellowship of Saints	10/11/42	Philippians 2: 1-11		Rim of the Caribbean, by Carol McAfee Morgan (book).	Being our brother’s brother. Missionary work at home and abroad. How the church budget “benevolences” line item is used to further the work of the wider church.	British and American negotiations with China (successful) for relinquishment of extra- territorial rights.
Fretfulness	10/25/42	Psalm 37: 1-18	Romans 12: 19.	J. Scilley, in Moody Monthly, July 1942. Story of Oliver Cromwell’s friend, whose servant took him to task about fretting, not trusting God	Fretting is a sin against ourselves, others, and God. It is caused by envy, covetousness, and lack of faith in God. It is cured by looking on the bright side of things, looking beyond the present to the future, and trusting in God.	World War II and its atrocities. Need for planning so that the post-was period will be constructive and not consumed by revenge.	Grandmother whose life was constricted by her fear of horses and her fear of thunderstorms; Frank, a boyhood next-door neighbor, who always seemed to be “not speaking” because of some reason or other.
Religion and Life	11/1/42	John 10: 1-10; Luke 12: 15; John 5: 40.	John 14: 6; Matthew 6: 31-33; Matthew 7: 13-14; Matthew 5: 16.	Cornelius B. Muste in Xm. Cent. Pul. Sept 31; “Shoes and Sermons,” in Hiram Golf’s Religion.	Religion is not just for Sunday or for clerics; proper religion is a part of everyone’s everyday activities. The “straight and narrow path” as self-discipline. The Sermon on the Mount is not about worshipping, but about life
New Patriotism	11/8/42	Psalm 33: 8-22		(See R.C. Raines in Xm. Cent. Pul. 11-42); Samuel Johnson; Edith Cavell; [an unnamed] Englishman, writing about “the American colonies” in 1760.	Patriotism is a virtue, if one remembers “thou shall have no other gods before me.” We need to have a patriotism that is not blind, and will permit us to correct our faults as well as criticize the faults of others, and to celebrate the good we can see in others, even enemies	World War II; our battle against “evil governments” and ideologies rather than against the German, Italian, or Japanese people. Honoring the flag by right actions as well as by rites.
Multiplied Might	11/15/42	Isaiah 6: 1-8; John 14: 15; Luke 10: 29-37.	Matthew 7: 20; Mark 16: 15.	Wendell Wilkie	Power comes from working cooperatively together, whether it be in fighting a war, or in supporting the spread of the Gospel through the mission efforts.	World War II as attrocity, but as opportunity for doing reconcilitation right in its aftermath. Makes a point that Chiang Kai Shek, a Christ- ian, is building up China while fighting Japan	story of a minister who says he is sick of being asked to repent, because he hasn’t done any- thing wrong. He points out we all share the blame whether we like it or not; says that was pointed out to him in his ordination charge
Why Give Thanks?	11/22/42	Psalm 107: 1-22; Psalm 77:4; Psalm 69: 1-3.	Psalm 95: 1-2; Psalm 25: 1-2; Acts (Paul’s journey to Rome); Psalm 117: 1.	Louis Pasteur	Thanksgiving Day sermon. Importance of giving thanks during adversity, rather than saying we have nothing to be thankful for. The example of the Pilgrims in this regard. Commentary on the commercialization of holy days.	World War II; the probability of tragedy striking during the year, but the overriding importance of giving thanks during the danger.
What the Lord Requires of Us	11/29/42	Micah 6: 1-8	Luke 12: 48.	Albert Payson Terhune, “A Roughneck’s Religion,” in The American Magazine, August 1928.	In spite of all the war demands (which are temporary) God has requirements which are permanent, and very important. Should make a porportional pledge (not just out of “surplus’) to the support of God’s work on earth. Stewardship Sunday.	World war II; rationing and increased taxes.	A.W. Triggs Thanksgiving Day sermon about a “self-made” man who didn’t think he needed to thank God for anything, since he had done it all himself.
God’s Creation	12/6/42	Genesis 1: 1-27a		[see below, and sermons of 12/13/42 and 12/20/42]	Creation story conveys truths (like truths in poetry) about life and our relation to God, not scientific fact. Main truths are (1) God created; (2) Man is a crowning act of the creation; (3) the creation is good.	World War II; see “Man’s Corruption” 12/13/42. He mentions here that America’s opponents (and for that matter some allies) have rejected God and exalted Man.	this is a three-part series, of which this is the first; he thought of it while listening to an address by Dr. George M. Gibson at the Wisconsin State Conference, October 1942, held at Mineral Point.
Man’s Corruption	12/13/42	Genesis 2: 16,27; 3: 1-19	Acts 17: 26	second in a series; see sermons of 12/6/42 and 12/20/42	God’s creation is good. Evil has been introduced into the world by man’s misuse of his free will. Not as in original sin because of Adam’s fall, but just because we are all easy prey to temptation.	Sin of racial discrimination, of thinking there is validity in the concept of a “master race.” But he makes it clear this is not just Hitler’s problem, but a problem for us all.
God’s Redemption	12/20/42	Luke 1: 68-79	John 3: 16	third in a series; see sermons of 12/6/42 and 12/13/42	God’s creation, including man, is good. Man has corrupted creation. God redeems us if we truly repent, and has sacrificed his only son to that purpose	Can we celebrate Christmas in the middle of this war? The terror being visited includes the killing of innocents, just because they are Jews. Fathers and mothers know about giving up a son for a cause, as God did.
Joy to the World	12/22/42	John 15: 1-11	Nehemiah	William Auld	Life is a struggle, but let’s accept that and throw ourselves into it. We can throw ourselves into our work with joy, especially at the joyous Christmas season.	All the background of strife, the daily war reports, worries that this may portend the end of the world.	Tells of his very first chance to drive the family car, and his father’s instruction, “I think you are watching the road too close to the front of the car. Look ahead farther.”
Christian Inventory	12/27/42	Ephesians 6: 12-20			In this time of year-end business inventory, it is good to take a spiritual inventory.Ephesians reference makes a good list for a personal inventory. And a group (church) inventory helps us understand our spiritual assets.	Approaching a New Year with an understanding of the spiritual assets we can deploy in the coming year.
Resolution for Life	1/3/43	Philippians 3: 1-14		(Points suggested by “S. F.” in Moody Monthly July, 1939, p 628.)	New Year’s resolutions. He talks about trivial ones, and then says, why not do something really big, really meaningful? Suggests, after Paul’s example: concentration, renunciation, aspiration, determination, to make it work.
Are You Hungry?	1/10/43	John 6: 27-40; Isaiah 55: 2; I John 3: 2.	Psalm 42: 1, 5; James 4: 1-2, 7; John 14: 9.	Herbert J. Doran in Xm. Cent. Pul. 12-42; Harry Kemp (poem); James Hilton, Random Harvest (novel.)	Humans hunger for self-knowledge,belonging (giving allegiance to something), a new start, and completion for our uncompleteness. We find the bread that satisfies these hungers in Jesus Christ, in his church, in the eucharist.
A Highway Ahead	1/17/43	Isaiah 40: 1-10; John 8: 32.	Isaiah 35: 8; Matthew 7: 13, 14.	Jack Finegan in Xm. Cent. Pul. 1-43. John McMurray, The Clue to History. Pitirim A. Sorokin, (quotation); Heinrich Niemoeller, “It Depends on the End.”	Need to find the “straight and narrow highway to life,” rather than be fooled by apparent wide inviting paths that are actually dead ends. Best chance of finding the right path is by following Jesus Christ.	Misuse of science (airplanes) in war; Hitler’s misguided philosophy. Need for self-control and the proper deployment of scientific marvels.	Glenn Cunningham, going from “boy who will never walk again,” to runner of fastest ever mile race; Dr. Royal Chapman, in address at graduation (University of Hawaii) advising the adventurous to go into the field of plastics
Faith of our Fathers	1/31/43	Hebrews 11: 1-13		Edgar DeWitt Jones in Xm. Cent. Pul. 11-42	Our democracy is founded on faith of religious Christian people; is can only be destroyed from within by prejudice, avarice, sloth, intolerance, injustice, carelessness; external enemies only count if these internal ones win	Stories from history of the religious people that founded our nation. Mayflower; Declara- tion of Independence; Constitution; Lincoln; Robert E. Lee; immigrants, such as the Rev. Joseph R. Sizoo, from Holland.
Training for Christian Citizenship	2/7/43	Psalm 1			Scout Sunday; Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts as Christian training programs for citizenship. Need the Christian perspective for guidance, but also preparation, especially in the home, and practice (e.g. “mayor for a day”)
Of One Blood	2/14/43	Acts 17: 22-28			race relations; residual problems of white suppression of blacks; evidence of some improvement, but a long way to go. Similar problems to address for Native Americans, Mexican migrant workers	Speaks out against the interment of Japanese from the west coast states; especially points out that 80,000 are American citizens, born and bred. Points out also that each of our failings is used by Axis propagandists.
Breaking Down Walls	2/21/43	Ephesians 2: 13-22	Isaiah 42: 3, 4; Matthew 5: 48.	Kipling’s “East is East, West is West”; Bishop McConnell on the extinction of the dinosaurs; Charles Lamb (unable to hate a man if he really knew him).	Wall builders versus wall breakers. On balance, he felt American Christians should be wall breakers, moving toward the goal of universal brotherhood, while respecting differences.	referred to Sun Yat Sen replacing the Nanking wall with a boulevard; mentioned the divisions of nations in Europe as a problem, when compared to America’s lack of formal borders with Canada or between states
On Missing The Boat	2/28/43	Galatians 6: 1-9	Matthew 5: 20	C. E. Montague, Disenchantment (a book); Macbeth, by Shakespeare; Hugh Stevenson Tigner, Our Prodigal Son Culture, and No Sign Shall Be Given.	If we don’t learn from our mistakes, we’ll repeat them. We need a just peace after this war (in contrast to the last one). In order to do that, all people must be part of a moral revolution, reasserting Christian principles.	World War II, Hitler; lack of support for League of Nations after WW I. Pleasure- seeking culture of the “roaring 20s” as a part of the social breakdown leading to the current conflict.
Vital Choices - Pride or Repentance	3/14/43	Luke 3: 4-16; Luke 10: 38-42; Luke 15: 11-32.	Joshua 24: 15; Lamentations 3:40; Romans 12: 2; Ephesians 5: 8.	Bishop G. Ashton Oldham: repentance as a change of mind, with subsequent change of action. (not just sorrow or remorse.)	Need for repentance as individuals, as church members, and as a nation. Will we avoid it because we think the sins of others are worse than our own? Repentence as primary for Christians, particularly in the Lenten season. Choice as a key human quality.	World War II and the need to prepare morally for the post-war order.			3/28/43
Wilderness Temptation	3/21/43	Matthew 4: 1-11; Psalm 18: 2; Psalm 23: 2.	Psalm 139: 9-10; I Timothy 1: 15; Matthew 16: 24; Matthew 22: 37-39; Matthew 6: 33.	Turgenev; Bishop G. Ashton Oldham; John Wesley; Dwight L. Moody, “The Moon and Sixpence; Mascagni, “The Mask” (opera); Dr. Steven Tyng; Harry Emerson Fosdick, “On Being a Real Person.”	We start out life self-centered- we are the center of the world we know. We must move past that an put others first, and put God at the center. The story of Jesus’ temptations dramatize the sorts of choices all must make.	Terrible destruction and immorality of World War II	“Vital Choices - Self or God” is an alternate title		3/6/60
Vital Choices - Words or Deeds	3/28/43	James 1: 17-27; Matthew 7: 24-27.	Matthew 5: 16.	Eric Knight, writer, letter to his publisher	Words can be very instructive, but they are hollow without action. Jesus’ instructions are active: do this, follow me. Our deeds say much more than our words.	Our nation’s political pronouncements will carry more weight if we clean up our own act. Better treatment for Negroes, Indians and citizens of Japanese ancestry, better deal for Puerto Rico, Cuba, Philippines
Vital Choices - Clean Hands or Dirty Tasks	4/4/43	Matthew 27: 15-26; Judges 5: 23.	Luke 10: 30-37 (The Good Samaritan)	The Servant in the House, a play.	Christians must not try to selfishly avoid dirty work just to keep their hands clean (like Pontius Pilate) but need to pitch in and get the job done (like the Good Samaritan)	Staying aloof from tasks required by World War II for selfish reasons is not an appropriate Christian response; it also will compromise any moral leverage that might be needed when the war is over.
Vital Choices - Vengeance or Reconciliation	4/11/43	Romans 12: 9-21; Psalm 23: 1; Psalm 121: 2.	Hebrews 13: 5; Isaiah 43: 1; Luke 2: 10; John 12: 47; Matthew 10: 37; Matthew 6: 24; Matthew 7: 13; Matthew 5: 38-39.		Vengeance is reserved to God. Our task is forgiveness and reconciliation, at least with those who are truly repentant. But God’s moral order does demand justice of the unrepentant; we are not required to be “soft”.	World War II and the Nazi atrocities; We are not required to forgive them either, if the perpetrators are not repentent. However, the preeminent postwar task for Christians will be reconciliation.
Vital Choices - Safety or Sacrifice	4/18/43	Mark 11: 1-10; Matthew 26: 69-75.	Mark 8: 34-36; Matthew 10: 38, 39.	Charlotte Perkins Stetson, (a poem). Bishop Oldham; Dr. G. A. Johnston-Ross.	“Safety First” is a fine motto for the workplace, but not for our spiritual life. We must take risks to fully develop our religious commitments and we are called to risk much on behalf of our beliefs and on behalf of others.	World War II; those who refused to knuckle under to Hitler, refused to “sell the church to the state.” Later versions had reference to Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement.	Dr. Johnston-Ross admitted that his personal struggles with religion were harder than those of his Roman Catholic friends, but said, “Yes, I know it’s bleak. . But it’s Br-r-racing!”		8/26/51	6/2/63
My Redeemer Liveth	4/25/43	Luke 24: 1-6; Ecclesiastes 3: 11; John 16: 33.	Job 19:23-25 (I know that my Redeemer liveth); Psalm 23: 4; Matthew 10: 39; Matthew 16: 24; II Timothy 1: 7; II Timothy 1: 12.	Ozora Stearns Davis, on the life of selfless Christian service, and how it has “paid him back” many fold. Sundar Singh: “Si crucem portas portabit te.”	Christian conviction that Death could not control Jesus. His eternal soul shows us the way; if he lives, so may we all. He is like an older brother leading us by the hand and showing us how best to live.	The need for prayer during the catastrophe that is World War II. News stories from Russia telling how the churches were jammed on Easter, to the point of causing traffic tieups.
Made For God	5/2/43	Luke 17: 12-21	Matthew 5: 44.	Dr. Horace H. Leavitt: “You can’t beat God’s plan for your life.” Central Union Church, Honolulu, 2-21-43. Henry Wallace, speeches on Post-War planning	Christians are attacked as overly optimistic idealists, ignoring reality. He points our that Christianity was founded in the reality of the cross, of difficult decisions, and of deeds and action, and that the pessimists are unrealistic.	Planning for Post-War peace; the need for reconciliation and not vengeance
Call to Courage	5/16/1943	Joshua 1: 1-9.	John 6: 20; John 16: 33.	(partially from J. W. Buckham in Xm. Cent. Pul. 5-’43)	Wood County Centennial (1956). Courage comes in many forms, including devotion to duty, silence, endurance, everyday heroism, and humor. He cites examples from Jesus’ life and from contemporary life.	World War II and the heroism of volunteers and of their families.			7/29/1956
About Examinations	5/23/43	Matthew 25: 31-45	Mathew 7: 1.	From Fred Eastman in Xm. Cent. Pul. 6-’42	You never can have your “last exam;” life is just one exam after another, day in and day out. Also we are examiners as well as examinees. Learn to avoid making snap judgments, & practice the judgments of love.	Need to plan to love our enemies and not insist on vengeance in planning for the World War II aftermath.
Lest We Forget	5/30/43	Philippians 1: 1-21		Joseph Auslander, “Day of Remembering” (poem); In Memoriam , from the ritual of the Temple Israel.	Memorial day. Remembering veterans, both dead and living. Remembering all those who have gone before. Giving thanks for all their gifts and sacrifices, and for the freedoms were thereby enjoy.	Honoring the memory of our fallen heroes by being sure that we secure an honorable and just peace once World War II is over.
Men Like Mountains	6/6/43	II Timothy 4: 1-8		(from D. C. Bryan in Xm. Cent. Pul. Feb., ‘32); poem by Edwin Markham about Abraham Lincoln: “..a man to hold against the world, .. to match the mountains and the sea.”	Great lives, which we would like to emulate, have certain hallmarks: they have a certain great purpose or aim, and they have the courage to carry this out.	Rockefeller as a benefactor of the poor, the Negroes, education and medicine. The need for leaders who will readjust our economic system and polity to assure jobs and at the very least, subsistence.
Sweet Land Of Liberty	7/4/43	Psalm 119: 33-48	John 8: 36.	Abraham Lincoln; Professor George Fox. Extensive quotations from each.	“Liberty is not the right to do what you choose; it is the responsibility of choosing what is right.” We must secure liberty not only by force of arms, but by attending to the quality of our lives, by chosing to live by God’s laws.	World War II; the need to attend individually to spiritual issues, and decide as individuals to live in elementary rightness. He quotes George Fox in extenso, seemingly from a piece about our earlier wars in South America	He is giving the sermon on Sunday the fourth, and says he personally would have preferred if the secular celebrations planned for that afternoon had been deferred to Monday the fifth, because we have serious thinking to do.
My Brother’s Brother	7/11/43	Genesis 4: 3-16 [Cain and Able]; Gen. 43: 5.	Genesis 42, 43, 44 [Joseph and his brothers.]		I am not my brother’s keeper, but I should do a better job of being my brother’s brother. “All men are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights...” God expects us to live up to this ideal. Human beings don’t belong to races, classes, sects, in God’s eyes.	World War II. Refers to his friend Masao Yamada, serving as an Army chaplain with the “Hawaii division” of Japanese-Americans. Makes reference to atrocities against Jews being perpertrated by Nazis.	Relates his experiences on his first time ever trip to the deep South, and meeting with Negro leaders there, especially at Talledega College. Talks about the injustice of Jim Crow and other institutions of racism.
Christ and Conflict	7/18/43	Philippians 1: 9-18		Ozora Davis, Comrades in the Great Cause, pages 14-21.	To read the Bible one must study it. Conflict can be healthy (e.g. good vs. evil); but conflict between Christians and denominations can be counterproductive. A pitch for ecumenism. Enlist all Christians in the Great Cause.	“Pagan philosophies” espoused by dictators, an oblique reference to Hitler and Mussolini.
These Cannot Be Rationed	7/25/43	Isaiah 55; Dkeuteronomy 8: 3; Matthew 4: 4.	Jeremiah 3: 34		Rationing of material things is necessary and desireable, but spiritual values are not rationed. The grace of God is not rationed. Neighborliness is not rationed. Hope, bravery, patriotism, gratitude are not rationed.	World War II, and the management of scarcity right after a lot of talk about the need to manage abundance or overabundance.
Living Today	9/5/43	Matthew 6: 22-34		Dunston, editorial in “The Friend,” July 1943	“Take no thought for the morrow” doesn’t necessarily mean abandon all planning for the future, but it does mean live today to the fullest. Eternity is now.	World War II, with its demands for extra work, and its pressures on families, especially those with forced separations
Satisfaction in Living	9/12/43	I Kings 17: 1-16		(from J. G. Gilkey in Xm. Cent. Pul., Feb., ‘31)	People sometimes get bored with their jobs, or with their spouses. Sometimes it is good to change jobs, but not spouses. It helps to list the advantages of the current position; it might be a gateway to something better; others depend on us to succeed.
New People for New Times	9/19/43	Joshua 1: 1-9		W. E. Garrison, in Xm. Cent. Pul. Sept 1943	Joshua receives mantle of leadership from Moses; this is a parable of life, where each generation passes the torch on to the next. Such succession from old to new is required for progress to occur.	World War I had its roots in starvation and other social ills. Civil War in this country was over slavery and other divisive issues, and the postwar politics did not solve everything but created new problems.	life is not like a hundred yard dash; it is more like a relay race. And just as we need fresh new runners with new ideas, we must also pass on to the new generation the verities that experience has taught us are important.
The Faithfulness of God	9/26/43	Hebrews 10: 7-25		Hobart McKeehan in Xm. Cent. Pul., 9-’43; Hudson Taylor, a letter to a friend about trusting in the faithfulness of God.	Our faith in God depends on our certainty that he is faithful to us, and can be depended on. Faith can be eroded by materialism, behavior- ism, scientific humanism, thoughtlessness, or the belief that God is a collection of human experiences and morals.	World War II--how can a “Loving God” let it continue? This is the old question asked by Jesus from the cross, asked by Job.
Something Wants You	10/3/43	John 12: 23-32	Galatians 6: 7; II Timothy 1: 12.	Buterick, “Jesus Came Preaching,” p. 83; Charles Darwin on evolution, and on the need to take God into account with his theory. Tom Sawyer, who “loved his aunt so much.”	Worldwide Communion Sunday. Come to the table in a simple, sincere way, to commune with each other and with God. Right will triumph; God cannot be denied.	World War I: in response to a questionnaire, soldiers overwhelming expressed a belief in God. World War II: Those opposing God’s way and following false idols will fail.
God Cannot be Ignored	10/17/43	John 5: 2-17	Galatians 6: 7.	L. Verdette Walters, chaplain; Leonard Detwiler, chaplain.	people have tended to rely on human resources only, but they are now turning to religion in record numbers. “God does not balance his account at the close of every day, but he does balance it.”	World War I; when the French stopped the German’s at the Marne, one writer said it was God that stopped them. World War II; Hitler has scoffed at God, but it appears “the Hand- writing is on the wall.”	Jack P. Bedand, chaplain, US Army, wrote to him about the participation of one of the Wisconsin Rapids youth, David Rowland.
The Old and the New	10/24/43	I Thessalonians 5: 9-28		(from T. C. Speers in Xm. Cent. Pul, Jan. ‘31); Mind in the Making, (book), by Robinson. Dean Briggs of Harvard; Beatice Webb, diary; Florence Nightingale establishing nursing as an honorable helping profession.	Progress requires both the old and the new. We are required to discard those bits of the old which are not tested by time, or shown to be worn out, to make way for the new. We must retain the good things, our heritage. All people need be involved in “proving all things	The discarding of religion by the Russian revolution; signs of that being reversed? The folly of having discarded all of the old pointed out by the excesses of the French revolution.
Is Kindness Out Of Date?	11/7/43	II Kings 6: 8-23; Ephesians 4: 32; Luke 6: 28.	Matthew 5: 38, 43-44; Romans 12: 19-21; I Corinthians 13: 8.	Lincoln, talking about the need to avoid retribution against the vanquished Southerners.	Some scoff or sneer at kindness, but it is part of the Scouting tradition, and it is God’s way. Kindness is basic to Christian or Hebrew ethics. We are told to love our enemies, and that vengeance is for God alone.	World War II and current atrocities; need for post war reconcilliation, not retalliation.
Men On Christ’s Mission	11/14/43	Psalm 27			Missions are at home and abroad; the work should not simply be “left to women.” The work includes preaching, teaching, healing, and “social service” (agriculture, engineering) Missions have a very practical side (see below)	World War II experience has shown, especially in the South Pacific and Africa, that American soldiers are received “with open arms” by “natives” who are in fact Christian.
The Fine Art of Giving	11/28/43	Luke 6: 37-45		pamphlet by Charles R. Brown, emeritus dean of Yale Divinity school, with the same title. “The right mood for giving is one of high and glad privilege.”	Giving is an act of worship as well as a way to pay the bills. It acknowledges that all of life is a partnership with the Almighty, and that we are his hands. Proportionate giving is an appropriate standard. Stewardship Sunday.	World War II, and the extraordinary needs that it has generated that must be met in part by Christian generosity.
A Song in the Air	12/12/43	John 1: 1-14	Luke 1: 46-55 (The Magnificat)	Heimsath in Xm. Cent. Pul., December 1943 Harry Emerson Fosdick, sermon, “The decisive babies of the world”; James S. Stewart, quotation.	Songs (like the Magnificat) convey truths far better than mere words. The Magnificat’s 4 stanzas tell us that God is our savior, he is powerful, he will deliver all oppressed people, and he will deliver the nation.	World War II, and the necessity of devoting resources to a military victory, always keeping in mind that the spiritual victory is what is important.
Born A Savior	12/19/43	Luke 2: 8-14		see Newton in Xm. Cent. Pul., December, 1943, p 11.	Christmas is a day of joy, but also a holy day, not just a holiday. The child, and the incarnation, teach (among other things) of the God within all of us. The beauty of Christmas is testament to beauty and love as truth.	Hitler’s indoctrination of youth as his worst crime.
Something New	12/26/43	John 13: 31-35	Luke (Christmas story)	(drawn from De Groot and suggested by Treat in Xm. Cent. Pul., 12-’43)	Christianity is not ancient; it is new, especially the Christmas story, which is about God’s love and about Christ’s command to love one another.
We Are Travelers	1/30/44	Psalm 121		(See Blakemore in Xm. Cent. Pul. 1-’44)	Travel is physically more risky during World War II than it was a decade before. But for all, even stay-at-homes, we are forced into a spiritual journey which is daunting. With the help of each other, the Bible stories of journey and the saints, we can emerge strengthened.	World War II; the current making of new martyrs for the faith, both Christian and Jewish.	Page missing
Laymen’s Religion	2/6/44	Matthew 23: 1-12		(Drawn from Fosdick in Xm. Cent. Pul. 2-’44)	Living as Christians is the job of every one of us, and is the only way Christian spirituality and ethics will have an impact in the real world. A minister can lead, but cannot pray, forgive, or love for us, no more than others can eat or breathe for us.	World War II; “this tired old world”, in need of the Christian ideals of brotherhood.
Brotherhood in America	2/13/44	Genesis 42: 18 to 43:5		Herman F. Ressig, on the spiritual basis for the “defeat” of Nazism; H. V. Kaltenborn on the injustice of internment of Japanese American citizens.	Brotherhood. Boy Scout Sunday. Race Relations Sunday. Brotherhood month. We will have to address inequities based on race, religion, etc. in the USA, or our (projected) WWII victory will be hollow.	World War II; the persecution of Jews in Europe. Antisemitism in the USA. Internment of Japanese Americans. Mistreatment of Negroes and AmerIndians.	He makes a prophecy: If we don’t learn to get along at brotherhood with the people of all races, the day will come when the people of other races will turn on the white race with such crushing force that our white descendants will one day be forced to suffer the tortures of the enslaved! And the masters won’t be white!
Washington, a Man of Valor	2/20/44	I Samuel 16: 14-23	Lamentations 3: 27.	(from E. D. Jones in Xm. Cent. Pul. Feb. ‘32)	Saul’s servant called David a “mighty valiant man.” So was George Washington. Sermon is a recitation of Washington’s strength of character, hardy outdoor pursuits as a youth, put together with the polish of a gentleman.	Washington’s birthday.
Darkness May Become Day	3/5/44	Amos 5: 8-18		(see Scherer in Xm. Cent. Pul. 3-’43)	We need to take responsibility for our actions and allign them with God’s plan. Ideas don’t cause wars or prosecute them, people do. Catastrophe strikes most evidently when we are at cross purposes individually or collectively with God’s will.	World War II as a consequence of our complacency and selfishness in the 20s; he points out Amos was talking about just the kind of behavior that was rife in that decade in the USA.
It Proves Itself	3/12/44	Acts 10: 34-43; Luke 10: 29-37; John 8: 3-7.	John 4: 7-26; Luke 23: 34; Matthew 25: 34-36.	(See Schroeder in Yale Div. News, 1-’44)	Our faith proves itself in our actions. We are known to be following Jesus if we are trying to imitate his goodness. This is a fundamental part of being a Christian, whatever “flavor” of Christianity we practice. A theological fundamental is the belief in God’s love.	World War II; “there are no atheists in a foxhole.”
God’s Human Face	3/26/44	II Corinthians 5: 14-21; Exodus 20: 4.	John 14: 9; John 12: 44; II Corinthians 4: 6; I Samuel 3: 4; Acts 9: 1-30; Luke 19: 2-10; Luke 23: 34.	(see Walker in Xm. Cent. Pul. 3-’44); The Keys of the Kingdom by A.J. Cronin.	The face of Jesus is the human face of God. In Jesus we see God’s love, his compassion for us, and his capacity for forgiveness, as in “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” But only those are forgiven who truly repent.	World War II, and the need for reconciliation in its wake. Mentions Madame Chiang’s speech in Madison Square Garden where she promotes forgiveness and lack of bitterness.
The Road to Jerusalem	4/2/44	Matthew 21: 1-11; Luke 10: 1, 27.	Luke 11: 2-4; Luke 19: 41-44.	(Suggestion from C.W. Fisher in Xm. Cent. Pul. 4-’44)	Roads are critical to military success and to the survival of large populations. Roman roads were famous, and Jesus walked some of them. Jesus walked the familiar Passover road to Jerusalem, weeping over the city and its sins, and steadfast in spite of danger to him
Let Freedom Ring	4/30/44	Acts 22: 17-29	Luke 10: 29-37; Ephesians 6: 16.	(See Scherer in Xm. Cent. Pul. 4-’44); Andrew Melville on the roles of King James and King Jesus; Tell it to the Padre, (book), Robert Searles. “My country, ‘tis of Thee.” (hymn).	Our “Christian nation” has lost its roots; its care for neighbor, its conscience, its love of a challenge, and its love of God, on which our political freedoms, all of them, are based. We need to return to God, and to caring for neighbor (see Tell it to the Padre.)	World War II. Victory not as the goal, or an end in itself, but as the beginning of a chance for this generation to do things right.
What Is An Ideal Home?	5/14/44	Deuteronomy 6: 4-13a	Proverbs 20-23; II Corinthians 3: 18.	(pp. 11-16 drawn from Rasmusson in Xm. Cent. Pul. 5-’44) Quotation from the Talmud, and from Woodrow Wilson, when he was president of Princeton.	Just finished National Family Week, and today is Mother’s Day. Should honor good mothers, not necessarily the bad ones. Ideal homes require sharing of chores, surround children with faith in their own possibilities, practice democracy, invite in diverse people, and emphasize the excellent and holy.	Passing reference to World War II, and the remembrances of home that keep many a distant serviceman connected.
“We Bind Ourselves”	5/21/44	Psalm 24		World Order Compact Sunday	With analogy to the Mayflower compact, he introduces the World Order Compact for everyone to sign and pubicize as a way to prepare the way for a better way to keep the peace after World War II.	World War II. The lack of rules between nations, which then leads to war as a way to resolve disputes. A single, all-powerful “bully” nation as an alternative way to keep the peace.
Something to Remember	5/28/44	Joshua 4; John 11: 25.	Deuteronomy 8: 3; Matthew 4: 4.	Patrick Henry, “Give me liberty or give me death.” Abraham Lincoln, “With malice toward none, with charity toward all, let us strive for the right ....”	Remembrance, remembering and teaching the children as a typical Jewish way of keeping the tradition alive. Memorial day. High School graduation day. Pentecost. “What mean these stones?” The memorials in Washington DC; how our nation remembers.
Christian Resources	6/4/44	I Corinthians 3: 9-23	Psalm 51: 12, 13; John 15: 11.	(from C. F. Reisner, Xm. Cent. Pul., Sept. ‘30)	Being Christian does not mean renouncing the world for most of us. We have many Christian resources; prominent are truth, science, money, business, politics. He makes a strong point that some should make money, and use it to further the work of the Kingdom.	[other items on his list of Christian resources, some not discussed in this sermon, are life, joy, beauty, courage, love, present experiences, past experiences, hope, faith, confidence, trust; we claim all as ours.]		Stewardship; deliberately making money for the work of the kingdom; being in the world, but not necessarily of the world.
How Far Are We From God?	6/18/44	Luke 15; 11-24; Genesis 28: 10-22.	Adam and Eve; Jonah; Gensis 31: 19.		You don’t escape from God, and his order; especially is it impossible to escape his responsibilities. But his goodness is not always near, unless we invite it near, particularly by service to others. Communion Sunday.
Religious Hunger	7/2/44	Psalm 42	Hosea, Micah, Amos	(from F. D. Adams, Xm. Cent. Pul., Jul. ‘30); A Preface to Morals, book, by Walter Lippman.	There is an inherent hunger for relgion in man, which no amount of rationalization or opposition can gainsay. All religious traditions hold that each individual is important and matters to God.	The experience in revolutionary Russia is that churches spring up even in spite of repression and abolition of what went before, and in spite of official governmental atheism.
A Church At Work	7/9/44	I Corinthians 13			Report on the General Assembly of the Congregational Christian Churches. Verbatim reproduction of opening prayer by the new moderator, a layman; makes the point that laypeople are perfectly capable of offering up public prayers.	reports the exploration of possible merger with the Evangelical and Reformed group. Mentions mission as one of the most important topics, including how to minister properly to returning servicemen.	He himself was a delegate, and was much moved by a talk by Douglas Horton, one by Walter Judd, and a sermon by James Fifield.
How Are We Known?	7/16/44	Luke 24: 13-35; Luke 9: 58; Matthew 8: 20.	John 8: 3-11.	(See Burkhart in Xm. Cent. Pul. 8-’41)	We are known and remembered by our acts. Jesus was known in the breaking of bread. Hitler and Stalin are remembered for crazy cruelty. How are we known?				2/13/49
Who Has The Last Word?	7/23/44	Psalm 67-68:6; Luke 12: 16-20; Psalm 73: 17.	I Corinthians 6: 19b and 20a; Genesis 3: 1-24.	(Drawn from C. B. McAfee in Xm. Cent. Pul., 7-’40)	We are not our own; and we were bought with a price, the death of Jesus. The final word is God’s, and we should listen carefully for it, lest we assume that everything is “I, My, Mine.”	Need for listening carefully for God’s voice in trying to plan for the peace after the conclusion of World War II.
More Enthusiasm!	7/30/44	Psalm 84		James Moffatt and JMP Smith translations of Psalm 84:2b	Enthusiasm for the living God should be a part of our religion. It is easiest to find and maintain when we are engaged in selfless pursuits rather than in plotting how to get.	Turning points in life for Tolstoy, Faraday, Luther, Wesley, King David.
The First Works	9/3/44	Revelation 2: 1-7			Labor Sunday. Labor-management relations need to be collaborative. And all our actions need to be tested against the moral authority of God--our own notions are frequently mistaken.	World War II. The moral bankruptcy of Nazi Germany where men decided that the church was decadent and outmoded. Our own tendency to be anti-Semitic in the USA.
Modern Saints	9/10/44	Romans 1: 7-17	Genesis 25: 28-34	(from F. K. Staman in Xm. Cent. Pul. Feb. ‘31)	Paul wrote to “the saints of the church.” We tend not to like the term, thinking a saint to be dead, sterile, sanctimonious. Rather, a modern saint honors the sacredness of life, is separate from parts of the world, is pure, and is humble.				1/8/50
Impossible or Possible?	9/17/44	Luke 14: 25-33		(suggested by Lowell in Xm. Cent. Pul. 1-’43) Burma Surgeon, a book about Dr. Seagrave, who served Burma in primitive circumstances, and accompanied Gen. Stillwell into India.	Jesus seems to demand the impossible, but we do rise to the occasion, get done things we originally thought impossible just because we were challenged to do them. We probably want our faith to remain challenging, and to be represented by a cross.	Madame Curie’s discovery of radium. Takes a slam at “easy” divorce. Takes several slams at “comfortable” church membership [“maybe we should demand more of members; maybe we preach too easy a gospel”]
Meeting Crises	10/8/44	Matthew 25: 1-13; Acts 7: 56-60; 8: 1; 9: 3-9.	II Peter 3: 8; Matthew 7: 25-27; Isaiah 30: 15.	Shakespeare: “There is a tide in the affairs of men ......”	Life is about meeting crises. We were collectively in error in the 20s when we thought that we knew it all, and that progress was going to be onward and upward forever. One must be ready to seize opportunities as they arise, avoid temptations, and decide.	Economic depression of the thirties as ample evidence that society was wrong to put its faith in material well-being.
We Are More Than Ourselves	10/15/44	I John 1: 1-7			Stewardship; support of missionary work at home and abroad. Support of the State Conference infrastructure, so that the overall effort is more than the effort of just the local congregation. Our gospel is different from that of the Soviet, Nazi, or Shinto ideologies.	Continuing involvement in aspects of World War II. Necessity of being providing a Christian presence, e.g. in Greece during liberation, so that we don’t leave a vacuum for the Soviets to occupy.
The Kingdom Has Priority	10/22/44	Matthew 6: 22-34	Hebrews 11: 37, 38; Luke 22: 42.		Seeking God’s Kingdom is supposed to be our first priority. If we try putting it off until later we are missing the point. This seeking is a precarious undertaking, but we are charged to do it regardless of the circumstances; it is not far away.
Strong Words	10/29/44	Psalm 27; Matthew 7: 16; Matthew 25: 40, 45.	Job 4: 4; Matthew 12: 37.		Words have a significant impact on others, and can be as important as deeds. We should avoid coarse or harmful speech, and pay particular attention to speech that helps others, including proclaiming our gospel and faith.	General MacArthur’s studied words as he exited the Philippines, and on his return.			8/18/57
Thanking and Giving	11/19/44	Psalm 103; Matthew 11: 25.	I Thessalonians 5: 18; Jeremiah 33: 11.	Walter Judd; a statement intended to be inserted which is missing. Robert Louis Stevenson, Henry Ward Beecher, Thomas Carlyle, General Sir Archibald Wavell.	Giving thanks is a central characteristic of a Christian.; “the attitude of thanksgiving is necessary for the appreciation of life’s richest blessings.” We give thanks for God’s love, for his divine justice, and for the urge that mankind has for continuous improvement.	We give thanks at this time of year for the perseverance of the Pilgrim Fathers. We must be ready to win the peace with as much vigor, as much effort, as we have spent in winning World War II. [stewardship; support missions]
Christian Building	11/26/44	Psalm 1	I Chronicles 16: 29b		Stewardship Sunday. Give not ‘till it hurts, but until it really feels good! Describes the needs for a new church furnace, and for the various “benevolences” that support work in the state, the nation, and the world.
Proclaim Liberty	12/3/44	Isaiah 40: 3-18	Leviticus 25: 10		Our liberty is precious, a gift from God. We should appreciate it even as we identify ways in which it is flawed and could be improved. We need to recognized it as God-given, and that it applies to all, in order not to lose it.	Internment of Japanese-Americans, lack of economic justice for blacks and native Americans, as examples of imperfections in how we carry out “liberty and justice for all.”
New Years and New Ways	12/31/44	Hebrews 12: 1-15; Matthew 5: 44.	Isaiah 1: 16,17; Luke 23: 34.	(see L. K. Bishop in Sm. Cent. Pul. 1-’45)	We humans have a myth about the passage of time automatically, magically, bringing us a better life. Better conditions have to be worked for, and the precondition for success is a fundamental change of heart.	World War II. End of the war in itself, even victory, will not bring the peace we want; the “new order” must be actively sought and worked for.
Invisible Help	1/28/45	II Kings 6: 8-23	Micah 4: 5	(see Rees in Xm. Cent. Pul. 8-’44) Bacon on the necessity of professing belief in God.	Those who stand for the right and try to speak the truth are aided by [invisible] chariots of fire just as Elisha was. It is crucial to witness to the truth, and not go along with the crowd. We will pay for the arrogance of some of our countrymen as the new order takes shape.				9/26/54
Next Best	2/11/45	Romans 8: 27-39		(See Atwood in Xm. Cent. Pul. 6-’44) Under A Lucky Star, autobiography, Roy Chapman Andrews; Under a Cloud, biography of George Washington Carver, by Rackham Holt; quotation from George Elliot.	We could have our lives written up, for others to learn from our experiences, just like we learn from others. The biography of George Washington Carver demonstrates a spirit of doing the best with was you have, and doing it understanding God’s will.	World War II; will we know what to do with victory?	John Corey, a young man from the Wisconsin Rapids congregation, killed in World War II, a local hero, cited for bravery.
That They May Be One	2/18/45	I John 2: 3-17	Acts 17: 26.	Mrs. Mary Munford, on her contacts with Nisei servicemen in Italy; Dr. Fred Eastman on white and Negro student roommates in seminary in Chicago.	Overcoming racial prejudice is the top priority in fixing our broken. It can perhaps best be done person to person, as the above stories illustrate.	If we don’t fix our (white) prejudices against people of color, the peoples of color in the world will rise up and crush us.
The Power of the Spirit	3/4/45	Acts 1: 1-8	Philippians 4: 13.	(Drawn heavily from Soares)	[used first time at a baptism service] We have access to power as baptised Christians, much like the power that the apostles experienced at Pentecost. This spiritual power, which we have to want and ask for,is a gift from God & is received when the Holy Spirit come upon you.
Through Christ	3/11/45	Romans 5: 1-11; Acts 9: 1-19.	Matthew 5: 48; John 14: 13.	(See Sockman in Xm. Cent. Pul. 3’’45); The Keys of the Kingdom, by A. J. Cronin; Dale Carnegie quotation.	When we pray “through Jesus Christ our Lord” we feel his invitation to pray; we have a standard of the right attitude in prayer; and we have his power.	pray for victory in World War II, provided that we believe that victory for our side will help bring about Christ’s kingdom.
The Best Of Trouble	4/15/45	Psalm 71: 1-5, 7-24	Matthew 11: 28.	(see Miller in Xm. Cent. Pul. 4-’45)	We should avoid asking for trouble, but troubles do come to us unbidden. We deal with them by facing them, sometimes by overcoming them, by being reconciled to them, and by trusting in God to help.	Referred to FDR’s overcoming his polio-inflicted disability.			6/19/49
Shall There Be Peace?	4/22/45	John 12: 23-32		(see Finegan in Xm. Cent. Pul., 10-’44)	We need to work hard to build a peace that lasts. We need to work as hard as we did to win the war, and with the same sense of urgency. And we need to understand that a worldwide effort will be necessary, just as there was for the war.
Christian Hope	4/29/45	Ephesians 2: 1-14	Ezekiel 37: 1-3	(see Moody in Xm. Cent. Pul. 7-’44)	Ezekiel prophesied the restoration of Israel as a people and as a nation, and the rejuvenation of Jerusalem and the temple. We hope for a similar restoration to peace, but we must commit ourselves to God and his law and serve his purposes.	the need to build a peace actively, and with as much intensity as we fought World War II.			7/1/56
What is the Purpose of the Church?	5/6/45	Isaiah 40: 1-10	Psalm 8: 3, 4; Luke 21: 28.	(See Stranger in Xm. Cent. Pul. 5-’45)	Some see the church as advocate, for or against labor or management, for or against war. He sees the role of the church as providing a view of life with a mountain-top perspective, and proclaiming the gospel, a witness to the eternal, compassionate God.	the Atheist point of view implicit in Hitler and explicit in Soviet thought; right will prevail in spite of them.
Where There is a Vision, There is Life	5/20/45	Acts 2: 1-7; 12-19a; 21	John 14: 16-17; Acts 1: 8; Proverbs 29: 18.		No one day is the birthday of the Christian religion, but Pentecost comes close. It was the day on which the apostles received the Holy Spirit, and Peter preached to 3,000 and converted them all.	End of World War II in Europe; the relief we all feel, but the vision we need to keep the peace. We need the vision to trust in God as Redeemer, to take our appropriate place in his universe, and to be brothers to all.			2/6/49
With Face Forward	5/27/45	Philippians 4: 1-9	Philippians 3: 13b-14a	Two movies, one dealing with the wartime suffering of the people of China, and the other dealing with American pilots facing the Japanese: “God is my co-pilot.”	Commencement or graduation Sunday. Life is a series of events, each of which ends one phase, and which we can celebrate, but which starts off the next. He advises facing forward to the next challenge.		(Especially to the High School Graduates of 1945) He would retitled the second movie, “I want to be God’s co-pilot.”
What Are The Issues?	6/3/45	Mark 11: 1-11a; Mark 11: 15-18; Mark 10: 44.	John 3: 16 & 17		Palm Sunday [first delivered in Honolulu 4/17/38] Jesus’ revolution was not temporal or political, but spiritual. He came, “not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.” We are called to serve others, to work for brotherhood.	We are called not to dominate or direct others but to sacrifice ourselves for them.
Islands of Tomorrow	7/1/45	Luke 24: 13-34		(from Horace G. Smith in Xm. Cent. Pul. 6-’45)	Many of the “islands” of idyllic existence of our childhood or earlier life cannot be recaptured. We cannot go back, because often everything is changed. So we face forward and look to the new opportunities that arise.	Much of pre-World War I existence will never be recaptured. We need to move on.
The Greatness of God	7/8/45	Psalm 19; Psalm 8: 3,4	Genesis [Adam & Garden of Eden; creation]		Man’s understanding of the nature and greatness of God has evolved as our scientific understanding of the universe has evolved. We still find spiritual value in the older accounts, while not believing them to represent accurate scientific fact.		Our understanding of God reckons him to be greater and more powerful as our understand- ing of the universe reckons it to be more vast and virtually limitless. [and this extends to our day’s understanding of the Big Bang; ed.]
Freedom Is In The Soul	7/15/45	Psalm 51: 1, 8-19		(see Elderkin in Xm. Cent. Pul. 7-’45)	Freedom is in each individual’s soul. We owe our secular freedom to the freedom of relgion born in the Protestant reformation, and in the Mayflower compact signed by the Pilgrims before they disembarked.	The charter of the United Nations , drafted by the Allied powers recently in San Francisco, although admittedly imperfect, is our main hope for building and maintaining the peace in the post-war world.
Let Us Worship	7/22/45	Psalm 122		Quotes extensively from Dr. Richard C. Cabot, “sometime professor of medicine and social ethics at Harvard,” no citation source.	Just as rest, relaxation and sleep are important to the maintainance of healthy bodies, so worship is important to the maintainance and re-creation of a healthy soul.	Asks rhetorically how we maintain sanity with war, economic crunches, etc.; answer, worship.
A Man And His Friends	7/29/45	Mark 1: 16-22; 2: 13-15	Prodigal Son; picking of the Apostles	(See Norwood in Current Rel. Thought 6-’45)	Jesus picked his apostles just by telling them, “Follow me.” He picked a heterogeneous bunch. He had many more disciples or “confederates,” enough to have sent out 70 on one mission.	The need to choose between enslavement and war in our own time.
The Message of the Church to Labor	9/2/45	Matthew 11: 20-30; Luke 10: 8; John 14: 6.	Psalm 104: 23; Deuteronomy 8: 3; Matthew 4: 4; I Thessalonians 4: 11; II Timothy 2: 15; Luke 11: 1, 3; Luke 1: 52, 53; Matthew 6: 33.	(See Walter O. Wagner in Xm. Cent. Pul, Sept ‘45, and Sept ‘44 and others)	The message of the church to labor is the gospel--the message of the church to all. It is about the Kingdom of God, and about the brotherhood of man. Jesus was an advocate for the nobility of labor.	Makes note of the increasing speed of air travel, and the increasing ability to kill hundreds of thousands of people, most notably with the atom bomb. We need a moral compass.
What Our Country Owes The Church	9/9/45	Matthew 16: 13-27; Acts 17: 26; Amos 5: 24.	I Timothy 3: 15b; Psalm 46: 1; Joshua 24: 15.	(see Lenor in Xm. Cent. Pul. 9-’45); Alexis de Tocqueville on America’s genius; John Foster Dulles and Wendell Wilkie; They Found The Church There (book), by Henry P. Van Dusen.	America, our nation, owes the church a great deal. de Tocqueville pointed to the church’s “goodness” as central to our greatness. Family values, stands on peace and justice, humanitarian causes and organizations, and a refuge for the people can all be cited.	End of World War II in a whirlwind week of atom bombs, Russia declaring against Japan, and Japan declaring itself willing to negotiate.
The News Is Good	9/16/45	II Corinthians 2: 1-12	Matthew 27: 21.	See Reissig in Xm. Cent. Pul. 9-’45)	Conversion is fine for those that experience it, but many have their Christian faith deepened gradually by lifelong exposure and education. All Christians need to experience gratitude and repentence; Thanksgiving and a determination to do better.	End of World War II; need to end racism and anti-Semitism in the USA; to build permanent structures to guard the peace.
Onward, Christian Soldiers	9/23/45	Isaiah 61			There is Christian work to be done in the post- war world. He details 11 initiatives that need, from the Congregational Christian community in the US, a total of $4.5 million over the next 3 years. Relief, rebuilding, ministering to veterans, etc.	End of world war II, and now the needs of the war victims. Much damage to physical plants that need to be restored, as well as ministering to the needs of people.
An Intelligent Man	9/30/45	Psalm 19	[beatitudes; Paul’s humility admonishment]	(See Fred W. Shorter in Xm. Cent. Pul. 9-’45) Kipling hymns; Lord Acton, “Power corrupts, and all great men are bad.”	Religious Education Week. The home must do most of the work, because they have hold of the kids for many more hours (20x) than the church. Talks mostly about the intelligent man and the requirement for humility, for really meaning “Thy will be done.”	Worries about “The Big Three” and the arrogance with which masses of people are moved around. We will police the world, we will make nations behave. Need for humility as a nation.	[Paul’s humility admonishment] “Even though I give my body to be burned, it profiteth me nothing unless I do it as an expression of love.”
For The Building Of His Kingdom	10/14/45	Psalm 103; Judges 9: 1-21; Daniel 3: 17-18.	Nehemiah 2-6; Genesis [Noah].	(From Dunnington in Xm. Cent. Pul. 10-’45); C. E. Montague, Disenchantment [book].	The human material (bricks) for the building of the Kingdom must be improved. We need God-loving men and women who stay at their tasks; talk to other; invite them into the fellowship of those who care; show them how and where to find the presence of God.	Aftermath of World War I as an example of what not to do after WW II. Quotes Clemenceau, through Lincoln Steffens, as saying we must give up much of our sovereignty it we really want peace.
The Hand That Takes Hold	11/4/45	John 3: 1-17	Luke 19: 8; John 1: 12; John 12: 20-24.	(see Sockman in Cur. Rel. Thought 6-’45)	John 3: 16 is a pretty good summary of the gospel, the good news that God loves the world, and gave his Son to save us all.
Judge of the Nations	11/11/45	Psalm 9; Matthew 6: 33; Isaiah 30: 15.	Isaiah 26: 3; John 14: 27; Psalm 23: 4.	Arthur Compton and John Foster Dulles on the need for support of Christian missions by Laypeople. Quotations from William James and Robert Louis Stevenson.	Armistic Day; World Order Sunday. The tenuous nature of the peace; the need of Christians to support the goals of brotherhood in order to maintain the peace, to undergird the Four Freedoms.	The exploding of the atomic bombs as a dramatic demonstration of something “we have known for a long time,” that our scientific and technological advances have run ahead of our moral compass for managing them.
Thankful, Joyous Giving	11/18/45	II Corinthians 9	Psalm 116: 12-13.	Quotation from Dr. Hugh Elmer Brown.	Stewardship Sunday; Annual Budget, and the call for extra, sacrificial giving for war relief. “The Lord Loveth a cheerful giver.” We give in part in Thanksgiving for all those who have given so much in successful prosecution of the war.	Not only are there immediate needs for war victims, but there is a lot of rebuilding and repair to be done, for example on mission properties, and even delayed maintainance to be addressed at home, outside war’s damage
Are You the Victor?	11/25/45	I John 4: 7-21; Genesis 37: 1-33; Psalm 42: 1.	Genesis 42, 43, 44, 45: 1-8; Genesis 50: 19- 20; Deuteronomy 33: 27; Matthew 26: 39; Luke 2: 10; Revelation 1: 17-18.	Quotation from Leslie Weatherhead.	God’s goodness can and does triumph over evil. We should cast aside our fears, trust in God, and follow the example of Jesus.
God Said, “Go Forward”	12/2/45	Exodus 14: 1-15; Exodus 14: 21-28.	I Corinthians 13: 7.		God said “Go Forward.” when the Israelites were making noises about going back [into slavery] to Egypt. He tells us now to go forward, to give of our time and substance to further his work.	War is over; peace must be built. Sacrificial giving is called for because of the enormous war relief needs imposed on the world. It is also necessary to tend to the needs of the home church.
Light On The Way	12/9/45	Psalm 119	Luke 4: 18-21.	Dr. George C. Parker, sermon on “The Nazareth Plan.” Quotations from William Lyon Phelps and Visser t’Hooft.	The Bible is our guide to right living, and we should study it as we try to discern the best path to permanent world peace [see above and below]. Gallup reports an encouraging upward trend in Bible reading. Hope it’s going to be world-wide, and impactful.		He tells the congregation of a New Testament given to him on graduation from college by his pastor, Curtis Brookens Harrold, who inscribed it with words from Psalm 119 [“lamp unto your feet and light unto your path”]
Advent in 1945	12/16/45	Luke 1: 46-55.	Isaiah; Luke 4: 18-21; Acts 17: 26.	(See Parker in Xm. Cent. Pul. 12-45); speech by Winston Churchill	Mentions the beauty of the Magnificat, but spends most of his time on the “Nazareth Plan,” the passage from Isaiah which Jesus read in the beginning of his ministry which laid out exactly his charter, and what he expected to accomplish.	Need for Post-World War II relief; tells of Douglas Horton and others in a visit to Japan to survey the needs.
Unto You -- A Savior	12/23/45	Luke 2: 1-20	Job 38: 7; John 1: 1-3.	Wind, Sand, and Stars. book, author not given. (See Corson in Xm. Cent. Pul. 12-’45)	“Unto you is born a savior” is the one and only Christmas theme. God sent Jesus into the world to save us all; the rich and poor, common and privileged, families and those who are alone.	Evil will not go away, e.g. the recent war, Herod’s slaughter of the innocents. So we must work out the terms of our redemption.
Take It As It Comes	1/20/46	Ecclesiastes 9: 1-11; II Corinthians 12: 7-10.	Matthew 5: 45; Philippians 1: 12-21.	(see Weatherhead in Xm. Cent. Pul. 1-’46)	Disasters happen to all, and are not a punish- ment from God. We try to fight our way clear of problems, make ourselves better lives; but when disaster strikes, we must accept it and move on in the knowledge that God’s plan is better than anything we could imagine.
Fun in the Extra Measure	2/10/46	Matthew 5: 33-48		Quotations from General Wainwright and Governor Broughton of North Carolina.	Scouting Sunday; [almost] Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. Doing good turns, and being good neighbors, to all, regardless of race, creed, color, or national origin, is fun! And it is not only good scouting, it is good Christianity.	Jim Crow laws; discrimination in Chicago against Negroes in housing; discrimination in college entrance. All these residual race relation problems need to be solved to have a firm foundation for peace.
One God	2/17/46	I John 3: 11-24; I John 4: 20.	Mark 12: 28-31.	One God - the Ways We Worship Him (book), by Florence Mary Fitch	Brotherhood is mandatory for keeping the peace. Hatred plunged the world into war, and we must be vigilant against it doing so again. Jesus stated that the first commandment was to love God, and the second to love neighbor as self.	Reports on the rise of anti-Semitism in the US, and states we must combat it and practice the brotherhood of man, individually and collectively.
Something New -- And Explosive!	2/24/46	II Peter 3: 1-18.		Quotations from a number of scientists who are worried, not about atomic energy, but about how man will use it.	The fact of atomic bombs is a new reality that brings up the very real possibility of the end of man, the end of life, the end of the planets. It is not science that has done this, but the sin of man. The cure is trust in God, the brotherhood of man in practice, and Christian faith.	Dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, leading to the capitulation of Japan.	Our family’s being off on retreat that August, cut off from news, until the whole story was known.
Something Needs to be Done!	3/3/46	Luke 13: 1-9	Matthew 5: 13; John 14: 6.	(See Fosdick in Xm. Cent. Pul. 3-’46); also Jerald H. Snovely in Minister’s Quarterly 2-’46 Quotation from Dr. Harold Urey.	The fact of the atom bomb has scientists warning us that we need to change our ways of interacting, before we are all blown away. A serious return to Christian values, and emphasis on Christian training that sticks, is called for urgently.
The Intention of Jesus	3/10/46	John 4: 3-34		John MacMurray, “The Clue to History.” Poem by Judah Halleri. Quotations from Gaius Glenn Alkins, Phillips Brooks, and Douglas Horton.	Lent is a season for accompanying Christ on the journey to Calvary, and to being about the business of God. Action as well as contemplation is called for.	There is a huge need, financial and otherwise for those displaced and dispossed by the war. Rather than Lenten “give ups” being just empty promises, the saved money could profitably go for war relief.
	3/17/46				Desparate need of war victims, contrasted with American unwillingness to continue rationing and help out, contrasted with a mass movement in England to provide food for starving children in Germany. Christian principles demand that we help.		[first nine pages missing] - missing pages
Love The Lord Thy God	3/24/46	Jeremiah 13: 1-17a; Luke 15: 11-32. Job.	Matthew 7: 24-27; Romans 8: 38-39; Psalm 23.	(from George T. Peters - Neenah - “On Honoring God Before Darkness Falls”); Rudyard Kipling on the moral patterns set for people by the age sixteen.	The first commandment is Love thy God; Moses said so; so did Jeremiah and Jesus. It is a lifelong obligation, and pays off, if one has his acquaintance before some calamity happens in which a robust faith would be useful.
Galilean Accent	3/31/46	Matthew 26: 57,58, 69-75; Romans 12: 19.	Matthew 5: 13; Matthew 5: 16; Acts 4: 13.	(from George Thomas Peters, “The Galilean Accent;” Neenah, 2-24-46)	We all have accents in our speech, and don’t know it until confronted by other accents. Peter’s accent betrayed him at Jesus’s trial. Does our accent let others know that we are Christian? If not, why not? We have an obligation to proclaim the gospel.		An occasional visitor to his boyhood South Dakota home spoke in a Devonshire accent in spite of many years in Canada, thereby delighting his grandmother, reminding her of her youthful home. He himself spoke with a Midwestern accent when a student at Yale.
Evil Defeats Itself	4/7/46	Hebrews 2: 1-4; 9-18	Genesis 3: 1-8;(creation story, Adam and Eve)	(See Sockman in Xm. Cent. Pul. 4-’46); Kipling, Letting in the Jungle.	Evil destroys itself. Hitler tried to destroy the Ten Commandments and failed; they are not to be repealed, since they are God’s law. Don’t read Genesis as Science or history, but as poetry. The Garden of Eden is a spiritual description of the birthplace of conscience.	War ended, but evil did not. We always blame others, as Adam and Eve did. “It was Hitler;” “It was the war.” But we need to examine our own hearts and look for our part in evil, in order to change things.
A Welcome for Christ	4/14/46	Mark 11: 1-10; Matthew 2: 16.	Luke 2: 41-47; Matthew 20: 27; Mark 8: 35.	(see Figg in Xm. Cent. Pul. 4-’46)	Palm Sunday; Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Was he “before his time?” People welcomed him with genuine affection, but they were not ready to follow his teachings, and he was betrayed and put to death. It is so with us today.	Story of a Danish pastor who spoke out against his government’s collaboration with the Nazis, and ended up being murdered. “It is better that Denmark’s relations with Germany should deteriorate than with Christ.”			4/10/60
Try God	5/5/46	Acts 15: 1-11; Matthew 10: 28.	Isaiah 6: 5; Micah 6: 8.	(see Gehri in Xm. Cent. Pul. 5-’46); poem by James Russell Lowell.	We have to grow in order to keep spiritually and mentally alive. If we cease to grow, we stagnate. Anyone who thinks he learned all he needs to know in Sunday school, or thinks he has “completed his education,” is sadly mistaken.	Paralysis caused by stubbornness in collective bargaining (or non-bargaining); the sad fact that this paralysis makes it impossible to meet the very pressing needs of the world.	a Russian, commenting on the purges, said, “First you hear of injustice, and do nothing; next you see some injustice, and do nothing; then you are obliged to share in some act of injustice, and then it is too late.”
Family Goes to Church	5/12/46	Deuteronomy 29: 9-15; 18-20; 29.		[missings pages 6-13]	Mother’s Day; he wants to emphasize Family Day, and the importance of family values in protecting the moral fiber of the nation.	Many families now reunited with end of WWII. 136 people served in the military from this single church; 30 are still in uniform; six died; exactly 100 are civilians again.
A New Song	5/19/46	Psalm 98	James 1: 27; Malachi 3: 2, 3.	(see Hass in Xm. Cent. Pul. 5-’46); “It is Time to Build,” [poem] by Elias Lieberman. Persecution of Galileo.	It is time to “sing to the Lord a new song,” to eliminate racial prejudice and discrimination from our own country, and truly initiate the brotherhood of man. Too many times in history this has been frustrated by dogmatic adherence to the old song.	“Master Race” idea of Hitler; persecution and incarceration of certain anthropologists and religious leaders who disagreed.
The Freedom We Love	5/26/46	Galatians 5: 1, 5, 13-18, 22-26.			Memorial Day Sunday; thanksgiving for return of all but 26 of the men and women in armed forces. Deep gratitude for the lives of the six who died in combat. Also graduation Sunday; congratulations to those graduating in a few days from Lincoln High School.
Which Way Shall We Look?	8/4/46	Isaiah 51: 1-8	Matthew 8: 22; Luke 9: 62; Philippians 3: 14.	(See Wilkie in Xm. Cent. Pul. 7-’46)	We expect progress, and are constantly advised to look forward, not back (like Lot’s wife). But we must look back, in order to keep our lives centered in God and Jesus.	The great sacrifice in lives of World War II; let these lives not be lost in vain. The attraction of Russia for those in this country who are discriminated against; we must put our own house in order.	Vacations of our family in Waupaca, at the Chain of Lakes. Learning to row a rowboat, and guiding it by looking back at a fixed point. Christ is our fixed point.
The Fearless Individual	8/11/46	John 21: 15-22		(From R. R. Wicks in Xm. Cent. Pul, May, ‘31)	We need the fearless individual; personally, as a society, as a democracy. The fearless individual must have a vigorous and vital sense of God in his life and in the world. Civilization as a race between education and catastrophe. Fearless individual is connected	Tragedy of World Wars and the depression. The need for a moral compass [he first laid this out in 1931] to deal with the political realities of our time, and with issues such as the peaceful use of atomic power. Go Vote!
This Is Holy Ground	8/18/46	Exodus 3: 1-12		(See Barr in Xm. Cent. Pul. 7-’46); Elizabeth Barrett Browing; Augustine; Winston Churchill	The ground we walk now is holy ground, consecrated in part by the blood spilled in the recent war. We must “take off our shoes” and pay attention to God’s agenda; otherwise we trample on the sensibilities of all those who have sacrificed to make our existence possibl	Sacrifices made during world war II, including simple self-denial for the common good; the outrage felt by those who watched self-professed patriots enjoy using black market gasoline.
Increase In Values	8/25/46	Luke 20: 19-26; Isaiah 30: 15.	Psalm 23: 1; II Corinthians 5: 17.	(See Hobart D. McKeehan in Xm. Cent. Pul., 7-’46)	The touch of Jesus adds value to everything and everybody. It adds beauty to the arts, freedom to the soul. In order to fully benefit, the touch needs to be repeated at intervals, which is a good justification for regular worship.	Current economy is undergoing inflation, an increase in “value” of many commodoties and housing; but his focus is on the values more important, mentioned above.
Don’t Be Ashamed Of Your Work	9/1/46	II Timothy 2: 1-15; John 14: 6; Matthew 4: 4.	Deuteronomy 8: 3; Luke 4: 18-19.	Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune (regular edition and supplement) on labor and Labor Day.	Honest work is nothing to be ashamed of. Jesus was a carpenter, and many of his early followers were not drawn from the elite. The church should be for all - management and labor alike. Man does not live by bread alone.	Rewards and membership should not be confined to “the proletariat” but should be open to all. Society needs both good workers and good managers.	His own personal experience with farm work and construction work while growing up and a student. Brother Bob’s temporary employment in the paper mill.
Where We Stand	9/8/46	Philippians 2: 1-13	II Peter 3: 10,11	(See Pruden in Xm. Cent. Pul. 5-’46, p 8 ff)	We need to work out our own salvation, and live our lives as better Christians; it is urgent to begin so that there is a proper moral under- pinning for making the right decisions about the problem of war, and about the proper use of atomic power.	Quotes Clement Attlee addressing the General Assembly of the United Nations. Quotes Lloyd George: It is either Christ or chaos for the world.
The Will Of God	9/15/46	Luke 22: 39-46	Matthew 6: “Thy will be done.”	(See Watkins in Xm. Cent. Pul. 9-46)	Are tragedy, pain, and suffering the will of God? He thinks not; he thinks they are derived in many cases from the misdeeds of man. God is a loving Father, and does not decree our bad fortune, nor crimes like the crucifixion of Jesus.		This sermon is about what the will of God is not. Subsequent sermons intend to explore what it is.
God’s Intention	9/22/46	Matthew 18: 1-14	Matthew 23: 37-38; Luke 19: 42.	Leslie D. Weatherhead, The Will Of God, book or booklet, 1944.	We need to distiguish among God’s intention, how his will plays out in specific circumstanc- es, and what is his ultimate will for man. We should not ascribe to God the intent for various disasters that we experience.	Starving and other privations in postwar Asia and Europe; not God’s will, at least not his intention.
Is God’s Will Limited?	9/29/46	Mark 3: 31-35; Matthew 3: 13-15.	John 13: 7; John 16: 12; John 16: 33.	The Will of God, booklet, by Leslie D. Weatherhead.	The will of God is constrained by circum- stances, frequently the results of evil done by humans, in part because God’s natural laws can not be suspended even by God. We must “go with the flow” and attempt to see how what we confront conforms to his ultimate will.	Shortage of marriagable men in England as a result of two world wars. The need of women to find a non-family vocation as a result, and to understand this as the circumstantial will of God.
This Sign Makes a Difference	10/6/46	Hebrews 8:6 - 9:15; Matthew 5: 44.	Luke 6: 37; John 13: 34.		World-Wide Communion Sunday. Jesus wrote a new covenant with the whole world that he took so seriously that he sealed it with his own blood. He commanded, “Love your enemies;” “Forgive as you would be forgiven;” “Love one another as I have loved you.”
The Ultimate Will of God	10/13/46	Job 42: 1-6; Job 13: 15; Romans 6: 1-2.	Mark 14: 21; Matthew 18: 7; I Corinthians 2: 9; Revelation 22: 13.	booklet on the will of God by Dr. Leslie Weatherhead	The ultimate will of God happens, regardless of how the path may be diverted by man’s sin and the circumstances caused thereby.	devastation of war.
Can You Know the Will of God?	10/20/46	Proverbs 3: 1-7, 11-13	Matthew 18: 17; Matthew 27: 25.	The Will of God, booklet, by Dr. Leslie Weatherhead.	We cannot absolutely know the will of God, but we have tools to try and divine it, which include talking it over with friends, listening to the wisdom of the church, listening to conscience or “common sense”, reading history or biography.
The Courage of our Convictions	10/27/46	Galations			The Protestant Reformation; anniversary of the death of Martin Luther; Reformation Sunday. Contributions of Luther to Protestantism and also reform of the Roman Catholic church.	Upcoming election referendum on the funding (by the state) of school buses for parochial schools. He vigorously opposes, citing the need to keep clear the separation of church and state.	Tells a story of a conversation with a Roman Catholic priest a mixed marriage, performed by him, which demonstrates that one must not even accept the initial premise in a discussion that depends on logic.
New Notes In Religion	11/3/46	Matthew 7: 7-20	Isaiah 6:5; Hebrews 12: 2.	(see Shearman in Xm. Cent. Pul. 10-’46);	He is not so sure the notes are new, but rather rediscovered “old” notes; (1) God is holy; (2) the right way is narrow and defined; (3) faith is contagious; (4) Joy is unquenchably a part of religious living.	Moral bankruptcy of western culture as evidenced by two world wars in a generation. “Man belongs not on a marble pedestal of divinity, but on the sinner’s bench of repentance.”
Unfinished Business	11/10/46	Luke 14: 27-35	Isaiah 6: 5; Hebrews 12: 2.	(See Jones in Xm. Cent. Pul. 9-’46); C. T. Studd (poem);	Life is all unfinished business. Marriages, personal lives, relationships, businesses; all require continuing effort.	Building peace in the wake of World War II is definitely unfinished business, barely begun. And it must be based on sound spiritual principles.
The World’s Greatest Need	11/17/46	Psalm 139: 1-12	(Peter, recently released from prison)	(See Kemper in Xm. Cent.. Pul.); Wendell Wilkie, One World; Clarence Tucker Craig, One God, One World.	We live in a single world, all parts of which are interrelated. Peace and justice will not come for any of us until they come for all of us, worldwide. Our Christian witness, and support for mission and missions, are the World’s Greatest Need.	Wide gap in definition of “democracy” between the “Western bloc” and the communist nations. The need to be sure no part of the earth is mired in depression, because it could easily spread globally.
For These Things We Are Grateful	11/24/46	Psalm 136: 1-9, 23-26	Psalm 1: “O give thanks unto the Lord ....”		Thanksgiving Sunday. In spite of all the bad things a cynic might cite to say, “Why be thankful?” we can be thanksful for food; life; freedom; hope; and the love of God as manifest is Christ.	War is over, but the aftermath of starvation is real, in places outside the United States. “Inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these, you have done it to me.”
You Can Take It With You!	12/1/46	Luke 12: 4-21; Luke 24: 25; Luke 12: 33.	I Samuel 26: 21; I Corinthians 4: 10.	(see McCartney if Cur. Rel. Thought, 12-’46); Kaufmann and Hart, “You Can’t Take It With You,” (play).	Bible lists a number of people as fools, or traits as foolish. Parable in the gospel is about a Rich Husbandman who stores up his surplus, and is called a fool. The point is that he has not stored up spiritual value, which is indeed the only thing you can take with you.
We Believe in These Things	12/8/46	Isaiah 51: 9-17a			Loyalty Sunday; Stewardship Sunday. We support our budget to fund our programs of worship and education and fellowship, and also to fund the giving to foreign and national mission.	The need is great for war relief funds, and for reconstruction of churches destroyed in the war.	“The most satisfying policy in giving is to set aside a definite amount of one’s income for giving, and then have the fun of spending it for that!”
The Man of the Years	12/15/46	John 1: 6-17; Micah 6: 8; Matthew 19: 16-17.	Matthew 7: 15; Mark 11: 15-17; Isaiah 56: 7; - John 10: 30; John 4: 34; Luke 23: 46; Philippians 4: 13.	The Apostle, (book) by Sholem Asch; George Bernard Shaw; Branch Rickey; Marian Anderson; William Pierson Merrill.	Jesus is the Man of the Years. Merrill says a preacher gave 10,000 sermons on the same text: “Have this mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” That is after all what it is all about.	Need for war relief.
To You Is Born a Savior	12/22/46	Isaiah 40: 1-5; 9-11; 29-31	Luke 2: 11		Christmas. The best spirit of Christmas is the genuine giving of self to others, and to the betterment of the world.	CARE packages to the starving elsewhere in the world. One million war orphans in Poland alone.
Choose to Live	01/05/1947	Deuteronomy 30: 14-20.	Luke 10: 28; Luke 12: 10; Luke 15: 24; Mark 6: 46; Matthew 14: 23; Luke 6: 12; Luke 9: 28; Luke 19: 42.	poem by Sara Henderson Hay; quotations from H. G. Wells and George Bernard Shaw. Story about Dr. Halford Luccock on a train, being called “this space” by a Pullman porter.	Choose life. If we follow the life of Jesus, we see that among other things, this exhortation means to devote significant time to prayer. It means giving significant energy to the life of the spirit, rather than focussing on things.	When, at the end of the first World War, we did not properly implement and empower the League of Nations, we chose death rather than life.	[date arbitrarily assigned by editor; sermon was delivered in Wisconsin Rapids on an unknown date in 1947.]
Truth in Science and Religion	1/12/47	Genesis 2: 1-9		“My Faith,” a series in the magazine American Weekly, by prominent scientists.	The is no fundamental conflict between true religion and true science. Each has a different kind of approach to truth, and acts as a check on the excesses of the other. Moral judgments are in the realm of religion, and need to be made to avoid misuse of science.	Need for moral grounding, religion, to guide man in the proper use of the power of atomic fission.
God’s Demands on the Christian	1/26/47	Matthew 7:1-14; Matthew 11:6; Matthew 26:31	Luke 9: 58, 60, 62; Mark 10: 38.		True Christianity is demanding, and is for the heroic, just as it was in the first two centuries after Jesus. Think of all the kind and gentle things that Jesus said, but also think of all the demands he made on would-be followers, and the enemies he made in the powerful.				1/8/67
You Can’t Hide	2/2/47	Matthew 11: 20-30	Matthew 10: 26,27.		We can’t hide from citizenship in the world. The reality of atomic power and its proper use has made that clear. Rather than hiding or seeking individual solace, the role of our religion must be in helping us take our ethical and responsible place.
Bring Your Brother	2/16/47	Genesis 43: 1-5	Matthew 5: 21-24; Matthew 10: 26,27.	(See Kilgore in Xm. Cent. Pul. 2-’47)	Just as Joseph demanded that his brothers bring along Benjamin if they came back for more food, God asks us to be accompanied by our brother. We all need to be working at better relations among people of differing race or religion or national origin; attitudes matter.	Brotherhood Week, promoting better relations between Jew and Gentile. Race relations Sunday. The holocaust as ample evidence that anti-Semitism is capable of bringing about incredible destruction.
The Teaching of Jesus	3/2/47	Matthew 4: 25 - 5: 12b	Matthew 5: 21a - 22a; I Corinthians 8: 13.	[first in a Lenten series of four sermons on the gospels; this one is on Matthew, and emphasizes Jesus’ teaching]	Jesus’ teaching (e.g. the Beatitudes) were directed toward the common folk, and were revolutionary in supporting them, and in punching holes in some of the establishment mores.	We are the salt of the earth. There is a need for our salt, both in promoting world-wide brotherhood and conflict resolution, and in the need for continuing relief for war refugees.
The Deeds of Christ	3/9/47	Mark 10: 35-45; Mark 1: 29; Mark 6: 50.	Mark 8: 10; Mark 3: 55; Mark 9: 37, 41; Mark 10: 14; Mark 16: 15.	Henry Drummond, on the history and the nature of the Bible. People wrote the books of the Bible; they were not just holding a pen for God to use.	2nd in the Lenten series of four sermons on different views of Christ; this one on his action. Mark emphasizes action and movement, so that we get a good picture of what Jesus did.	Need in the world for Christian values, and right living.
Jesus’ Fellowship With People	3/16/47	Luke 10: 25-42; Luke 4:18, 23; Luke 15: 11-32	Luke 10: 30-37; Luke 19: 2-20; Luke 7: 36-50; Luke 23: 39-43; LUke 9: 51-56.		3rd sermon in Lenten series on gospels, and views of Jesus. Luke tells us about Jesus’ human relationships. He tells quite a few parables and other anecdotes not in other gospels (e.g. Good Samaritan, prodigal son).	Easter offering will be taken for war victim relief, and reconstruction of churches and mission buildings.
Jesus’ Fellowship With God	3/23/47	John 17: 19-26; John 20: 31; John 3: 1-15, 16.	John 4: 4-26; John 6: 48-58; John 3: 19; John 9: 5; John 12: 46; John 10: 11-16; John 17: 1, 5; John 18: 36, 37; John 15: 13, 14, 15.		4th of 4 Lenten sermons giving different views of Jesus as presented in the 4 gospels. John shows Jesus’ personal relationship to God, highlighting God as Father, and as Love. John presents Jesus as Word incarnate, trying to convince readers that Jesus is Son of God.
Triumphal Entry	3/30/47	Mark 11: 1-10	Zechariah 9: 9.		Holy Week makes up one-third of the gospel narrative. Starts with the triumphal entry on Palm Sunday, but is an action-packed week. We should also cheer, but be ready not to abandon Jesus, but stick with his program of righteousness.
Worth Living For	4/27/47	John 19: 17-24		The Robe, novel, by Lloyd C. Douglas	He details the story of Lloyd Douglas, and much of the story of The Robe, setting the stage for a declamation by one of the high school students, Dorothy Wilcox, from the trial of Marcellus, the Roman tribune who won the robe in a dice game, and who was converted.	He says the point is that the faith is worth dying for, as well as worth living for, as the title implies.
Positively Right	5/4/47	Psalm 125			First of three sermons on The Family (keeping National Family Week, and Mother’s Day). We need positive moral values, not just a bunch of “Shall nots” as a basis for right living and for child rearing. Suggests several positive values as a basis for building a marriage.	Bemoans various statistics demonstrating the rise in juvenile delinquency, and also the rise in divorce “among wartime marriages.”
The Letter To The Lady	5/11/47	II John	Matthew 25: 21, 23.	(suggested by Catherine McCune Kingdon)	II John is a letter from an elderly John to an elect lady, also mother of five, congratulating her among other things that her children are such fine Christians. We should all merit such accolades! [Mother’s Day]
About Mixed Marriages	5/18/47	Ephesians 5: 22-33	II Corinthians 6: 14a	Federal Council of Churches pamphlet, “If I Marry a Roman Catholic.”	Mixed marriages fail more often than do marriage between 2 Protestants or between 2 Roman Catholics. So do marriages where there is no religious training background. One of the problems is the fixed requirements that the Roman church puts on non-Catholics.
Our Christian Homes	5/25/47	Acts 2: 1-21	Acts 1: 8a		The home is the foundation of life in America, and should be the bedrock of early Christian training. We should pledge our time and our substance to God’s work, an up-front fair pro- portion, not just what is left over from every- thing else we do or spend money on.	He engages in a bit of Roman Catholic bashing, taking exception to their lobbying in Washington, and boasting about the postive reports on the Protestant lobby, and railing against authoritarian religion.	He also takes personal exception to the push for government funding of parochial education He is personally against parochial education, preferring family religious training.
Meaning In Thunder	7/13/47	John 12: 23-32		poem by Browning	Some hear thunder; others say an angel spoke. We will hear the voice of God only if we are prepared, if we are expecting it. Hence the need for regular worship, for proper Christian training of our children.	Use of the atom bomb in war. Are we just using more sophisticated tools than stone axes to kill each other, or are there hopeful signs of moving toward the Kingdom?			1/13/48	7/26/64
Look to the Future	7/27/47	Philippians 3: 7-14			the future belongs to those who prepare for it. A platitude in an advertisement, but a truth all should heed and act on. Too often we say, yes it is so, but do nothing about it. And it is time for Christians to take seriously the plans of others and act for the Kingdom.
Nothing Strong Without It	9/7/47	I Corinthians 13		(see Scherer in Xm. Cent. Pul. 9-’47)	Love (“charity”) is a necessary ingredient of our lives together, which, if missing, makes worthless a whole lot of otherwise worthwhile endeavor. We are speaking of God’s love, and of God’s commandment that we love one another.	Failures of philanthropy and socialism and other seemingly worthwhile humanitarian operations, when they are not grounded in love.
Love God With Your Mind	9/21/47	Luke 10: 25-37		(See Keck in Xm. Cent. Pul. 9-’47)	Part of Jesus “great commandment” is to love God with your mind. This means being intellectually honest, seeking the truth, and also living in a spirit of tolerance.
The Mission of Protestant Christianity	11/2/47	I Corinthians 13			Protestantism must be on guard over freedom; must demonstrate to the world that freedom and order and progess can coexist; that moral order and responsibility can go along with individuality; and that individuals can contribute to a collective society.
Lest We Forget	11/23/47	Deuteronomy 8	Luke 17: 11-19.	(See Robinson in Xm. Cent. Pul. 11-’47)	Moses preached to the people of Israel that they should not forget God when they got prosperous. We need the same reminder; thus Thanksgiving Day. We should make every day a thanksgiving, and act out our gratitude by gifts of time, self, substance.	The remaining crushing needs of people in Europe in the wake of World War II; a reminder that although already quite generous, we could to more, and more is needed.
To run and not be weary	11/30/47	Isaiah 40: 21-31		(See Ludlow’s “Chapel Talks”, pp 14-16; and Hastings in Xm. Cent. Pul 7-’47)	We live in a speeded-up age. But we need the rest and worship of God provided by the Sabbath. We need to “wait upon the Lord” for renewal, for strength.	Story of a World War II contractor, building small boats for the European invasion, who made a very aggressive deadline in spite of [or perhaps because of?] insisting on taking Sunday off for worship and rest.
Christ So Long Time With Us	12/7/47	John 14: 1-11	II Timothy 1: 12.		Christ has been with us for centuries; we should know him better! Study the Bible, discuse the precepts, share the good news with others. And at this Christmas time, consider giving a gift to someone from whom we expect no return gift.	The need for CARE packages and other forms of relief to people in Europe in the wake of World War II.	His joy in climbing Mount Haleakala on Maui, and in sharing the beauty of the place with others.
Glorious Journey	12/21/47	Matthew 2: 1-11		(see Anderson in Xm. Cent. Pul. 12-’47)	The wise men show us the way on a life journey where we free ourselves of impedi- menta, act on our vision, find a splendid purpose, and give of ourselves out of love.The church that helps in this journey rather than hindering is what we are trying to nourish.
Who Missed Christmas?	12/28/47	Matthew 2: 1-15a		(see Lampe in Xm. Cent Pul.)	Think of the story of the Three Kings, and then think of all the people who talked with them or consulted about their quest, and who didn’t go to Bethlehem and therefore missed Christmas We, today, run the risk of missing Christmas because of our preoccupations and busyness		Ministerial tasks are important; but they must not be allowed to be so all-consuming that I miss Christmas, the fact that the Savior is born to me today.
The First Loyalty [Faith at Work, first sermon]	1/11/48	Exodus 20: 1-17			Ten Commandments are the basis for English and American law. First commandment, to love only God, makes our loyalty to God first in our lives. It is the kind of priority that made some German church people [e.g.Niemoller] refuse to acknowledge Hitler above God.
Divine Intolerance [Faith at work, 2nd sermon]	1/18/48	Exodus 20: 18-24			An easy tolerance of error is dangerous to our faith. So the demand of the second commandment to make no graven images is relevant to our time, since we tend to worship money or status or power; it is not just golden calves we need avoid.	Not all religions should be tolerated; not all are tolerable, for example the Shinto of the Japanese militarists, which was dangerous for the rest of the world.
The Urgency of Faith [Faith at Work,3rd part]	1/25/48	Matthew 5: 33-37	Exodus 20: 7a		Taking the name of the Lord in vain is not just the use of profanity, but much more important, it is taking it lightly, not seriously, i.e. giving lip service to our faith rather than real service to our fellow man. The world needs seriously dedicated Christians living out their faith.	Russia’s state-sponsored atheism is a formidable opponent, and needs to be reckoned with, given its formal rejection of the Judeo-Christian tradition.
What is so Holy about the Sabbath?	2/1/48	Exodus 20: 8-11	Matthew 12: 1-8	[this is part 4 of the series, “Faith at Work” on the Ten Commandments]	The keeping of the Sabbath, plus the development of the habit of corporate worship have been critical in keeping the Biblical tradtion alive through the centuries. We have an obligation as citizens to keep the tradition going, to keep moral and ethical values alive.
Honoring our Inheritance; “Faith at Work”, # V	2/8/48	Mark 7: 1-13	Exodus 20: 12		Being a Christian means being in community. No one is self-made; we are formed by our parents and by others in our “extended family” which in Christian homes includes the church. Honoring parents includes honoring their tradition and the things which they worked on.
Life and Conscience; “Faith at Work,” part VI	2/15/48	Matthew 5: 21-26	Exodus 20: 13		“Thou shalt not kill.” Is human life that valuable, that it should be preserved at all costs? Not life per se, but the unique human personality should be honored and preserved The use of animals in research should always be questioned: is it absolutely necessary?	Nazi experimentation on humans as abhorent. The use of the atom bomb against Japanese civilians as similarly abhorent, especially if it was “an experiment.”
Fidelity has to be Achieved; Faith at Work, VII	2/22/48	Matthew 5: 27-32	Exodus 20: 14		Fidelity in marriage in something to be worked at, but well worth the effort. Adultery always affects others; always. Love grows during a marriage, especially when fidelity is practiced and assured. “Free love” might work if life were like a game of solitiare, but it is not.
Concerning Ownership [“Faith at Work,” #VIII]	2/29/48	Deuteronomy 4: 1-10	Exodus 20: 15	G. A. Studdert-Kennedy [no other identifier given for the reference] Albert Schweitzer [no other identifier for the reference]	Private property is not evil; it is good. Hence the commandment, “Thou shalt not steal.” The problems with property are human pro- pensities toward amassing it all, and toward the use and abuse of power. Moral character is the best protection against such abuse.	Socialism versus captalism. Neither is perfect but he personally favors capitalism, with a method for fairer distribution of the goodies.
Telling the Truth; “Faith at Work,” part IX	3/7/48	Ephesians 4: 25-32	Exodus 20: 16		Telling the truth is good; lying is evil; it is par- ticularly evil when it is gossip that is damaging to another person, and that is why the ninth commandment specifies not bearing false witness against neighbor. However, tolerance for error is not prescribed either.
Satisfaction without Greed [“Faith at Work”, X]	3/14/48	Exodus 20: 1-20	I Corinthians 13; Luke 12: 15.	Elton Trueblood [no further citation given]	The tenth commandment, to not covet, addresses the universal human attribute of greed. Agape is the New Testament antidote to greed. The commandment enumerates a number of things we should not covet, and does not limit itself to money or things bought .	Democracy is necessary to curb the greediness of the powerful; it works better than other governmental systems because of the existence of greed, and the need to cope with it.
Joy In Being Christian Today	4/11/48	John 15: 1-11		(See Stuart in Xm. Cent. Pul. 2-’48)	Joy in not just in the future, but can be for us today. Jesus promised this, after the Last Supper, even as his world was collapsing. It is a joy to note how much of the world is Christian.	Even Gandhi, who didn’t “buy” some of our theology, held Jesus in high esteem.	Tells of his personal contact with Dr. Alfred Ludlow (“Uncle Pin”) who lived exuberantly in spite of many personal trials and tribulations.
What do we do to God?	5/2/48	Psalm 139: 1-12.	Luke 16: 1-13; Luke 18: 2-8; Luke 15: 11-32;- Matthew 25: 1-13; Matthew 13: 3-9; Matthew 25: 31-46.	(See Norwood in Current Religious Thought, 11-47)	People fuss about how there can be a loving God in the midst of the current catastrophe. Jesus says in several parables that the Kingdom is like having an absentee master. But he shows that God’s love allows bearing anything, even the cross.
The Christian Family	5/9/48	Matthew 5: 3-16.	Colossians 4: 15.		Mother’s day, Family Life Week. He pleads for Christian Family Life Week, for a commit- ment to Christian education in the home, and a home life that nurtures all, but especially children. No neutrality here; a person cannot chose, when adult, from nothing.		He spoke of counselling with parents to try and get them to enter their child in Sunday School, and of his frustration when they declined, stating they wanted him to be free later to make up his mind [see above].		5/7/61
Christ for the World	5/16/48	I Corinthians 3: 10-23	Zecharia 4: 6; Acts 2: 14-42.		Do we have a vital faith, or are we decadent? [see below] Revitalizing the faith is the right way to combat the communist ideology. We should not get sucked into the idea that we can “fight them in a holy war.” Our own faith needs to be in order, and revitalized.	The “anticommunism crusade” strikes him as pathetic, with vast sums being spent to suppress a very small minority, and even vaster sums spent on arming against the Soviets.
God and Human Nature	5/23/1948	Romans 8: 28-34; Romans 7: 18, 19.	II Timothy 4: 7; John 3: 3; Ephesians 4: 24.	Human Destiny, book, by Dr. Nouy	Human nature can be changed, and should be in conjunction with the lessons taught by Jesus, and with the support of God. It is not a task to be undertaken alone, but with the spiritual support of the Almighty. Man will never be perfect; but he can strive to improve.				3/13/60
Pioneers Remembered, Pioneers Needed	5/30/48	Joshua 1: 1-9; Ezra 8: 18a.	Isaiah 2: 4; Acts 2: 2; Proberbs 4: 23.		It is good to commemorate important dates in the past and remember the heroes. But this is most useful if it is a springboard to identifying and nurturing the heroes we need right now. And among the qualities needed in such persons is face to face knowledge of Christ.
Think Splendidly of God	6/13/48	Psalm 50; Matthew 6: 6.	John 1: 18; John 14: 9; Mark 10: 14.	(See Hunter in Xm. Cent. Pul. 5-48)	Too often our concept of God is a projection of some of our own human attributes. The psalm warns against this: “Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself.” We need to understand the God of love, mercy, and moral order. Jesus points the way.	Errors in Shinto, in communist doctrine, in Hitler’s concept of a master race.
Living Christianity	6/27/48	Luke 22: 14-30; John 1: 14; Matthew 11: 28.	John 14: 9; John 3: 16; Matthew 7: 12; John 8: 3-11; Luke 22: 27; Luke 23: 24.	(see Marble in Xm. Cent. Pul. 6-’48)	Do we live our Christianity, and make the living out of our ideals evident for all to see? We should and we must, if our way of life it to prevail under the attacks of e.g. communism. [This sermon delivered on communion Sunday]	see above
Faith, Hope and Courage	8/1/48	Luke 9: 37-45	Mark (comparable passage to above)	(see Burnell in KXm. Cent. Pul. 8-48)	We cannot live by moral principles unless they are rooted in God. The Kingdom will come not by our doing alone, nor by God’s acts alone, but by God and Man acting in concert. God is our soul; we are his hands. “Look to Christ.”	Two World Wars as a testimony that Science is not a substitute or replacement for God, and that inevitable human progress is a myth.
We are more Alike than Different	8/8/48	Acts 17: 15-28	Micah	(see Pfeiffer in Xm. Cent. Pul. 9-49)	Racial, nationality, and creedal differences are much less substantial than the similarities among all humankind. We need to be active in promoting this idea, because discriminatory actions against individuals or groups affects the welfare of us all.
In Search of the Master	8/15/48	John 12: 16-26; John 3: 2; Luke 5: 8.	John 14: 8-10; John 4: 34; Mark 12: 30, 31.	(cf. Hale: Xm Cent Pul. 6-48)	Jesus shows the way that God wants us to live and states it clearly: “Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself.” On these hang all the law and the prophets.		Talks of his fear of giving his first sermon, and of how helpful it was to him that it was kindly received.
Above Doubt and Fear	8/22/48	John 20: 24-29.	John 14: 3-6; John 11: 16.	(See Edwards and Fallow in Xm. Cent. Pul. 8-48); Also the English preacher Robertson.	Doubts come to all of us, as they did to Thomas. Holding to our faith, what Robertson calls the grand, simple landmarks of morality, will help us overcome the doubts and move to a new and more robust belief.
What is going on at Amsterdam?	8/29/48	Acts 2: 14-21			Differences of opinion, even major differences in beliefs or dogmas, should not interfere with Christian love, and our ability to work together in community. Frank and honest exchange of ideas about these differences is a healthy part of this kind of working together.	The sermon is about the Assembly of the World Council of churches, and the issues surrounding modern ecumenical movements.
Christians, Move Ahead	9/12/48	Acts 17: 15-28a.	John 3: 16.	(See Walter in Xm. Cent. Pul. 9-48)	Our time is very much like the time of Paul as described in the lesson during his sojourn in Athens. There is a spiritual hunger waiting to be fed, and we Christians ought to get out there and spread the message, by how we live our own lives, and in support of mission.	Disillusionment in automatic progress, fed by two world wars and a depression.
Where is the Beloved Community?	9/19/48	II Corinthians 5: 14-21		(see Walker in Xm. Cent. Pul. 8-48); Thoreau in a comment to Ralph Emerson [see below in quotes]	We need to “get our selfish selves out of the way” in order to be changed, and to be able to serve in the creating of God’s Kingdom. No more King of the Hill, or King of the Castle or Raft.
Reality in Religion	9/26/48	Matthew 7: 15-29; Matthew 7: 7; John 14: 9.	Matthew 5: 21, 22; John 11: 41; Psalm 23.	(cf. Malone, et al., in Xm. Cent. Pul. 9-48)	Jesus taught with authority; another translation says he taught with reality. If we bring reality to our religion with love of God, goodness in relations with others, and courage, even heroism in action, we will be living rightly and be on the road to salvation.
In This Sign Is Fellowship And Union	10/3/48	John 17.	John 12: 32; Matthew 28: 19.		[World-Wide Communion Sunday] At communion we remember Jesus’ assurance that his gospel would spread throughout the world. We remember our common unity with all Christians, and understand that those else- where feel that unity with us.	At the end of World War II, the first non-military delegations was made up of Christians visiting their Japanese counterparts. They found quite quickly that Brotherhood prevailed over thoughts of victor and vanquished.
Why Should Protestants go to Church?	10/10/48	Psalm 122; Luke 4: 16; Hebrews 10: 25.	Psalm 27: 13; Proverbs 22: 2; Isaiah 6: 5.		“Church attendance is not optional.” Going to church regularly is important in keeping hold of the roots of our freedoms, our civil liberties as well as the glory of God. It is important to be active as an example to children, a part of their training in the faith.
Darkness and Hope	10/17/48	John 1: 1-12		(See Kennedy in Xm. Cent. Pul. 10-’48); also quote from Elton Trueblood and William Elory Channing.	Christianity, lived by all of us, is the best hope for reversing the darkness we now seen to be in. We must refind our moral compass, in order to properly use the immense power we have discovered.	references to the evil of war, and to Benito Mussolini and Adolph Hitler. But he says that some of the lessons learned from their amoral conduct apply to us too.
The Hope For World Order	10/24/48	Galations 6: 1-10			The hope for world order lies in each of us, in our dedication to Christian moral principles, and in our living out those principles to that it is obvious to all that the Christian way is the right way, and that it works.	Communist threat to world order, which is real in part because they espouse exactly the best of what we espouse, and can also point out with some justification that historically we have not lived what we have said.
How Free Do You Want To Be?	10/31/48	Matthew 23: 13-32			Halloween is also Reformation Day. It is a day to rededicate ourselves to the principles which underly the free church, and also civil freedom. You get as much freedom as you want; you can always allow authoritarian church or government to control you.	We got rid of one set of authoritarian governments in the recent war, but others have sprung up, or still exist.	For himself, he will go to the polls, he will be his own priest, and he invites other to do the same.
The High Cost of Living Well	11/14/48	Matthew 16: 21-27	Micah 6: 8; John 8: 32; I Peter 5: 9.	(See Hurst in Xm Cent. Pul. 11-48)	Living Well has its costs. Christ told us to take up a cross and follow him. We must “pay the price” for the good life, in physical, moral, intellectual and spiritual discipline and fitness. We must also pay the “tax” of suffering, and the “Cost of distribution” in deeds of service.
We Are Able And We Are Willing	11/21/48	Genesis 28: 10-22	II Corinthians 9:7	Samuel Taylor Coleridge, untitled poem read into text.	Thanksgiving Sunday; Stewardship Sunday. “God loveth a cheerful giver.” People give as a spiritual response to God’s bounty, with deep appreciation and awe; this mixed with the practical matter of meeting the needs of the local budget, and of the world.
Christian Gratitude and Hope	11/28/1948	I Corinthians 2: 10-16	Psalm 145: 8,9; 18. John 3: 5	(ref. Goff in Xm. Cent. Pul. 11-’48); quotations from Professor W. T. Stace of Princeton, in the Atlantic Monthly, 9-48.	Thanksgiving Sunday; first Sunday of Advent. Gratitude is a normal human response to the blessings given us by God. It doesn’t seem possible to one who thinks of the universe as Godless and meaningless and futile.	Communist doctrine that religion is the opiate of the people misses the mark. The true opiate is skepticism and irreligion.
The Church and Peace on Earth	12/5/1948	Luke 19: 37-48; Matthew 5: 19, 7: 21.	John 14: 27; II Peter 3: 10-14; I John 4: 20.	(See Noos in Xm. Cent. Pul. 11-48;) quotation from Prof. Wild of Harvard.	The church is called, and therefore each of us as individuals is called, to be peacemakers. We pray, “Thy will be done on earth.” It is up to us to make it happen. We need to stand for the right, and work through the church to accomplish the acts that help others.
God So Loved The World	12/12/1948	Matthew 2: 1-8; John 3: 14-17.	Psalm 119: 105.	(See Zimmerman in Xm. Cent. Pul. 12-48)	God loved the world, the whole world, not just you and me. The wise men testify to this, since they were foreigners, not Jews. The Bible is our guiding star, showing us how to find God’s love.
The Wondrous Gift	12/19/1948	Luke 2: 1-7; Luke 6: 27-28; Luke 23: 34, 47.	II Corinthians 5: 19; Revelation 11: 15.	hymn, “O Little Town of Bethlehem;” Christmas sermon given by Martin Niemoeller to his fellow prisoners at Dachau.	The birth of Jesus, a gift to all the world. Where he is accepted, Jesus changes the lives of all people.
Birthday of a King	12/26/48	Philippians 2: 2-11	Isaiah 9: 2-7; Matthew 2: 1-11		Celebrating the birth of Christ is a good thing. Even better is carrying the spirit of Christ with us in all our doings, all year long. The entire gospel is the one thing that can save us from moral bankruptcy. Christ’s name remains above all others [see below].	Destruction of Warsaw, Poland, in World War II, and the survival of a statue of Christ. The foolishness of a young German, trained by the Nazis, who said, “But Adolph Hitler is so huge and Christ is so small!”			12/25/55
The Holy Christian Church	1/9/1949	John 13: 31-38		(See Bonnell in Xm. Cent. Pul. 1-’49)	The holy catholic church, i.e. the church universal, made up of all believers in Jesus Christ, present or past, cannot be claimed as their exclusive preserve by the Romans. He gives examples of writings that imply they are trying, and real acts against others in Spain.
Three Steps Toward God	1/16/1949	Genesis 32: 22-30; Genesis 33: 1-4.	Philippians 4: 13	(See Abby in Xm. Cent. Pul. 1-49)	Outlines 3 steps toward God based on the life of Jacob. 1. Beth-el: he learned that God can’t be avoided, run away from; 2. Mizpah: God is the driver of conscience, the inner monitor; 3. Peniel: he surrendered his self-sufficiency to the directing will of God. We could benefit.
Is Your Life Planned?	1/23/1949	Proverbs 3: 1-13	II Timothy 1: 12; Romans 8: 38-39.	(See Robles in Xm. Cent. Pul. 1-’49)	God has a purpose for each of our lives, and it is our duty and joy to discover it, and then carry it out. God doesn’t prevent evil; evil is a consequence of ignoring God’s will. We have been given freedom to act, and to disobey; if it had not been so, we would just be puppets.
Christianity is a Joyful Religion	1/30/1949	John 15: 1-11; Luke 2: 10; Acts 5: 41b.	Psalm 98: 4; Psalm 100: 1-2; Psalm 126: 5; - Hebrews 12: 2; I Corinthians 1: 27.	(Lee Smith in Xm. Cent. Pul. 1-49)	The word Joy appear frequently in the Bible, Old and New Testament alike [see above citations]. Christianity is joyful, not just one self-denial after another. Self-denial is after all inevitable; one always denies one pleasure when choosing another.		Missionaries uniformly say they are not into self-denial, but rather that their work is a joy.		3/4/1962
That They May Be One	2/13/1949	John 17: 9-23			This sermon is a detailed account of the history of the development of the United Church of Christ, formed by merging the Congregational Christian with the Evangelical and Reformed denominations. He gives the majority votes, and says he is for it.
How to Love your Enemy - and your Brother.	2/20/1949	Matthew 5: 38-48			Brotherhood week. He reviews Jesus’ teaching on loving enemies, blessing them, praying for them. Practical application of these principles is necessary to healing the world’s divisions, and to helping us in our daily lives.	Tells a story of labor-management negotiations where pre-meeting prayer by a small group on one side seemed to make things go a lot better than anticipated.	Story of himself and an antagonist in high school. They had a several year history of run-ins, but antagonism vanished one day when the other guy asked for help on a geometry problem, and he gave it.		2/20/1966
Seeking a New City	2/27/1949	Hebrews 13: 5-16		St. Augustine, Concerning the City of God. (See Easton in Xm. Cent. Pul. 2-49)	The city of God, as described by Augustine, is contrasted to man-made cities, like Rome, which had just been sacked when he started writing. The city of God is the soul of the church, and not subject to destruction like man-made organizations.
The Church’s One Foundation	3/6/1949	John 14: 5-12; Matthew 6: 25.	Matthew 5: 28; Matthew 5: 48; Luke 4: 16.	Hymns: “The Church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord.” and “How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, is laid for you faith in His excellent Word.”	The church is founded upon Jesus Christ; he is the one true cornerstone. The church answers our need for comradeship in the service of the best; for a holy faith to live by; and for worship to re-create and empower us.
The Rich Young Ruler	3/9/1949	Mark 10: 17-27; Luke 18: 24.	Luke 18: 18-27; Matthew 19: 16-26.		Wednesday Union Lenten service. It is difficult for those that trust in riches to enter the kingdom of heaven. Our attitude toward our possessions is the determinant.	If we do not provide for the unfortunate in our midst, e.g. poor Negroes in the South, we hand our Communist opponents valuable propaganda talking points.
Christ is Essential to You	3/20/1949	John 15: 1-11		(See Lawson in Xm. Cent. Pul. 4-’49)	Christ is essential to us in this massively shrunken world, where individual or national isolation is no longer an option. We need him also because he is the author of the blessings we enjoy, and because the technologies we enjoy have outstripped our moral abilities.
Christian Compassion and Christian Action	3/27/1949	Matthew 25: 31-46		Radio program, “One Great Hour,” detailing the plight of 3 representative “Displace Persons”, made homeless and destitute by World War II	Christian compassion, leading to Christian action, is characteristic of the followers of Jesus. Personal help for DP’s is needed urgently, since Marshall Plan, although important, addresses building infrastructure rather than addressing individual needs.	Stewardship.
On the Way to Jerusalem	4/3/1949	Luke 9: 51-62.	Matthew 25: 1-13.	(See Balcomb in Xm. Cent. Pul. 4-’49)	We all have to decide sometimes to “go to Jerusalem” to confront evils or wrongs. True for nations and for individuals. It is important to go the right way, with the right purpose, and at the right time. It is also important to under- stand the risks, and that we might lose a battle
On the Way to the Cross	4/10/1949	Matthew 21: 1-11	John 12: 24-25; Matthew 3: 17.	(See Johnson in Xm. Cent. Pul. 4-’49) Poems by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “Sonnets from the Portuguese.” Quotations from Hegel and Toynbee. Poem by William Stidger. Hymns: “When I survey the wondrous cross,” and “In the cross of Christ I glory.”	Palm Sunday. Jesus’ mdest triumphal entry is shadowed by the cross to which he is moving. We need to view the cross as historic fact, as a spiritual symbol of transforming power, and as a great incentive. The empty cross is a seal of the word received on Jordan’s banks.
And God Answered	4/24/1949	I Kings 18: 17-39; Hosea 6:6.	Genesis 4: 9; Genesis 23: 12	(See Nicely in Xm. Cent. Pul. 3-’49)	Our God is a humane God; (See Scripture citations). Main story [I Kings] is of Elijah and the priests of Baal. The God that answered the prayers with fire would be considered the only God; Baal didn’t do it, and Jehovah did, in answer to Elijah.
These Necessary Reminders	5/1/1949	Joshua 4: 13, 19-24.	Revelation 1: 10; [Ezekiel]	(See Jones in Xm. Cent. Pul. 3-49)	We need reminders of God, like the memorial places to remind us of our national heroes. The Jews have the Sabbath; we have Sundays as a day of worship and rest. The Lord’s day reminds us that God is, and that He is the rewarder of those who seek Him.
A Woman with a Conscience	5/8/1949	Proverbs 31: 10-31	Judges 5: 7; Judges 5: 31.	(Ref. Meckel in Xm. Cent. Pul. 5-49)	Mother’s Day. Deborah, “a mother, arose in Israel” in response to the political vacuum and attendant problems she and her nation faced. She got involved politically because the health of her home required it, and her conscience would not let her be silent.
God Calls	5/15/1949	Exodus 3: 1-12.	Exodus 16: 8; Mark 12: 31.	(See Freed in Xm. Cent. Pul. 5-49); speech by Sir John Maud, speaking to a plenary session of UNESCO.	The story of Moses’ call by God out of the burning bush is dramatic. But we are also called by God to serve right where we are, in our chosen vocations, if we would but listen. God’s standards and ours may differ; we need the imagination to hear, and the will to do it.				6/5/1955	4/30/1961
the Earth is the Lord’s	5/22/1949	Psalm 24; Psalm 121: 1.	Luke 8: 3; 16: 13; 14: 16-19; 12: 15-21.	(Part. Ref. to Copenhauer in Xm. Cent. Pul. 5-49); Rudyard Kipling, The Light that Failed; Raymond Holden, Believe the Heart; quotation from G. K. Chesterton.	The way we use our money gives accurate evidence of where our interests and sense of values lie. Jesus warned against love of possessions, and covetousness. Not only are we steward of our substance and service, but also of our natural resources, e.g. topsoil.	Rural Life Sunday. Less than 25% of the population is rural, but many children of the farm end up in the cities. The farms not only raise what we eat, but a disproportionate percentage of our future citizens.			6/22/1958
Start from Here	5/29/1949	Philippians 3: 7-17	Mark 10: 21; Luke 12: 31.	Norman Vincent Peale, The Art of Living.	Memorial Sunday; Graduation Sunday. The two do not necessarily conflict, since as we commence we are aware of our debt to those who have gone before. It is important to be able to start from here, now, and build a life on Christian principles.
It Happened Where They Lived	6/26/1949	John 8: 1-11.		(Ref. Locke in Xm. Cent. Pul. 8-47)	[Rare sermon not written in longhand, but here recorded as an outline] Dwells on the story of the woman caught in adultery, with Jesus punch line: “Let he among you who is without sin cast the first stone.” Point is God’s mercy to all us sinners.
Builder of Men	8/7/1949	Isaiah 59: 19, to 60: 3.		(See O’Flaherty in Xm. Cent. Pul. 8-’49)	Christ is a builder of men and women. He makes each one different, even though he has a single set of values and ideals to which we try to conform. Peter is a good example of an ordinary man made over into an outstanding apostle by Christ.		Talks about having just spent a month at La Foret, in Colorado, and describes two very different men he met there, both of whom are very Christian and an inspiration to be around.
Hope Brings Renewal	8/14/1949	Romans 8: 14-28.			Hope is necessary to living, as important a fuel to life as gasoline is to a motor. Mentions the hope of the Christians in China with all their current adversities. Also the hope of the Curies in their quest for radium.		Talks about working with alabaster in the shop at La Foret, where he was on retreat the previous month. Made 2 pieces into the base of a table lamp, whereas in the beginning he could not picture what to do with the rocks.
What Comes First?	8/21/1949	Matthew 6: 25-33	Psalm 8: 4.		We really don’t know, “Who am I?” We don’t spend for research on mental illness, yet it is far more important than many physical diseases that we do research. What comes first is the Kingdom of God. We need our spiritual needs tended, as in the church.
On Being Prepared	8/28/1949	Mark 14: 27-31; 66-72	Matthew 5: 5	Gone With the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell.	Many of us think of ourselves as prepared for anything, but find we are not. So it was with Peter when Jesus was arrested. Spiritual preparedness requires humility, a lack of sentimentality (realism) and from a true under- standing of our Lord and his purposes.
What Does Jesus Christ Have to Say to Labor	9/4/1949	John 5: 1-17	Luke 12: 31		Labor Sunday. What Christ has to say to labor is the same thing he says to everyone. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.” The right way of viewing others as individuals, respecting their rights and desires, work on both sides of “the table.”
Truth and Freedom	9/11/1949	John 8: 28-42		(Ref. Gibson in Xm. Cent. Pul. 9-’49)	When Jesus said, “the truth shall set you free,” he was not talking about political freedom or about scientific truth. He was talking about God’s ultimate spiritual truth, which sets us free from preoccupation with self.
If God Says No	9/18/1949	II Corinthians 12: 6-12.	II Samuel 12: 15-23; Matthew 5: 45.		God sometimes says “No” in answer to prayer. Are we then lost our faith? Paul took the “No” regarding removal of his “thorn in the flesh” to be a useful tool in keeping him humble. We should attempt to lay hold on God’s willing- ness, rather than fret about his reluctance.
Do We Like to be Disturbed?	9/25/1949	Luke 23: 1-11; Matthew 5: 21,22; 27, 28.	Luke 5: 8; Mark 10: 17-22; Mark 21: 27; Luke 6: 27, 28; Matthew 5: 41.	(cf. Jacobs in Xm. Cent. Pul. 9-49)	Jesus “stirreth up the people.” Do we like to be so disturbed, by his demands: “Love your enemies, pray for those that abuse you.” We are called to try, to respond to those in poverty and sponsor DPs, fix up the church, recruit others to active Christianity, increase giving.
Living Life to the Full	10/9/1949	John 10: 1-10	Matthew 7: 7		Currently people live a lot longer than they did 3 centuries ago, or even a few generations ago. But what are we doing with this extra time? A life of high quality is one of service for and with others. One also does better with a positive attitude, and living on many levels.
The Blessedness of Sharing	10/13/1949	John 6: 3-12; John 3: 16; Romans 12.	Deuteronomy 16: 16,17; Ephseians 5: 2.		Stewardship Sunday. Sharing is a joyful and practical business - the story of the loaves and fishes. Giving is referred to over 500 times in the Bible. Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive. Comments directly on the budget, and what is needed to meet it.
These Things Are Yours	10/16/1949	I Corinthians 3		(from Reissig in Xm. Cent. Pul. 10-49)	“All things are yours; And ye are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.” This is Paul’s affirmation to the community in Corinth, and it applies to us as well. We can be confident in all that we do and with the things we use, as long as we remember that we are Christ’s.
To Overcome Fear	10/23/1949	I John 4: 7-21	Psalm 42: 1; Luke 2: 10; Revelation 1: 17-18.	(From Buttrick in Xm. Cent. Pul. 10-49); brief poem by Shakespeare.	This sermon is an outline rather than the usual verbatim written text. The love of God, which is perfect, casts out fear. Our life of prayer, bringing us close to God and Jesus, is the ultimate way of combatting fear. Facing fears is important; fears also are constructive.
The Protestant Witness	10/30/1949	Revelation 21: 1-7.	Ephesians 2: 8.	(From Holme in Xm. Cent. Pul. 10-49) Used a pamphlet by G. Bromley Oxnam, “How the Protestants Fight Communism,” originally published in LOOK magazine, Oct 11, 1949.	In outline form, reviews Luther [Oct 31, 1517] & his theses, and the Protestant Reformation. States is was not a novelty, but a return to the early Christian evangelism; the way the church was before it had a hierarchy. Empha- sis on personal access to God.
Higher Hearts, Affections,Plans and Purposes	11/6/1949	Psalm 121	Luke 10: 38-42.	(See Horton, WM, in Xm. Cent. Pul. 11-49) Poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “How do I love Thee? Let me count the ways.” Walter Marshall Horton: three suggestions as to how to lift hearts up to God. “My God and I,” from the church calendar of the First Congregation- al Church of Pontiac, Michigan.	Sursum Corda - “Lift up your hearts. We lift them up to the Lord.” We must ascend with our hearts to God, and then descend back to earth to do the things God wants us to do. Both are necessary for fulfilling His purposes. In ascending, disentangle from distractions, tin gods, low aims.	Talks of John Frederick Oberlin, and his life work in an out of the way valley. Able, when old, to see tanglibly the results of his life’s work. We should all be so lucky.	Mentions roommate at La Foret, who spent his life in a little community in Ozark, accomplish- ing much and becoming much beloved.
The Blessedness of Sharing	11/13/1949	John 6: 3-12; John 3: 16; Ephesians 5: 2.	Romans 12; Deuteronomy 16: 16,17.		Stewardship. Time for annual pledges. The benefits of joyful giving. A detailed analysis of the proposed budget, and the increase (20%!) in each pledge needed to make it a reality.	Our need not just to “stop the communists” but rather to top the communists.
A Way to Happiness	11/20/1949	Psalm 34: 1-10	I Corinthians 15: 57.	Scottish saint Holyburton, who found he could lift himself out of depression by praising God, bringing up one thing at a time until it seemed that all the stars were shining on him.	Thanksgiving Sunday. “It is right to give God thanks and praise.” Our national Thanks- giving holiday is peculiar to America, but all people need to praise God and give thanks on a regular basis. [see above].
Sing a New Song	11/27/49	Isaiah 42: 1-12		(See Batchelder in Xm. Cent. Pul. 11-’48)	Tells the story of Isaac Watts, whose last book of 365 hymns contains many hymns beloved through the years, including ten in the [then- current] hymnal at First Congregational in Wisconsin Rapids. The personal nature of the words is one of the distinguishing features.		Seldom preaches a “biographical sermon.” Breaking that mold with this sermon on Isaac Watts.
That Joy May Be In You	12/4/1949	John 15: 1-17; John 16: 24; 33.	Matthew 25: 40; Philippians 4: 4.	(See Tittle in Xm. Cent. Pul. 12-49)	Christianity is a joyful religion. Jesus was “a man of sorrows,” but also a very joyful person. The advent season emphasizes the joy, the joy of knowing God and attempting to do his will. The desire to create something positive is at least as powerful as the profit motive.
The Book of Books	12/11/1949	Psalm 119: 97-106; Psalms 109 and 23.	Deuteronomy 8: 3; Luke 4: 4.	(From Whetley in Xm. Cent. Pul. 12-49); poem by John Greenleaf Whittier; quotations from H. G. Wells and William Adams Brown.	The Bible is a collection of books, which report the development of man’s understanding of God. It is “the literary expression of the religious development of the Hebrew people, culminating in the life and teachings of Jesus.”
The Stars Still Shine	12/18/1949	Psalm 8	Matthew 2: 2	(See Palmer in Xm. Cent. Pul. 12-41)	Light [and stars] seems a symbol of hope and joy. The Christmas star underlines that. He talks of the stars of brotherhood, of Christian fellowship, of faith in God and in men, and of hope. Prays these stars may grow brighter and brighter in our time.
Christmas Everywhere	12/25/1949	Luke 2: 1-20		A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens	Christmas Day. Extra packages on the tree are labelled “Others”, “Love”, and “Peace”. We hope for the promised peace to come to all the world, among people of good will.
Beyond Darkness, The Day	1/15/50	Psalm 138	the crucifixion (esp. Matthew 27: 46)	(See Buttrick in Cur. Rel. Thot 11-49)	We all come to faith by our own path. He imagines the psalmist beginning by doubting his own doubts, and coming to a conclusion that there is a purpose in the world. And he is confident that after all our darkest times, we do emerge into the light.
Should Everyone Speak Well of You?	1/22/1950	Luke 6: 20-36		(See Euteler in Xm. Cent. Pul. 1-50); quotation from Abraham Lincoln.	It is sometimes true that if everyone agrees to what you are saying, there must be something wrong with it. You may have abandoned important principles. We must lead into new areas, regardless of whether that causes some resistance or adverse comment.				1/21/1962
The Stormy Side of Christ	2/5/50	Matthew 23: 13-33; Matthew 7: 22-23.	Mark 7: 43-47; Luke 15: 11-32; Matthew 21: 31; Matthew 12: 9-14; Luke 17: 1-2; Matthew 5: 27-28.	(see McCracken in Cur. Rel. Thought, 6-’49); quotations from Dr. John Watson; John Henry Newman; Samuel Johnson (on his deathbed). Description of Jesus by Renan.	The gentle, comforting side of Christ is very real, but not the only thing. Christ is also morally demanding, and rises to righteous wrath against those who do harm to others. He also is harsh on sins of disposition.	Refers to difficulty in forgiving the Gestapo for their despicable acts; but points out that forgiveness is central to Christ’s message.			4/3/68
Who Is Prejudiced?	2/12/1950	Matthew 18: 1-10		(See Johnson in Xm. Cent. Pul. 2-50)	Lincoln’s Birthday. Racial prejudice in the USA is an urgent matter. Its resolution rests with us. We ought to try to root it out in our- selves and address it in such a way as to pass as little as possible on to our children. Remember, Caucasians are a minority!
The Kingdom Within You	2/19/1950	Luke 17: 20-33		Quotation from Thomas Paine, on the character of George Washington.	Brotherhood Week. Fitting to remember also George Washington near his birthday, as we remembered Lincoln last week. Washington allied himself with the Americn partriots rather than just disappear in a life of comfort as he would have been able.
You Can Be A New Person	2/26/1950	Matthew 17: 14-21; John 12: 32; John 16: 33.	Romans 8: 1; John 11: 25; Deuteronomy 31: 8; Matthew 28: 20; Luke 23: 34.	(See Younghall in Xm. Cent. Pul. 2-50)	Jesus can change your life. Those who have faith in God and pray to him regularly about the affairs of living, find peace and answers to questions.				1/14/1962
Blessed are the Meek	3/12/1950	Matthew 5: 1-12; Matthew 10: 16.	John 15: 13; John 16: 33; Mark 14: 3-9.	(See Law in Xm. Cent. Pul. 3-50); Clarence Day, Jr., “Life with Father.” Quotation from Ernest Toveltsch about the Nazis missing the mark of the importance of spirituality.	One translation of the Greek word “meek” as used in this beatitude is “debonair!” Surely Jesus meant something more like this than to imply that the world would be inherited by doormats. Gandhi is a good modern example of the power of the meek.
Jesus Took The Chance	4/2/1950	Matthew 21: 1-11; Matthew 27: 35.	John 12: 32; Mark 15: 39.	(See Buttrick in Cur. Rel. Thought 4-49)	Gambling is usually wrong, in that anyone’s gain is someone else’s loss. Jesus took a gamble with his life, which is a different type of gamble. Given life’s uncertainties, we must do similarly. “Religion is a bet that there is a Christ-like God.”
The Seed Grows of Itself	4/23/1950	Mark 4: 21-33 (especially 26-29)	Hosea 8: 7; Hosea 10: 12; Matthew 11: 12.		Rural Life Sunday. The parable from Mark is that the Kingdom of God is like a seed, which grows of itself. Farmers know this about seed; we are supposed to understand it about the Kingdom, and keep planting the seed, but not to chafe at the growth rate.
Do We Want Peace?	4/30/1950	Isaiah 2: 1-5	Deuteronomy 30: 19.		If we really want peace we should work for it. All Christians should figure out ways to resolve conflicts without resort to arms, and demonstrate these techniques in daily life. We should support the UN and its agencies. Join UWF or the action group you like.
Our Lives are Linked with Others	5/28/1950	Hebrews 11: 32 - 12: 2.	Isaiah 55: 11; Genesis 9: 20, 21.	(Partly Sockman in Xm. Cent. Pul. 5-50); quotations from Lord Chesterton; Mark Hopkins, president of Williams College; and Dr. William J. Mayo.	Baccalaureate Sunday. Portrays life as a relay race, depending much on what has gone before, and obligating us to do well for those who will come after. We have a sense of indebtedness, of responsibility, and of strength because of the continuity. Also the Sunday of Memorial Day.		Baccalaureate of the fifth son, Arthur McAfee Kingdon.		5/28/1961
Life Should Be Enjoyed	6/4/50	Psalm 23.	Matthew 6: 33; Galatians 6: 9.	(See Deems in Xm. Cent. Pul. 6-50) Robert Browning, poem; quotation from Albert Schweitzer.	Life is the most precious possession we have. Life is meant to be joyfull; when it is not, there may be external reasons but also we have let it lose its zest. Christian attitudes about service to others help us keep the zest.				6/21/59	6/18/67
Concerning Perfection	6/18/1950	Philippians 3: 7-15.	Matthew 5: 48; Matthew 23: 8.	(Ref. Rasmusson in Xm. Cent. Pul. 6-50). Beth Caddy, poem, “Thanks.” Dr. Horace Bushnell, sermon, “Our Advantage in Being Finite.” Quotes from Epicetus and Lincoln Steffens.	Paul “pressed on” in spite of not having yet attained perfection. We should have a goal of being perfect, but need to “press on”, neither being smug and complacent about what we have already done, but also not paralyzed by the fact that what we are doing is flawed.
Remember Who You Are	7/9/1950	Luke 12: 1-15.	Luke 4: 4.	(Ref. to Lunger in Xm. Cent. Pul. 7-50) Play, “Death of a Salesman,” by Arthur Miller. Quotations from Charles Steinmetz and Roland Hayes (story of Hayes denied hotel room on basis of being Negro.)	Willy Loman wanted money, and he wanted to be well-liked. He never knew he was a child of God. To avoid his fatal errors, we note that success is much more than accumulating things. Integrity and honesty are central, as is devotion to a cause. And know we are God’s.
Greatness in a Man	7/16/1950	Luke 22: 39-53	Matthew 20: 26,27	(See Jones in Xm. Cent. Pul. 3-50) Quote from William Shakespeare: “He is not great, who is not greatly good.”	Greatness is intimately associated with Christian service. He deals in detail with the examples of 3 lives: Jonathan Edwards of colonial New England; Lou Gehrig of the 20th century New York Yankees; and Albert Schweitzer, who explicitly lived Jesus’ spirit.
A Workman That Need Not Be Ashamed	9/3/1950	II Timothy 2: 1-15			Labor Sunday. True Christians are workers, just like Jesus. Christians in organized labor and in managements can exercise their principles of right and justice in their dealings with each other.
Our Witnessing Faith	10/29/1950	Ephesians 6: 10-20	Galatians 5: 13	Luther’s ninety-nine theses; John Calvin’s “Institutes;” World Coucil of Churches’ 1948 “Resolution on Religious Liberty;” 1948 UN “Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”	Reformation Sunday. Protestants believe in religious freedom for everybody. There are sharp differences between Protestantism and Roman Catholic theory and practice. RC allegiance to the pope assumes all other Christians own the same allegiance. Not so.
Take Your Problems to Church	11/5/1950	Galatians 6: 1-10; Psalm 55: 22.	Micah 6: 6; Psalm 122: 1.		Religion in American Life (RIAL) put forth a slogan for November: “Take your problems to church this week; millions leave them there.” He talks about problem solving, and points out the advantages of bringing problems to church; magical solutions are not promised.
Laborers Together With God	11/12/1950	I Corinthians 3: 9-23	Nehemiah 4: 2-6.	Poem by Alfred Grant Walton, “I Shall Give.”	Loyalty Sunday. Time to fill out pledge cards to subscribe the 1951 budget. Gives details on portions of giving outside tlocal church that are spent in the state, in the nation, and outside of the US. Asks for a 10% increase, plus extra for debt reduction.
So Much to be Grateful For	11/19/1950	Deuteronomy 8:7-14a,17-18a Isaiah 54:13-14	Psalm 116: 13-14; Matthew 26: 27, 39; Romans 8: 38-39; I Corinthians 11: 23-25.		Thanksgiving. We are right to be grateful for all of life’s blessings, but also for the sorrows and challenges.		He talks of what Thanksgiving was like when he was a child.
Living by Faith	11/26/1950	Hebrews 11: 1-16.	Luke 9: 62; I Corinthians 13: 8.	Sermon entitled “New Pilgrims” by Rev. Kenzo Tajima, pastor of the Japanese Union Church of Pasadena in 1942; delivered just before deportation to camps.	We need faith. It seems like the giants of the Bible were gallant and brave spirits who lived by faith, but that doens’t happen any more. Not so! How about Tajima (see above); pastor Robinson of the Pilgrims; the world spends part of its time praying for deliverers; the other part nailing them to a cross.
A Gift and a Judgment	12/24/1950	Galatians 4: 1-7	John 3: 19.	(See Kolbe in Xm. Cent. Pul. 12-47)	Christmas is a time of gladness, laughing children, friendliness. It is also a time to remember that God’s gift is also a judgment on us, for rejecting Christ’s message, and refusing to follow his Way.				12/18/1955
New Boldness	12/31/1950	Ephesians 3	Acts 4: 13, 29; Daniel 3: 12-30.	(See Lunger in Xm. Cent. Pul. 8-50); poem found on the body of a man in Alaska.	Our times call for a new boldness, acting for the right with faith in God, rather than in the new false idol “Security.” We are spending far too much energy and resources fussing about our personal or national security. Security is static; progress is dynamic. Security is false.
Appeal to Good Sense	1/14/1951	Acts 25: 1-12; Nehemiah 6: 1-3; Acts 17: 26.	Nehemiah 6: 10-16; Luke 12: 13-15.		Paul appealed to Caesar; that was good sense, since it meant he would go to the supreme court in Rome, where the cards might not be as badly stacked against him as they were in Caesarea. But equally important, it would give him a forum to preach the gospel at the center of the empire.	Refers to the need for our active involvement in being better citizens of our nation and of the world.
Rank and File Christian	2/11/1951	John 1: 35-50; John 4: 7-29.	John 6: 5-14; John 12: 20-22.	Peter Marshall (book); Mr. Jones, Meet the Master.	[Series on the apostles]. Andrew was a rank and file sort of guy. He didn’t become a great preacher or leader. But he introduced a lot of people to Jesus, including his own brother Simon Peter. And this role as “introducer” was key to some of the success of Jesus’ program, as are many “ordinary” tasks in our programs of today.
A Fisherman and a Rock	2/18/1951	Matthew 4: 17-22; Matthew 16: 13-18.	Mark 14: 66-72; John 21: 3-7; John 21: 15-17.	Peter Marshall (book): Mr. Jones, Meet the Master.	[Series on the apostles]. Jesus changed Peter’s life. He can change yours and mine if we will let him. Peter was an unlikely candidate for discipleship, much less for leadership, but with Jesus’ three years of teaching, and with tough lessons given in his final few days, Peter emerged as the first among the new Christians.
The Man Who Could Be Shown	2/25/1951	John 1: 43-51			[Series on the apostles]. It is fascinating to watch a team play basketball, to realize that disparate people with disparate backgrounds have been molded into an effective unit. This sermon focuses on Nathaniel, who was very different from Andrew and Peter, the subjects of the two previous sermons. Jesus put together a team of apostles from similarly disparate backgrounds and temperaments.
The Man Who Doubted	3/4/1951	John 20: 19-29; John 11: 1-16.	John 14: 1-8; John 21: 1-14.	Peter Marshall (book): Mr. Jones, Meet the Master.	[Series on the apostles]. Thomas doubted, questioned. God needs people like him for the work of the kingdom, as well as the enthusiasts (like Peter) that throw themselves into the work without all the questioning of a Thomas.
Servants Of All	3/11/1951	Mark 10: 35-45; Luke 9: 28-36; Luke 9: 51-54.	Mark 14: 32-33; Matthew 20: 20-28; John 13: 3-9.	Quotation from Albert Einstein, opining that there are far too few people of real honesty and goodwill to warrant trusting mankind with the mighty secrets uncovered by science.	[Series of sermons on the apostles]. Jesus teaches that those who want to be first must be servants of all. God’s will comes first, not our wilfullness or desires. The kingdom is built when we try to discern his will and do it, giving of ourselves to others, in personal sacrifice if necessary. Christ did it.
People who Follow and Cheer	3/18/1951	Matthew 21: 1-11.			Watching a good sports team, or participating in one, is fun. Watching Jesus’ team of apostles is also fun, as the most unlikely people became the most influential dozen men in history. We are wanted for Jesus’ team to carry on his work in our time.
The Garden in the Morning	3/25/1951	John 20: 1-16.		Reference to Thoreau.	Easter. The victory over death makes us joyful, but also provides us with the risen Christ who is present in our lives, and can help up to overcome hardship and despair.
The Man They Met on the Road	4/1/1951	Luke 24: 13-35.	Matthew 28: 20; Deuteronomy 4: 29.	Quotation from Leslie Weatherhead.	The encounter on the road to Emmaus. If we will let him into our lives, Christ will be as real a presence to us as he was to those two men, as he was to Mary Magdalene in the garden. But we have to let it happen, and sometimes it seems we are not quite ready.
Look for the Morning	4/8/1951	Exodus 16: 1-10; Acts 27: 29; Psalm 127: 2.	Luke 19: 10; John 6: 37; Matthew 18: 20.		Morning is a time of hope. That was the time they found Jesus’ body was no longer in the tomb. Vide Infra. In the morning, one is usually refreshed by sleep. Devotions on Sunday are like those in the AM. The morning of life (childhood) is good. And there is glory for one who attaches his efforts to a great cause.	“Evangelization of the world in our lifetime.” The slogan of missionary types in the generation before his.	Story of a man (I once knew, rather well) with regular morning devotions with his wife, who, having forgotten them one time, left work and went home and did the usual morning devotions so that the day could proceed properly.
If a Rock Should Fall	4/15/1951	Matthew 6: 19-34.	Matthew 5: 45; Matthew 6: 27; John 16: 33.		(Written prayer included). We spend too much energy on worry. Worry and anxiety, especially as addressed to things over which we have no control, are counterproductive, as opposed to constructive planning for those things over which we have some control.		Talks of driving the road from Kahului to Hana on Maui, and wondering about the hazard of falling rocks.		9/17/1961
Our Faith Reaches Out	4/22/1951	Philippians 2: 1-16.	John 10:30.	Quotation from Robert Browning: “Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, Or what’s a heaven for?”	Browning quote used to illustrate that the Christian mission reach should exceed its grasp.	Refers to Gandhi, and the fact that his embracing of some Christian values was the reason Hindu extremists killed him.
Whose Life Are You Living?	5/6/51	Luke 9: 18-26; Mark 8: 34; Matthew 19: 24.	Luke 9: 18-23; Matthew 6: 33.	(see Edwards in Xm. Cent. Pul. 5-51); (poem) “Challenge,” Harcourt Brace 1914; Edwin Sandford Martin, “Friend,” in “Cousin Anthony and I,” Scribner’s, 1895.	We all have many excuses for why something is not our fault; but no matter what, we are in the end responsible to do what we can with the situation in which we find ourselves. We have our own lives in our hands. Alibis only get in the way of effective action.	Hitler and Napolean had a consuming purpose, which we all need; unfortunately, their purpose was not in line with the common good.
Firm Foundations for the Home	5/13/1951	Matthew 7: 12-29; Luke 16: 13; Matthew 6: 23.	Luke 12: 31; Luke 15: 11-32.		Mother’s Day; Christian Family Sunday. The home is the foundation of all individual development. The rediscovery of its importance will be given more weight by historians (in the year 1999!) than atomic power or space exploration.				5/14/1961
Our Christianity And Our Civilization	5/20/51	I John 5: 1-9; Genesis 1: 3; John 3: 19.	Psalm 133: 1; Psalm 122: 7.	(See Nichol in Xm. Cent. Pul 4-’51) Tolstoy; Ruth Benedict, Race, Science and Politics (book); quotations from Fritz Kreisler, violinist, on how he lives his life in solidarity with others	Racism and Chauvanism (misplaced patriotism) are destroying civilization and must be opposed. We must care enough and share enough to overcome poverty and homelessness.	United Nations - do away with the veto. Quote of Anthony Eden, saying that atomic power has made sovereignty obsolete. Story of Gandhi being kept out of a church because of being the wrong race.	University student (?self?) who gave $60 to church when he couldn’t afford it. Heard Fritz Kreisler play the violin; quotes extensively Kreisler’s selfless philosophy about money and riches.		6/16/57
Frontiers Ahead	5/27/1951	John 8: 12-32.	Matthew 16: 25.		Graduation Sunday; Memorial day weekend. He states that the frontier for the last half of the 20th century will be in human relations. Will we really be able to live together in this world? If not, no one will.	The Great Wall of China failed to prevent invasions, because the guards could be bribed. Problem was not the technology, but the human factor.			5/29/1956
Built Upon Christ	6/24/1951	Ephesians 2: 13-22.			Christ is the cornerstone of the church, as Paul said. We must build our lives, both individual and collective, upon his teachings and precepts if we are to meet the challenges of this day.	Refers to the recent completion in the community of a new hotel [the Hotel Mead], built upon the determination of the man whose name it bears.
To Conform Or Not	8/5/1951	Romans 12; II Corinthians 5: 19.	Amos 5: 24; Matthew 5: 38-44; Colossians 1: 15. [Hosea, Jeremiah].	(See Will in Xm. Cent. Pul, 7-51)	Paul, in Romans, advises against conformity to the world, but “be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Both the non- conforming and the transforming are important to the Christian life.	Cicero race riots as a blot on the nation’s record. The conformity of the youth that took part in the disaster.
The Way a Christian Takes a Risk	9/9/1951	Psalm 27; Daniel 3: 12-30; Habakkuk 3: 17-18	Job 13: 15; Matthew 26: 39; Luke 24: 46.	(See Bainton in Oberlin Alumni Bulletin, third quarter, 1951.)	Christians take risks not foolishly, but with faith that God’s will prevails, even if they are not saved by a miracle in the present. Luther faced possible execution this way, as did the three youths in Daniel 3. And so did Jesus face his crucifixion in this fashion.				4/8/1956
Make The Best Of It	9/23/51	Psalm 115	Philippians 3: 13-14; Matthew 12: 43-45.	(See Foote in Xm. Cent. Pul. 9-’51)	Life deals out many blows, but we need to lay them aside (once we have learned from them) and go ahead and live the days ahead. Alibis are for the weak. Having a good memory is prized, but we also need a “forgettery.”		Remembers an acquaintance from college who was blind and did not let it get in the way of becoming a minister and a beloved leader; “I never heard him utter any except positive ideas.” Doing the best with what you have.
On Being One Person	9/30/1951	Romans 7: 15 - 8: 4; Matthew 5: 5; 7: 13, 14.	Genesis 3: 1-13; II Samuel 11:1 - 12: 7; Romans 12: 1; Galatians 2: 20.	Harry Emerson Fosdick, On Being a Real Person; William Earnest Hocking; Dwight L. Moody; Paderewski; Shakespeare: Macbeth, Hamlet, Othello, Julius Ceasar.	“Pull yourself together.” Being an integrated person requires that you accept blame for your wrongs, impose self-discipline (“Blessed are the meek”, could be “Blessed are the self- disciplined”); and become dedicated to some overriding purpose. [Ded. to Christ is part.]		Growing up on a farm in South Dakota. Something his forebears determined, not he himself. But he was responsible for how he responded to his heredity and his environment.		8/7/2055
Charity is Kind	10/14/51	Genesis 9: 8-24; John 8: 3-11; John 21: 15-17	Matthew 26: 69-75; Acts 2: 1-36; Luke 23: 34.	Jones in Xm. Cent. Pul., 10-’50.	civilization demands that we overlay truth with “the mantle of charity;” without charity, chaos would ensue. Examples are Jesus and the adultress, Jesus forgiving Peter for his denial.	Politicians and other public figures need to be forgiven their shortcomings, and measured by what they do for the community.	(alternate, later title: The Kindness of Charity)		4/13/58
Our World Needs More Than Organization	10/21/1951	Isaiah 65: 17-25	Matthew 25: 40; Matthew 6: 11; Luke 4: 18.	United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. Quotation from John Foster Dulles.	World Order Sunday; United Nations Week. The UN has had some outstanding successes in peacekeeping, and in promoting health and economic justice. It is not a world government. We need concensus on what is right in order to have world government; Christian morality.
Aggressive Christian Concern	10/28/1951	II Timothy 1: 1-14	Hebrews 12: 1	“Here I Stand” by Roland Bainton; a book about Martin Luther. Quotation from Dwight D. Eisenhower, on his inauguration as president of Columbia University.	Reformation Sunday. Detailed treatment of Martin Luther’s 95 theses, and other works, and the response of the emperor and diet. He refused to recant, and he was given the pro- mised safe passage home. Then he was kid- napped by one of his supporters for his safety.				10/30/1955
Jesus Brings Unrest	11/4/1951	Matthew 10: 27-42; Matthew 5: 48; Matthew 26: 39.	Psalm 119: 165; Romans 5: 1; John 14: 27; II Timothy 1: 12; II Timothy 2: 15.		Jesus was said to bring peace, but also said he came not to bring peace, but a sword. This paradox is explored, pointing out that peace comes only from struggle; if we weren’t always striving for perfection, for things to be better, life would be boring and unproductive.				11/6/1955
Solid Footing	11/11/1951	Psalm 73; Psalm 13: 1; Psalm 1: 1,3; Psalm 91: 7.	Psalm 42: 5; Psalm 97:2; Job 13: 15.	(See Hamilton in Xm. Cent. Pul. 11-57.} Reference to Horatio Alger. Reference to a Calvin Coolidge newspaper article on Job. Roger William Riis, article in Reader’s Digest.	Psalms reflect the moods of man; both the desperation and impatience with God; and the thankfulness and trust in God. The psalmist quoted here (73rd Psalm) says he went to church to straighten out his thinking; good advice for us.	Reference to Mussolini and Hitler getting their “just deserts.”	Refers to visiting a student at Harvard, and seeing Horatio Alger, Jr.’s name inscribed on the dormitory door.
First Things First	11/25/1951	Matthew 6: 22-33.			Stewardship Sunday. The church is the people, the gathered company of all believers We have a building, but that is not the church. All the needs for 1952 are laid out, with the necessity of an average 16% increase to meet the proposed budget.
At The Grass Roots	12/2/1951	John 1: 1-14.	I Corinthians 1: 26.	(from Grafton in Xm. Cent. Pul. 11-51)	Greatness in the common man - in all of the common folk - is the starting point of the faith of theChristian church, and is necessary for the proper functioning of democracy and of free enterprise economics.	Refers to Nazi and communist totalitarianism as assuming that man cannot be indepdent, cannot think for himself.			10/9/1955
A New Start in an Old World	1/6/1952	Revelation 21: 1-7; Romans 6: 20; Galatians 6: 18; II Corinthians 13: 13; Philemon 1: 25.	Philippians 4: 23;I Thessalonians 5:28;II Thes- salonians 3:18.	A Guide to Understanding the Bible, book, by Harry Emerson Fosdick. Quotation on the meaning of the word “companion” by Webb B. Garrison.	Communion Sunday; New Years thoughts. The “grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,” men- tioned in the seven non-Revelation Bible references above, is a strengthening grace, a transforming grace, and a continuing grace. Let us invite this grace into our own hearts.
Christ’s Name in Today’s Choices	1/13/1952	Acts 3	Mark 2: 11	(See Wagner in Xm. Cent. Pul. 1-52).	The apostles accomplished great things in the name of Jesus Christ. Perhaps we could do likewise, if we took his name and his ways seriously.	Comments about the political scene, especially the un-American activities witch hunt. Criticism of US food destruction or land bank curtailment of food production, when a large number in the world need more food.
Power In Faith	1/20/52	Philippians 4: 1-13	Acts; John 15: 4, 7.	(see Knudson in Xm. Cent. Pul. 10-51)	The strength that comes through faith in Christ which is demonstrated by Paul is available to us all, if we will surrender our lives to him, and allow him to direct how we live and act.	Economic and/or political systems (e.g. communism vs. capitalism) will not solve the problems of the world, but only adherence to the path of Jesus.			8/11/57
Grace, Mercy, and Peace	1/27/52	II Timothy 1: 1-14; II Corinthians 12: 9; John 6: 63.	Psalm 103: 17; John 14: 27; Matthew 10: 34.	(See Robles et al., XM. Cent. Pul. 12-51)	Salvation is a part of God’s plan to make us care, to learn lessons from those who do not spare themselves. Grace, mercy, and peace are realistic, and are renewing, refreshing, and strengthening.		He and Mrs. Kingdon were looking through old hymnals, and were reminded of the “good old gospel hymns” of their youth. He talks about loving the music, but thinking at this time that the theology of the words was weak.		10/23/55
Religion Counts In Your Life Today	2/3/1952	Psalm 91; Psalm 23: 4; Mark 12: 30.	Matthew 26: 39; Job 23: 3; Isaiah 55: 6.		We need religion to provide us with a moral compass. Moral judgments need to be made daily, especially about the uses to which we put our newest discoveries. Our materialistic philosophy, intense specialization, and lack of faith leave us lost; we need contact with God.
How Does it Feel to be your Brother?	2/17/52	Genesis 1: 28-31a	Acts 17: 26.	(See Yearfoss --and Taylor--in the Xm. Cent. Pul. 2-’52)	We are all brothers, all created in God’s image in the spiritual sense, not in the literal sense of skin color, stature, sex, or other features that emphasize our differences. We Christians should treat others with respect, not only doing justly but valuing diversity.	Washington’s inaugural prayer. Lincoln’s Gettysburg address. The religious nature of this country’s “all men are created equal” ethos.			2/22/59
On Growing Up Fast	2/24/52	Ephesians 4: 11-24	Luke 23: 34.	(See Meek in Xm. Cent. Pul. 2-52)	We need personal maturity to thrive in our personal lives and in our daily interactions. As a nation we need a kind of Christian maturity that leads us to interact positively, driven by love rather than self interest, with the “have nots” of the world	We causasian Americans are a racial minority in the world. We need to understand that people of color are no longer going to tolerate our assumption of superiority, or of a dominant political or economic position.
Christian Faith and Human Need	3/2/1952	Matthew 4: 1-4; John 6: 63-69.	Deuteronomy 8: 3; II Samuel 18: 33.	(See Barnett in Xm. Cent. Pul. 3-52)	“Man does not live by bread alone.” We need love and appreciation; beauty; spontaneity and self-direction; and a relationship with God. Jesus shows the way. Our church must never be wholly identified with the status quo, or with each new fad. Assert worth of persons.
The Inheritance of our Fathers	4/20/52	I Kings 21: 1-16	Luke 15: 11-32; Psalm 139: 23-24.	Bowles in Xm. Cent. Pul. 4-’52. Negro spiritual, “Were you there when they crucified my Lord?”	Standing up to tyrants is necessary to keep them from doing evil; we have obligations to be vigilant and work for goodness and right. Our own “subversive inactivity” is partly to blame when events seem to be going in the wrong direction.	Hitler and Castro as tyrants opposed to our nation’s traditions of freedom. Ongoing government scandals are but a symptom of a more general moral laxity.			4/24/60
Temptation to Power	4/27/1952	Matthew 4: 1-11; Deuteronomy 8: 3; Matthew 6: 33.	Deuteronomy 6: 16; Deuteronomy 6:13, 10:20	Dwight L. Moody, quoted as being “all prayed up,” when not attending a prayer meeting in a possible shipwreck situation.	The temptation to power (Jesus’ third tempta- tion in the wilderness) is very real for modern political figures, and in fact for all of us. So also are the temptations of materialism (#1) and sensationalism (#2). Being participants in our democracy guards against powermad politicians.				5/17/1952
The Peace of God in the Home	5/11/1952	Philippians 4: 1-9			Mother’s Day; Festival of the Christian Home. God’s peace can prevail in our homes, if we cooperate with each other, and approach our tasks with humor and patience. Regarding the other the way we think God must is a good beginning.
Whence Cometh My Help	7/6/1952	Psalm 34	Psalm 8: 3,4,7-8; Psalm 121: 1,2.		Travelers, like those in ancient Palestine, are drawn naturally into reflection on the creation and the Creator. That is the basis for the Psalms which extol the creation. We have similar experiences with travel. [vide infra] Also talked of General Council mtg in CA.		Recounts our family travels to California and back. The Black Hills [mount Rushmore incl.] Pike’s Peak, deserts, Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, oil fields in California and elsewhere: All underline glory of creation, and man’s work in collaboration with God.
God and the Natural World	7/13/1952	Psalm 24		(See Lewis in Xm. Cent. Pul. 7-52); poems by Wordsworth and Coleridge.	A paen to Nature and God the Creator. He extols the seasons and the vigor the change of seasons infuses into life. The Wisconsin River (“one of the more beautiful streams in the country) in front of the manse. The red- woods in California testify to God’s patience.	Refers to the police action in Korea, still grinding away, and the long-term confrontation between communism and our freedom-loving democracy style. But he wants to talk about God and nature instead!	He talks extensively about the beauties of the Colorado Rockies as he experienced them a few years back at La Foret; about his manse in Kahalui, with view of ocean and mountain; the beauties of Monoa valley and Wis. Rapids.
Our Inheritance	7/20/52	Psalm 48; Psalm 122: 1.	Luke 15: 11-32; John 18: 37.	(see McLeod in Xm. Cent. Pul. 7-52) John Knox.	We must pay attention to our spiritual heritage and to the underpinnings of our politcal freedoms in order not to squander the important elements of our heritage as a nation		Hearing Jascha Heifitz play the violin in person; the spiritual value of great music as over against “things”		4/16/67
“And Who Is My Brother?”	8/31/1952	Matthew 23: 1-12	Luke 10: 27-37 [the Good Samaritan]	(See Dowdy in Pul. Dig. 8-52; also in Xm. Cent. Pul. 9-52; mostly RWK thought and arrangement)	Labor Sunday. Relations between labor and management would be easier if both sides took an attitude toward the other that all involved are brothers in Christ. The Scripture passage is about needing to do away with a class consciousness of superiority.
A Church at Work	9/7/1952	Luke 7: 18-35; Acts 4: 8-14			Report on the General Council meeting of the CC denomination, which he attended at Claremont college in California in late June. This Council recinded a resolution of the 1934 Council which had been critical of the “profit motive.”		Proud of the presentation of Anna Carol Kingdon as a short-term missionary sent by Oberlin-in-China to teach English to women and girls in college and high school in southern India, at Madurai.
That Samaritan and the Man in the Road	9/14/1952	Luke 10: 22-37	Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19: 18.		Story of the Good Samaritan. It puts the pressure on us to “go and do likewise.” We have a variety of excuses for not following this injunction of Jesus, not wanting to commit the time, not considering the other worthy of our help, and thinking of helping everyone instead of the one in front of us.	Displaced Persons [DPs] from World War II. In some instances the sponsors feel they were taken advantage of, and sometimes the DPs themselves find American compassion lacking in the long haul.
Where Do You Stand?	10/26/1952	John 15: 1-17	Psalm 71: 2.		Reformation Sunday. Recounts some of the life of Luther. Justification by faith. The priest- hood of all believers. His belief that freedom and democracy rest on Protestant faith. His belief that public education for all is critical to the maintainance of democracy.
Would you want Jesus for President?	11/2/1952	James I; Matthew 5: 38, 39, 44.	Ten Commandments; Sermon on the Mount		Jesus probably would not be electable, and if elected would probably want to govern based on the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount; would we be ready?	Urges all registered voters to get out on Tuesday and vote; recommends voting “in the spiritual attitude of a soul kneeling humbly but faithfully before the altar of God’s righteousness.”
Where to Draw the Line	11/16/52	Psalm 103		(See McCracken in “Stewardship Facts.”)	Stewardship Sunday. Asking people to give proportionately and generously, not in a niggardly fashion nor impulsively, although he acknowledged he would take any impulsive gifts tendered.	Mentioned different people drawing the line in different places in support of World War II; some opposing the whole thing, some the bombing of civilians, etc.
Plan For Christmas	11/30/52	Isaiah 7: 1-17		See Nord in Pul. Dig. 11-’52	Plan not only for the secular, festive part of Christmas but also for the spiritual content flowing out of God’s generosity, symbolized for us in the birth of Christ.	Talks of the preparations made to sell stuff, send Christmas cards, prepare food, etc. and worries about the over-commercialization of the holiday. Mentions campaigns to “put Christ back in Christmas.”			11/27/55
If Jesus Had Not Come	12/7/52	John 15: 15-27	Matthew 25: 40, 45.	(See Walker in Pul. Dig. 12-’52) Albert Schweitzer’s phrase, “Reverence for Life.”	The world would not be as we know it if Christ had not come. Our freedoms, our concern for others, “Reverence for life” flow out of the message of Christ. There would be no Dickens or Shakespeare; churches would be closed, and buildings used for something else	Soviet and Nazi concentration and labor camps dramatize what happens when Christ is denied or ignored.			11/27/55
The Fulfillment	12/14/52	John 1: 1-18.	Luke 2: 21-35.	See Nasby in Xm. Cent. Pul. 12-’52	The coming of Christ is the fulfillment of our desire to see God face to face. The person of Christ, and of other saints, give us glimpses of what God is like.	mentioned wars, cold, hot, or otherwise, and states that Christ brought us peace, but that is not to be confused with security, which we cannot have, and which Christ didn’t get either.	Mentions the satisfactions of missionary work, of bringing the gospel to people who have not yet heard, but also the downside of having to send children back stateside for education, subjecting families to prolonged separations.		12/4/55
The Priority of Good Will	12/21/1952	Luke 2: 1-20	Matthew 18: 21-22.	Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, a poem about the message of the church bells at Christmas.	Is Good Will Defeated? He give examples of its severe lack [vide infra]. But he also gives examples of good will at work, in relief work in Japan, for example. “Good will is real, and it creates good will.”	Recent celebration of the tenth anniversary at Stagg field in Chicago of the first nuclear chain reaction. All the bombs since then; the Chinese government preaching hate of Americans; Russians told religion is opiate.
“And the Shepherds Returned”	12/28/1952	Luke 2: 15-32.	John 14: 1; Mark 6: 50.	Oscar Wilde, “The only way to get rid of a temptation is to give in to it.”	He addresses the letdown after Christmas “highs” and points out that the shepherds, rather than allowing themselves to be letdown, were glorfying God and praising him. Would that we could do likewise.				12/26/1954	12/27/1964
Being Christian in a Pagan Land	1/25/1953	Psalm 1	Genesis 37, 39, 40, 41-50; [story of Joseph]	oblique reference to Horatio Alger stories; story of Joseph is not analogous.	Tells the story of Joseph in great detail. Says Joseph was an observant Jew in a pagan land, never forgetting that he was God’s, and always observing the Ten Commandments. We could learn a lot from his faithfulness, living Christian principles in a pagan land.				2/5/1961
A Scout is Reverent	2/8/1953	Psalm 121; Psalm 119: 32.	Leviticus 25: 10; Isaiah 40: 30-31.		Boy Scout Sunday. He speaks of the 12th Scout Law, “a Scout is reverent.” Speaks of our liberty and our legal system resting on the Ten Commandments. Speaks of the Bible as the source book in which to find the news about God’s relationship to people.				2/14/1960
Roads to Brotherhood	2/22/1953	Matthew 5: 17-24		Horace Taft (brother of William Howard Taft), autobiography. Robert E. Lee, on a colleague, General Whiting.	National Brotherhood Week. God loves variety; the differences between people are much more interesting than monotonous sameness. But all men are brothers under God, “created of one blood.” Mutual respect and sincere attemts at understanding others.				2/13/2955
Where are the Keys of the Kingdom	3/1/1953	Matthew 16: 13-28	John 3: 1-5; Romans 1: 16; Luke 4: 16-30.	Orson Wells, H.G. Wells, “The War of the Worlds.”	Our religion is concerned not just with personal salvation, but with living the gospel and spreading the gospel to others. We may do less than possible because we fear letting God have total control of our lives.	Christianity and freedom preferable to communism.			4/16/1961
True and False Fasting	3/8/1953	Isaiah 58: 1-12; Job 2: 7-13; Mark 12: 41-44.	II Samuel 12: 15-19; Matthew 6: 16-18; Joel 2: 13.	“If with all your heart ye truly seek me” from the Elijah, by Felix Mendlesohn.	Giving up things for Lent may be “false fasting. We are called to give in ways that bring joy to the giver as well as the recipient. The widow’s mite. One Great Hour of Sharing. A reporter’s interviews with tithing families revealed they did not feel they were sacrificing, and were happy with their course of action.				3/8/1964
Someone Believes In You	3/15/53	Matthew 4: 16-25	John 3: 17; Luke 23: 39-43.	(See Templeton in Xm. Cent.. Pul. 2-53)	God believes in us even when we don’t believe in ourselves. He sees the potential we represent right through any ugliness or sin or apparent lack of character or talent. Jesus exemplified this by seeing the best in all those with whom he came in contact.				7/25/65
Living for the Kingdom	3/22/1953	Luke 17: 12-26; Mark 10: 42-45; John 15: 12- 15.	Matthew 12: 46-50; Matthew 13: 31-33.	(See Holt in “The Bible as a Community Book.”)	Jesus was trying to found a new style of community, based on love and mutual respect rather than on fear and force. This would be a new world order, replacing both Roman and Hebrew. This sermon quotes all 4 gospels, and summarizes much of Jesus’ teaching.
Going to Jerusalem	3/29/1953	Luke 18: 31-43.	Luke 19; Luke 9.	(See P. Brooks in “20 Sermons”, Ch 18).	Palm Sunday. Jesus went to his Jerusalem. We all have a Jerusalem to go to and confront. Our lives progress through the interaction of our character and circumstances and our way is clearer if we see and accept our own Jerusalem the way Jesus did.
The Way, the Truth, and the Life	4/12/1953	John 14: 1-14; John 11: 26; Matthew 5: 48.	Psalm 103; John 13: 27; Mark 8: 33.	poem by Alice Meynell; poem by Samuel Rutherford.	Focus on the teachings of Jesus, specifically that in the title. Jesus is the Way; we know God by knowing Jesus. We know his love, mercy and forgiveness; we also know what he demands in the way of righteousness.
Truth and Freedom	4/19/1953	John 18: 28-38; John 1: 14,17; John 8: 43,44.	John 18: 37,38; John 3: 21; John 16: 13; John 14: 16,17; I John 4: 7, 8; John 8: 31, 32; II Timothy 1: 12.	(See Tillich in Pul. Dig. 4-’53)	Jesus is the truth. His teachings are about the truth; the gospels and church doctrines are about the truth; but he is the truth, his life is the truth. Multiple quotes from the gospel of John and elsewhere, but especially from John, on Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life.
Unto the Hills	6/14/1953	Psalm 121	Obadiah (especially verse 3)	Poem, “Mastery,” by Sara Teasdale; song, “Invictus”, which ends, “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.”	The hills do draw our attention, and for most of us they inspire thoughts of their (and our) Creator. All mountains we climb in life, the real and the figurative, give us great pleasure when we succeed, and that is good. But we must avoid a false pride: “Did it myself.”		He used to sing “Invictus” with great gusto. He has been brought up short often enough by “the God of things as they are” to know that those words are hogwash.		6/2/1968
Wisdon and Persistence	6/21/1953	Colossians 2: 1-7	Luke 10: 27	(See Jenney and Hill in Xm. Cent. Pul. 6-53) Quotes Reinhold Niebuhr as the author of “The Serenity Prayer.” Quotation from Lynn Harold Hough.	We need faith (not just any faith, but a robust Christian faith) to have wisdom, love, and persistence. This demands that we continually seek the best, that we learn to cooperate with the inevitable, and that we commit our lives intelligently to God.
Vacation Temptations and Rewards	8/2/1953	Luke 4: 1-19	Psalm 24: 1; Psalm 95: 5.		Vacations can be rejuvenating. They can be a trap if just spent in escape or laziness. But especially if one spends them in the out-of- doors and reminds onesself that all of this is of God, they can recharge physical and mental and spiritual batteries for a whole year.
Putting Together the Pieces	8/9/1953	Ephesians 6		poem by Edwin Markham	When lives (or countries, vide infra) are torn apart, it is important to be able to put the pieces back together. He cites Catherine Marshall and her writings about her husband, and life after his untimely death. And society requires cooperation among “the pieces.”	The division of Korea into two countries goes against all the wishes of the patriotic Korean people; reunification is necessary if disaster is to be avoided.
Accepting One’s Crosses	8/23/1953	I Corinthians 13; Galatians 6: 2; Matthew 25:40	Romans 15: 1; John 10: 10; Mark 8: 34; Mark 2: 9; Matthew 5: 10; I Peter 2: 21-23; Luke 23: 34; Psalm 23: 4; Psalm 23: 3.		Life is filled with tragedy; our crosses. Christ taught us in word and deed how to use crosses in a positive way. The way we handle suffering increases or decreases our capacity for life. And God showed in Jesus that he is with us in our suffering, and triumphs, for us.
God Is Where You Find Him	9/27/1953	Exodus 3: 1-12; Mark 3: 5; Mark 10; 14.	Matthew 21:12; Mark 11:15; Luke 19:45; John 2: 14-15; I Corinthians 13; Ephesians 4: 26.	(See Fosdick in Xm. Cent. Pul. 10-’53) Hymns: “Nearer My God to Thee” (Lowell Mason), and the Doxology.	We do find God in difficult situations. Jesus certainly did. But our chances of finding him during the difficult situations of life go way up if we also are meeting him regularly in church and other weekly activities, again much as Jesus met him regularly in prayer.		Dr. A. I. Ludlow, a medical missionary to Korea, who had not intended to work there, but reacted to the need he saw when taken there by Mr. Severance on a world cruise.		11/25/1956
Sacrament and Service	10/4/1953	Luke 22: 14-20; I Corinthians 11: 25.	Deuteronomy 6: 10-12; Luke 6: 27-28.	(See Craig: “We Have An Altar,” October chapter, p. 73ff)	[The bulk of this sermon, after 2 introductory pages, is an outline rather than the usual verbatim text.] Communion Sunday. The sacrament reminds us of Jesus, in order to remind us to do his will.
United We Stand	10/25/1953	Acts 17: 22-32.			World Order Sunday. Voices considerable support for the United Nations, and for its role in keeping the peace and in doing other tasks that build world community and work toward world order. Voices concern for the hungry and other needy; we need to help them.
Affirmation of Faith	11/1/1953	II Corinthians 3: 7-18.	Galatians 5: 13.		Reformation Sunday. True Protestant Christianity involves willing devotion, service, giving, sacrifice, which we “honestly lay before Him Whose we all are.”				10/29/1967
How to Make an Investment	11/15/1953	Matthew 6: 14-24		(Reference to Miller in Xm. Cent. Pul. 11’53)	Loyalty Sunday (Stewardship Sunday). The teaching of Jesus to lay up treasure in heaven is interpreted to mean investing in worthwhile enduring activities in the here and now, like supporting the proposed budget of the church for 1954.
How to be Thankful	11/22/1953	Deuteronomy 8	Psalm 100: 3-5.	Hymns: “More Light Shall Break From Out Thy Word;” and “Abide With Me.” C.S. Lewis, “The Screwtape Letters.”	Thanksgiving; the history of the Pilgrim’s first Thanksgiving. Six ideas, points of how not to be thankful, that are characteristic of American life, together with six counterpoints of how to be thankful. We are dependent on God and others, and are stewards of God’s bounty.				11/19/1967
The Book and the Life	12/13/1953	Luke 4: 14-30; Habakkuk 2: 4; Psalm 84: 2.	Psalm 23: 1; John 14: 9; John 10: 11; Job 14: 14; John 5: 39; John 11: 25.	(See Phillips and Hunter in Sm. Cent. Pul. 12-’53, et al.) The Interpreter’s Bible is cited as being available, the first 5 volumes of 12.	The Bible is important. It is The Book; it is the written version of God’s Word. But in Christianity we pay particular attention to The Life of Jesus, as an example of what God is like, and how to live our lives. Jesus said the book was fulfilled in the ears of the Nazarenes
If Christ Had Not Come	12/27/53	John 11: 45-57; John 15: 22.	John 1: 11;Isaiah 53: 3;	Haas, in Pul. Dig. 12-53.	How bleak the world would have been if Christ had not come. Perils of the secularization and commercialization of Christmas. Is our approach to Christmas truly self-less, or is it selfish?
Christian Dedication	1/10/54	Romans 1: 1-15		(see Buttrick in Pul. Dig. 1-’54); In His Steps, (book) by Charles M. Sheldon.	Paul said he was a servant of Christ, or rather in other translations, slave of Christ. Christian understanding of being a slave of Christ, living in obedience to Christ’s plan, is the route to joy and to true freedom.	World Wars as an indicator of our failure individually and collectively to live as Christ intends. Our understanding that we are sinners in service to Christ as our way to the Kingdom.			1/15/61
No Fear of What is Right	1/24/1954	Acts 7: 30-60 Romans 8: 31.	Numbers 13, 14:1-4; Daniel 3: 12-30.	(See Bartlett in Sm. Cent. Pul. 1-’54; and Johnson in Sac. Act. 11-’53) Farel, and the debate in Lausanne on ten Evangelical theses.	Fear, normally meant to protect us from harm, can cause difficulties when it is overdone. He feels our fear of communism has led to over- doing of investigations. His parishoner, Henry Perrine Baldwin, disagrees in an accompaning letter.	RWK states freedom is the main protector against tyranny, and that fear and over-zealous investigation threaten freedom. HPB states that the biggest threat to our society is the overweening desire for security.
How Shall They Hear?	1/31/1954	Romans 10: 10-17	John 20:21.		Youth Week. Through the United Church Youth Ministry, Christian Endeavor, and other groups, local and otherwise, youth is heard and has a forum for participating more fully in church life. Living and preaching God’s word is an important part of every Christian life.
What is the Ecumenical Church?	2/28/1954	Hebrews 13: 1-16; I Corinthians 11: 17-34.	II Thessalonians 3: 10; I Peter 4: 7-11.		Discusses the upcoming (August 1954) Assembly of the World Council of Churches. Discusses ecumenism, and the search for more understanding of what it means to be all one body in Christ. Mentions the International Council, a body critical of the World Council.
Power in Penitence	3/7/1954	Luke 15: 11-32; Romans 3: 10-18.	Acts 1: 8; Matthew 25: 21.	quotations from Brisen, Carl Patton, and Harry Emerson Fosdick.	Lent makes us think of repentence. There is a power in penitence of the right kind; the kind the Prodigal Son had, which galvanized him to action and took him back to his father to ask for forgiveness. All of us have a fundamental need for penitence.
Power in Christian Commission	3/21/1954	Romans 10: 1-15.	Matthew 28: 18-20; John 17: 9-26.	Quotation from Truman Douglas about mission.	In the last three verses of Matthew, Jesus makes a claim, gives a commission, and a promise. God has given him all authority; “Go therefore” into all the world,baptizing,teaching making disciples; and “I will be with you always. Jesus is a living event.
Power to be Transformed	3/28/1954	Romans 12.	II Timothy 3: 2-5.	reference to prayers said at the Constitutional Convention, and before the U.S. Senate and some state legislatures.	Our religion should be a positive force in our lives, transforming us into the loving, caring people that God wants us to be. The external form of what we do is far less important than this impact on how we live out the gospel.		A minister friend sent a New Testament to be rebound. It came back with TNT on the back. That is fairly apt!
Power in Christian Love	4/4/1954	Romans 13: 8-14; Acts 4: 13; Mark 12: 30-31.	Luke 10: 30-37; John 3:16.	Walt Whitman poem fragment, “Whoever walks a furlong without sympathy walks to his own funeral, drest in his shroud.”	Power in love. Love of God and love of neighbor as put forth by Jesus as the first and great commandments. Love of neighbor as exemplified by the Good Samaritan; love in action. Jesus’ boldness rubbed off on Peter and John; will it rub off on us?
What Shall I Do Now?	4/24/1954	Acts 9:1-20; Acts 1: 6-8; Luke 2: 52.	Matthew 6: 3; II Samuel 18.	(See John F. Stone; also Owen, in Pul. Dig. 4-’54). Quotation from Dwight Eisenhower: “The world is now deciding whether it believes that man has an immortal soul.”	After graduation; after confimation; after Easter, the question arises: What now? Paul asked Jesus this question right after his conversion. The answer is, spread the gospel by both word and deed; this is our duty and our joy as Christians.
Firm Foundations	5/9/1954	Matthew 7: 15-29; I Corinthians 13.		“The Green Pastures,” a play based upon Roark Bradford’s “Old Man Adam and All His Children.” Story of a village blacksmith, told by Rufus Jones.	Mother’s Day; Festival of the Christian family. A successful home is built upon mutual sharing, a sense of togetherness; together with belief in God, and that what he has joined together no man should separate; and also on prayer.
Out of the Heart	5/16/1954	Proverbs 4:10 - 5:2.		Quote from Bob Hope, enumerating all his physical events (heartbeats, breaths, etc.); Quote from an unnamed man enumerating all his blessings. Poem by Roy Smith.	It is probably good to do things that promote health for the heart. It is equally important to do things that promote spiritual health. Jesus’ life is a splendid example of spiritual wholeness.				7/11/1965
The Earth is the Lord’s	5/23/1954	Joshua 14: 1-13	Numbers 13, 14: 1-4.	(See Ziegler in Xm. Cent. Pul. 5-’54)	Obsession with security, with little concern for others, leading to individual and national isolation. Pioneers (ancient Israelites [Caleb], US pioneers including the Mormons) made a go of life on very rough land. Rural Life Sunday.	Study showing that in two counties in Indiana, production was higher in the county farmed in small farms by owners, as opposed to the other county farmed by tenants, with big farms and “efficient” methods of production.
Knowledge and Belief	5/30/1954	Joshua 24: 14-18; John 8: 32.	Psalm 43: 3; Proverbs 1: 7.	(See McCracken in Xm. Cent. Pul. 6-54). Quotations from bishop of London Mandell Creighton, and from John Milton. “A history of freedom and thought,” by J. B. Bury.	Memorial Day; Graduation Day; baptism. The knowledge acquired in school is an important underpinning for our beliefs. Belief and know- ledge are not antithetical; they work together. Our Christian faith flourishes when the search for truth goes forward vigorously.	He comments on the political climate and the tendency to label anything a little new as “Communist.” He deplores this and makes a plea for adequate proof of accusations, and a renewed vigor in the search for truth.
Our Faith and Our Citizenship	7/4/1954	Hebrews 11, 12: 1-2; Galatians 5: 1-14.	Mark 2: 27; John 3: 16.	Abraham Lincoln, the Gettysburg Address; Thomas Jefferson, selected quotations. Dwight Eisenhower, selected passages from a speech delivered April 5, 1954 on radio and television. Quotation from George Kennan.	Our government and our liberty are based on our belief in God, and God’s faith in the individual. Presidents from Washington to Eisenhower have understood and articulated this. We need to understand and live this, in order to preserve what we have for ourselves and the rest of the world.	Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution are based on belief in God, and on the rights of the individual under God. Most of the colonists were here because of the desire for religious freedom.			7/3/1960
Vision Through Two Eyes	7/18/54	Isaiah 6: 1-8		(see Lungle in Xm. Cent. Pul. 7-’54). Quotation from the late William Temple, Archbishop of York. Spiritual, “Standing in the Need of Prayer.”	Just as binocular vision gives us depth of field and a more accurate picture of reality than the flat monocular view, looking at life from multiple points of view gives us a better sense of reality. It is important to see our own faults, not just those of others, and to stay engaged.	Refers to war in Korea, and to General Dean’s conclusion that one of our grave errors was to call the enemy “gook.”
Serve With Gladness	7/25/1954	Psalms 3 and 100	Luke 22: 26, 27.	Russell Ditzen in Pul. Dig, 7-’54, to whom he explicitly gives much of the credit for the line of thought. Also, novel and movie, “Goodbye, Mr. Chipps.”	Service is a key to the Christian life. In talking about service, he points out the need in business to meet the customer’s requirements which is a “modern” business mantra. Serving is a blessing to the server, as well as a way to accomplish things, and to profit. Priesthood of all believers.				7/10/1960	6/20/1965
Moral Principles and Daily Bread	9/5/1954	Micah 6: 6-8; Matthew 7: 7-12; Luke 10:25-28.	Exodus 5: 7ff; Psalm 24: 1; Amos 5: 24; Genesis 4: 9.	(Ref. to Olson in Xm. Cent. Pul. 9-54)	Labor Sunday. Labor-management relations can be informed by Christian moral principles. He lists: (1) everything is from God; (2) we are only stewards, not owners; (3) love is the way of life; (4) God demands justice and right dealings; (5) we are accountable for others;(6) we are obligated to use our moral freedom responsibly.	He quotes Bishop Oxnam on the disparity of per capita income in China, India, Britain, and the USA. We are not required to feel guilty about what we have, but we must take note of the needs of others, and do something!
Contentment in an Uncomfortable Time	10/10/1954	I Kings 12: 1-17; I Kings 21: 17-29.	Isaiah 26: 20; II Samuel 12.	(See Chase in Sm. Cent. Pul 10-54; also the Interpreter’s Bible). Henry C. Link, The Return to Religion.	Times that appear in history to be great, have frequently been stormy times. The scripture references point out a few. And the reference from I Kings 12, which contains the words, “To your tents, O Israel,” dramatizes the extent to which the people would go to resist tyranny.				10/8/1961
Christian Spirit and World Order	10/24/1954	Romans 8: 28-39	Joshua 7: 18-26.	(See Yarbrough in Pul. Dig. 10-54). Hymn, A Mighty Fortress is our God. The “Halleluia Chorus,” from Handel’s Messiah.	The world is in a state of disorder, and needs a strong dose of committed Christianity to recover. We need our uncompromising belief in God, obedience to His will, and an unconditional dedication to His way.	There are many claims to Truth these days, including the Marxist economics. God’s way will prevail.
We Believe	10/31/1954	Romans 1: 7-17.		(See Fosdick in Xm. Cent. Pul. 10-’54); Edward Winslow’s report of the farewell sermon by John Robinson to the Pilgrims. Martin Luther: “Here I stand.”	Reformation Sunday. We Protestants ought to embrace positive rather than negative parts of our tradition. Listed are (1) Christ is the sole head of the church; (2) every soul has direct access to God; (3) the Bible is the norm of beliefs, and guide to life; (4) justification by faith.				10/30/1960
Not by Bread Alone	11/7/1954	Deuteronomy 8: 1-3; Matthew 4: 1-4.	Amos 5:24.	Abraham Rihbany, “Our Daily Bread.”	“Man does not live by bread alone” but by ideals. Rihbany makes a case for a different way of looking at “Daily bread” by orientals as compared to us occidentals; (and Jesus was oriental). In answering the temptations to turn rocks into bread, Jesus quoted Deuteronomy.
With Cheerful Purpose	11/14/1954	Mark 14: 1-9.	Matthew 25: 21.	(See Misheff in Xm. Cent. Pul. 11-54). “A Few Buttons Missing,” autobiography by Dr. James Fisher.	Loyalty Sunday. The woman of Bethany gives us an example of giving joyously and generously. Much blessing comes to the giver. We are called to give regularly to the church to support local program as well as distant mission.
Faith of a Pilgrim	11/21/1954	Hebrews 11: 1-16.	Psalm 16: 6,9.	(See, in part, Higgins in Xm. Cent. Pul. 11-’54) History of Plymouth Plantation, by William Bradford; sermon by Thomas Hooker, (Connecticut, 1638).	Thanksgiving Sunday. He gives thanks for our Pilgrim forefathers, especially William Bradford and Thomas Hooker. He states our nation’s strength is its religious heritage, its founding by people of faith, who converted their faith into action.
The Coming of Hope	11/28/1954	Psalm 37: 1-11, 35-40. I Kings 20: 1-21.	II Samuel 18: 9-33; Matthew 26: 36-46; Hebrews 12: 1.	(See McCartney in Pul. Dig. 12-’54) Thomas Hughes, Tom Brown’s School Days. Quotation from Field Marshall Montgomery.	We must all fight our own battles in life, and an important ally is hope. Life is a struggle, and no one can substitute for us in our own warfare. But the Lord stands with those whose battle is for the right. It may be our battle, but it is also the Lord’s.
The Coming of Judgment	12/5/1954	Matthew 25: 31-46; Luke 10: 27.	Matthew 11: 1-6; Matthew 11: 21-24.	(See - partly - Brilioth in Xm. Cent. Pul. 12-54)	Jesus is not just a mild-mannered and tender Savior; he also brings a stern judgment upon those who do not repent and follow his ways. We need his presence to correct our evil and bring us back to God.
The Coming of Life	12/12/1954	John 10: 1-16; John 3: 16.	Isaiah 40: 1-2; Psalm 23.	General Confession, Book of Common Prayer Handel’s “Messiah.”	Advent and Christmas. Jesus came so that we could have life, and have it abundantly. Tells the story of the printing of the first Bibles in English by William Tyndale in 1525. We Christians walk through the battles of life and the valley of the shadow of death not alone.	Refers to the battle between the Christian gospel and atheistic communism.
The Coming of Joy	12/19/1954	Luke 2: 22-40.	Isaiah 53: 3; John 16: 33.	Ralph Waldo Emerson, poem (first line, “Let me go where’er I will,”). Halford Luccock, commenting on Handel and his feeling of awe while writing the Hallelujah Chorus.	Christmas, Advent. We remember not only the joy of the baby Jesus, but also the demands of the Man Jesus, and the joy in our lives when we meet those demands.
The Coming of a New Year	1/2/1955	John 18: 28-38; Matthew 5: 17; Mark 2: 17.	Luke 19: 10; John 10: 10; Luke 7: 34; Daniel 5	Poem by Dr. Alfred I. Ludlow (first line: “How like a web our life appears,).	New Years. Communion Sunday. Upcoming community religious census, participating in the National Christian Teaching Mission. In the communion service, we rededicate ourselves to Jesus’ Way.				1/6/1963
Keeping One’s Life In Shape	1/9/55	Isaiah 38: 1-16; John 8: 11.	Psalm 116: 8, 12, 17, 19.	(See McLeod in Xm. Cent. Pul. 1-55) Tolstoy; the life of Augustine.	We need the knowledge of God and his forgiveness to “keep in shape” for the blows which life inevitably deals out.
You Do Not Walk Alone	1/16/1955	John 16: 19-33.	I John 1: 9; Isaiah 40: 31; Hebrews 12: 1-2.	(See Nyberg in Xm. Cent. Pul. 1-’55 et al.) Song, “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” Magazine article by Louise Dickinson Rich, “No One Walks Alone.” (Woman’s Day, January, 1955); poem by T. S. Elliot.	Loneliness comes to most of us, and has many causes. One of the best cures is to walk with God, because then you never walk alone.
Luck Or Lottery	1/23/55	Matthew 27: 27-37		(see Clarke [Dr. James W. Clarke of St. Louis] in Xm. Cent. Pul. 1-55)	Gambling is a sin, against self, society and God. Because of its morally destructive nature, it is not an appropriate funding mechanism for churches, charities, and governments. It is not equivalent to taking calculated risks.	Refers to the Irish Sweeps, and to laws under consideration to ok Bingo in churches.			1/30/55
Who Chooses Life?	1/30/55	Deuteronomy 30: 14-20; 31: 6-8; Luke 18: 22.	John 10: 10; Matthew 12: 30; Genesis 1: 2-3.	(See Fey in Xm. Cent. Pul., Feb ‘55) Willy Loman in “Death of a Salesman.”	Living in covenant with God. Choosing life rather than spiritual death. Life forces choices on us, and Christ helps us choose the right. Creation story illustrates the result of a divine choice of the will.	Evangelical Congress in Leipzig, (East Germany) where attendants (10,000) defied statue of Stalin and declared their allegiance to Christ. Downside of Marxism, but also of too-rabid anticommunism.
Do You Have a Blind Spot?	2/20/1955	Matthew 23: 1-12	Mark 12: 28-34a; Luke 10: 27-37.	Blind Spots, (book), by Henry Smith Leiper.	Brotherhood Week. We all have blind spots about our own feelings of racism or other kinds of discrimination before getting to know the other as a person. The Kingdom of God will be closer when all take to heart, “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”				2/12/1967
His Standards And Ours	2/27/55	I Corinthians 13; Hebrews 10: 38; James 2: 26	Matthew 8: 20.	(see Gill in Xm. Cent. Pul. 2-55) Quotations from Thomas Carlyle and George Buttrick. “You can’t take it with you” (play).	Christ’s standards differ from ours, and focus on the things that are eternal, not temporary as of this earth. He rejected for himself power, possessions, and position, and urges us to do likewise. Paul states the highest spiritual value is love, without which we are nothing.	Redistribution of wealth in the 1930s did not in itself make everyone happy. Communism’s biggest lie is that everyone will be just fine if they get a fair share of material goods.			9/27/59
Human Nature, Or Better?	3/6/55	Judges 16: 23-30; Luke 6: 27-28.	Acts 7: 54-60; Matthew 18: 22; Exodus 21: 24; Deuteronomy 19: 21; Matthew 5: 38; Romans 12: 19,20; Romans 8: 9.	(see Halliday in Xm. Cent. Pul. 3-55) William Shakespeare’s character, Shylock.	Samson prayed for strength to deliver revenge, retribution. Stephen prayed for forgiveness for those killing him. The sermon ends, which do you choose, Samson or Stephen?	[It is not included in the sermon, but I cannot escape thinking about the current state of Israel and its policy of retribution, and wishing that instead its leaders could think once and a while about forgiveness.]			9/13/59
Those Who Are Happy	3/13/1955	Matthew 5: 1-12 (Beatitudes). Luke 4: 18-19.	Luke 16: 13; Mark 3: 25; Matthew 6: 33.	From Ralph Sockman, Higher Happiness, the introduction. Song, “Invictus.”	Introductory sermon to a series on the Beatitudes. Our happiness does not always square with the happiness envisions and preached by Jesus. To reach his goals, we need to be sure that God is sovereign in our lives, rather than “number one.”
Pride and Humility	3/20/1955	I Peter 5: 1-11; James 4: 6b; Matthew 5: 3.	John 10: 16; Joel 2: 28.	(See Sockman, The Higher Happiness, pp. 24ff). Refers to a character in “Tobacco Road.” Ben Franklin and his list of virtues he consciously practiced, to achieve moral perfection. Quotation from Thomas Huxley.	First “beatitude” sermon. “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Humility is a virtue that needs to be practiced every day. It is the central virtue, which must be in place for other virtues to be practiced. It permits openness to new ideas, listening to others.
Comfort in Sorrow	3/27/1955	John 16: 16-23; Matthew 5: 4	Romans 8: 28; John 15: 11; John 15: 3.	(See Sockman in Higher Happiness, pp. 40 ff. Greek legend of crossing the Styx, and chosing to remember rather than to forget. Mme Schuman Heink, on the pain and burden of motherhood, which she felt made her a better singer.	The second beatitude, “Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Super- ficial religion does not offer the comforts promised. But those who mourn for the sorrows of others will be the comforted and the comforters.
Triumph of the Meek	4/3/1955	Matthew 21: 1-11; Zechariah 9: 9; Matthew 5:5	I Timothy 6: 11; Micah 6: 6-8; Matthew 11: 28-29; Acts 9: 4-5; Romans 12: 11; Exodus 2: 11-15; Numbers 12: 3.	(See Sockman, Higher Happiness, p 61ff.) Ivanhoe, by Sir Walter Scott. Socrates, on essential virtues. Quotation from Henry Ward Beecher.	Palm Sunday. Jesus rode into Jerusalem meekly, on a donkey, as foretold by Zechariah Third beatitude. “The meek shall inherit the earth.” Who are these meek? They are the strong, like Jesus, who have their strength under control, submitted to the will of God.	Hitler said he took Paris by force, and now would take her by love. He never could and never did.
He Feeds the Hungry	4/10/1955	John 6: 32-40; Matthew 5: 6.	Matthew 6: 33; Job 13: 15; Job 19: 25; I Corinthians 15: 20.	Handel’s Messiah, especially the Hallelujah Chorus.	Fourth Beatitude. Easter brings us to church because we do hunger and thirst after righteousness, and seek to be filled, as stated in the Beatitude. We are likely to find what we seek in Easter worship, since the best assurance is in the Risen Lord.
Who Can Be Merciful?	4/17/1955	Matthew 9: 1-13; Matthew 5: 7.	Hosea 6: 6; Micah 6: 8; Matthew 5: 20; Luke 10: 30-37; Luke 6: 27, 28.	William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, “The quality of mercy is not strained; .....” Radio talk by C.S. Lewis on forgiveness; he states it is central in Christianity.	Fifth beatitude: “Blessed are the merciful, ..” Forgiveness is central in mercy, and is frequently dificult. But as C. S. Lewis pointed out, it is central to Christianity, is a part of the Lord’s Prayer. Pardon is for governments or God; and forgiveness does not excuse the wrong, which remains wrong.	C. S. Lewis, in pointing out the centrality of forgiveness, does not say it is easy, or that he could do it. “Can you forgive the Gestapo if you are a Pole or a Jew?”			8/21/1966
What Do You See?	4/24/1955	I Timothy 6; Matthew 5: 8; Mark 8: 15, 18.	Ephesians 1: 17,18; I Corinthians 2: 14; Psalm 19: 1; Gensis 32: 30.	“Ode to the Nightingale,” poem, by Keats. Quotations from James Moffatt, and from Kirkegaard.	Sixth beatitude. The pure in heart will see God; that is, see with the heart. Many of us see only with our eyes, and neglect the perceptions of our other senses. It is good to cultivate the other senses, and the understanding of the heart.				5/9/1967
More Than Peace Of Mind	5/1/1955	Matthew 7: 13-27; Matthew 5: 9; Mark 3: 25.	Matthew 12: 25; Matthew 8: 22; Ephesians 4: 15; Luke 9: 62; Matthew 5: 44; John 21: 17; Matthew 7: 24.	(See Sockman, Higher Happiness, in part) Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi; Peace of Mind (book) by Joshua Liebman. Peace of Soul, (Sheris), Peace with God, (Graham), Power of Positive Thinking, (Peale).	Seventh beatitude. Peacemakers take action to overcome prejudice. They prepare themselves for world citizenship by being excellent citizens of their own community.	communism needs to be battled by committed Christians, living out the ethic of Jesus.			6/11/1961
Those Who Can Endure	5/8/1955	Matthew 5: 38-48; Matthew 5: 10 ff.	Matthew 11: 28; Luke 4: 18; John 13: 35.	(See Sockman, Higher Happiness.) Quotes from Dwight L. Moody, Bishop Bergrav of Oslo, and Marguerite Harmon Bro.	Mother’s Day; Family Sunday. The eighth beatitude, “Blessed are those who are persecuted ...” Persecution can be mindless; it can be for a reason, and we should pay attention if there is something about ourselves to change. But it is “blessed” when it is for following the way of Christ.	Mentions communism, fascism, Nazism, and the way Christians are forced to stand up for the right when faced with some of the “modern” ideologies.
The Christian Ministry	5/22/1955	Ephesians 4: 1-8; Ephesians 4: 11-16.			“A Sunday of Concern for the Ministry.” History of “our seminary,” the Chicago Theology Seminary (from which he graduated); and other seminaries in USA. A plea for dedicated, well-educated and talented people to enter Christian vocations.				6/18/1961
Sound Mind and Memory	5/29/1955	Romans 12	Hebrews 12: 1,2.	Shakespeare, Hamlet; poem by Rupert Brooke. Quotation from Phillips Brooks.	People of sound mind ought not to follow the crowd, do what everyone else is doing. We should form our own judgments on issues, testing, contributing our views and experience, thereby arriving at the best way for the common good. The “cloud of witnesses.”	reference to lack of freedom behind the iron and bamboo curtains.			2/3/1963
When We Worship	6/19/1955	John 4: 3-24.		(From Ferre in Pul. Dig. 5-55). On Being a Real Person, by Harry Emerson Fosdick.	Worship is man’s honest exposing of himself to the rightness of God. To trust God rather than self is the first lesson in personal worship. Following self acceptance comes meditation, followed by dedication. Worship leads to right action.				6/4/1961	1/30/1963
How To Live Right	6/26/1955	Matthew 13: 24-43; Proverbs 17: 22.	Proverbs 15: 13; Proverbs 15: 15.		Communion Sunday. Proverbs recommends “a merry heart.” Life should be fun. In order for it to be fun, it must be right. And if it is not right, we have to fix it, make it right. Baptism and communion are among those traditions that help us remedy our sins and make our lives right.
Perils Of Pride	8/14/55	I Corinthians 10: 1-13	Mark 8: 36.	(see Lichliter in Xm. Cent. Pul. 7-55). Forgive us our Virtues, book, by Vardis Fisher. Quotation from James Lichliter.	Often we are most vulnerable to mistakes during our crowning accomplishments, rather than during what we see as failures. Humility is the center of Christian attitude, and true humility leads to true charity.	Japanese occupation engineers saved thousands of lives by cleaning up water supplies, laying sewers, etc. But no planning or training was done in the arena of birth and population control, so overcrowding got worse			7/15/62
Bridge of Understanding	8/21/1955	Ephesians 2: 1-14.	Ephesians 6: 12.	Hymn, “In Christ there is no East or West”; also, “America the Beautiful.” (See, in part, Parrish in Xm. Cent. Pul. 7-55)	Road and bridges are not only used to get our bodies and goods from one place to another. They are symbols and actual vehicles of communication, which are vital in building the one family of man. Counterproductive racial and other prejudice remains an obstacle.				9/16/1962
Not Into Temptation	8/28/55	I Corinthians 10: 12-31; Philippians 3: 13, 14.	James 1: 12; Genesis 3: 6; Proverbs 22: 6.	( see Knapp in Xm. Cent. Pul. 9-55, p 44); An Anatole France story; hymns “Rejoice, ye pure in heart,” “Just as I am,” and “I need Thee every hour.”	All of us face temptations. Resisting them and so not falling into error is the trick. Being tempted is not sinful; giving in is the problem. It pays to chose friends who can support the resistance of the temptation.	Made reference to Alcoholics Anonymous in talking about the selection of supportive friends.			6/17/62
Back to Work	9/11/1955	John 6: 22-37; Proverbs 31: 15-19.	I Timothy 5: 13; James 2: 18, 20; John 5: 17.	(See Courtney in Xm. Cent. Pul. 9-55). Quotation from Carlyle.	Work is something that we all need, not just to earn sustenance, but because it is good for the soul. Work keeps us busy; it gives our lives direction and purpose; and it expresses our faith in God, as well as allowing us to earn the necessities of life.				9/9/1962
	9/18/55		Genesis 12: 1-9; Job 5: 7; II Corinthians 12: 7.		Life is replete with thorns among the roses. It is important to recognize the thorns and make the distinction between thorn and bloom, in order to deal with them and still be able to enjoy the beauty of the blooms.	Abraham among the Canaanites, who occupied the promised land before him. Direct analogy to our ancestors founding this country and having to deal with the Indians who were here before us.			10/25/59
Using Those Talents	9/25/55	Matthew 25: 14-29; Luke 8: 10; Luke 24: 25.	Matthew 25: 1-13; Matthew 22: 2-10.	(see Burkhart in Pu. Dig. 8-’55); poem, author unnamed.	All of us need to attend to using our talents rather than burying them. This is particularly true for those of us who think we don’t have much talent, or that live and happenstance have been unfair.	bemoans the tendency to follow the crowd, be involved in Mass movements or mass reactions to anything.	2 later alternate titles: “Spending Your Abilities” “On Being Involved”		9/20/59	7/24/66
The Fellowship of Christians	10/2/1955	John 5: 30-39.	Genesis 3: 19; John 10: 25; Mark 14: 22.	(See Craig, We Have an Altar, p. 66ff)	Communion Sunday; the “Offering of Labor.” Labor is not a curse, but an opportunity to serve and to show our faith in God. Communion is for sinners; none of us would partake if we waited until we were perfect.				10/4/1959
With Joyous Abandon	11/20/1955	Mark 14: 3-9; Mark 12: 42-44.	Psalm 33: 12; I Corinthians 6: 20.		Loyalty Sunday; Stewardship of time, talent, and substance. Launch of the Every Member canvass. Also Forefathers’ Sunday. The Pilgrim fathers wanted freedom of worship, and supported education early and well. Goals of education include training in human relations, economic efficiency, civic responsibility, and self-realization. We are interdependent, and support for the church is also support for these goals.
Take and Read	12/11/1955	John 5: 30-44; Romans 13: 13,14; John 5: 2-18; John 5: 39-40.	Matthew 4: 4; Deuteronomy 8: 3; Matthew 4: 10; Deuteronomy 10: 20; Matthew 4: 7; Deuteronomy 6: 16.	(See Bainton; and “Confessions”; and then Whiting in Xm. Cent. Pul. 12-’55). The life of Saint Augustine; Confessions, by Saint Augustine.	Saint Augustine found salvation when he heard a child’s voice saying, “Take up and read,” and found a New Testament and did read. The Bible gives us truths that are durable, instructive; it gives us assurance and fortification; it guides our worship, especially if we have the right methods of searching it for its treasure.				6/5/1960
Good Shall Return	1/8/56	Jeremiah 32: 1-15	the crucifixion	(see Buttrick in Xm. Cent. Pul. 1-56)	Even when good is thorougly overrun by evil, the good will return, in God’s good time. Jeremiah bought a farm which was about to be overrun by invaders, saying: “Thus says the Lord; houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land.”	The overrunning of Christian missions and schools in China by the Communist troops, and his confidence that in time the good will return. The long view taken by artisans and others in building cathedrals in Europe.			7/21/63
Working It Out	1/22/56	Philippians 2: 5-16	Romans 7: 24; Philippians 2: 13.	(see Bewice in Xm. Cent. Pul. 1-56); Phillips Brooks his on early days in seminary; Booker T. Washington on learning how to take initiative in everyday tasks. “Were you there when they crucified my Lord?” (spiritual).	Salvation does indeed come to us freely given as a gift from God. But we have to want it and work at it; it doesn’t just happen. God is manifest to us in the beauty of the earth, in the greatness of human souls that touch ours, and in the example of Jesus Christ.				7/28/63
In Wisdom And Stature	1/29/56	II Peter 3: 8-18; Luke 2: 52; John 4: 7-26.	John 3: 16; Luke 7: 37-50; John 8: 3-11.	(see Sockman in Xm. Cent. Pul. 1-’56). James Francis Cook, poem.	We are called to emulate Christ, not to be him, and to attempt to grow in his grace. Growth is built into our nature, and not to grow is to stagnate and die. The mind and spirit especially need ongoing attention and work.				9/10/67
Choose Whom You Will Serve	2/5/56	Matthew 4: 1-11	Joshua 24: 15.	(see Hutchinson in Xm. Cent. Pul. 2-56)	Joshua told the Israelites that they would have to choose whom they would serve; his choice was the Lord our God. Jesus, in the “tempta- tions in the wilderness,” had to make choices about who he served. We have to make similar choices, and could follow his example.				7/30/67
Proclaim the Faith	3/4/1956	I John 1		(See Meek in CTS Register, 1-54). Sermon preached on February 6, 1812 by the Rev. Leonard Woods, at the Tabernacle in Salem, Massachusetts.	Sermon referenced above was at the ordination of 5 young men and their commissioning as missionaries to Asia. We need more missionaries, now as ever, but to be partners with others rather than directors of a religious enterprise.	Need for Christian witness in view of the missionary zeal of communists.			7/14/1963
Being In Church	3/11/56	Luke 2: 41-51		(see Bosley in Xm. Cent. Pul. 4-55)	Jesus was comfortable in “church”; in the synagogue, and in the Temple, “My father’s house.” We need to be comfortalbe in church and to invite others to join us there, to worship God, to study the life of Christ, to study the Bible, and to enjoy the fellowship of Christians				6/9/63
Mystery in Life	4/15/1956	I Corinthians 13.	Luke 23: 46.	(See David Buttrick in Pul. Dig. 4-56) Refers to a play, “Green Pastures.”	We “see through a glass, darkly.” Life is a mystery. We ourselves are a mystery, and God is a mystery. Life must go on, and we live in a venture of faith. Christ is our example, and in him we perceive that “behind the dim unknown standeth God.” Christ is our way.				8/28/1966
Veture Living	4/29/56	Acts 3: 1-16; Isaiah 40: 3.	Philippians; gospels regarding crucifixion	(seel Kennedy in Xm. Cent. Pul. 1-’56)	Jesus is the Pioneer of Life, and our religion demands that we maintain a pioneer spirit of risk taking rather than playing it safe. We need to fight the fear of new ideas or new ways of doing things.	Conscientious objectors during World War II as one response to Jesus’ maxim, “Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s, and unto God that which is God’s.”			7/6/58
The Good Earth	5/6/1956	Genesis 1: 9-31.	Psalm 24: 1; Mathew 6: 33.	The Good Earth, by Pearl Buck.	During the creation, God repeatedly “saw that it was good.” We have a moral obligation as stewards of creation to conserve the soil and others resources for future generations. It is a sin to waste, throught greed or ignorance, what God has made available to us.		He grew up on a farm, and his father was knowledgable about crop rotation, use of animal waste to fertilize, and other “modern” farming practices which kept his small farm more productive the the neighbors’.		5/2/1965
No Place Like Home	5/13/56	II Timothey 3; Deuteronomy 5:16; 6:1-9, 20-25	Genesis 2: 24; Exodus 6: 20; Luke 2: 52.	(Ref. to Jackson and Gooselink in Pul. Dig. 4-56); Coleridge in his garden (roses vs weeds); John Howard Payne, “Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home.”	Nurture in a Christian home is the most important items in the development of children into adulthood. Role of all members of the family is important; we especially honor mothers on Mothers’ day. Marriage needs work and mutual respect to survive.				5/8/60	5/14/67
Christian Vocation	5/20/1956	Isaiah 6: 1-8			Concern for Christian vocations, but especially for the ministry. Presents data indicating that new ordinations are way below the level needing to replace those dying and retiring, to say nothing of expansion. Makes a plea for the recruitment of high school folk.
Workers With God	9/2/1956	I Corinthians 3: 5-16.	Luke 12: 16-21.	(See Banning and Everts in Xm. Cent. Pul. 9-56). “Worker’s Pledge,” by Washington Gladden.	Labor Sunday. Labor and management need to work out their differences in the knowledge that we are workers together with each other and with God. The church stands for an attitude of brotherliness and good will, and for an attitude of service.		Talked of his personal experience with manual labor on the farm where he grew up, and later working under other farmers.
In the House of Worship	9/16/1956	Luke 4: 14-21; Psalm 122: 1; Psalm 42: 2.	Matthew 18: 20; Luke 2: 49.	novel by George Elliot. Tiny Tim, in Charles Dickens “A Christmas Story.”	Worship is what binds the Christian community together. We hear God’s word, we experience healing, and we find salvation. Christ can forgive and renew us sinners, but only if we encounter him, and the best place for that is in church, in the body of Christ.
Where Education Begins	9/30/1956	Ephesians 5: 1-17; Exodus 20: 12.	Genesis, chapters 1 & 2; Proberbs 22: 6.		Education begins in the Christian home. There are responsibilities of all to make things work. Parents should teach children to live well in society; they should set an example, and discipline wisely. Children should recog- nize parents and their problems, appreciate parents’ purposes and efforts, and cooperate with their parents.		Spoke of his irritation at being playfully dismissed by a commencement speaker when he had spoken seriously of the family. Spoke of his father’s example in practicing as well as preaching clean speech.
Witnessing The Faith	10/28/56	I Peter 3: 8-21; Hebrews 10: 12; John 3: 5, 7.	Acts; Romans 10: 9; I Timothy 2: 5; Matthew 16: 18.	(see Mechal in Xm. Cent. Pul. 10-56; and also McKay in Pul. Dig. 10-56); Martin Luther, A Mighty Fortress is our God; also “Here I stand;” the Mayflower Compact.	Protestantism stands for certain things, not just against the excesses of Catholicism. We witness to the Bible as Word of God and our guide; we believe in the preeminence of Jesus Christ; and we believe in the priesthood of all believers.	The United States of America was founded on these principles, by men and women who had these beliefs; that was the foundation for government of, by and for the people, as articulated later by Lincoln.			7/29/62
An Opportunity and a Responsibility	11/4/1956	Esther 4: 10 - 5: 3.	Ephesians 5: 15, 16;	Quotations from Emerson, Gladstone, John Geddie, Lord Kitchener.	We have a duty to act on our opportunities, such as the opportunity to vote. We should remember that such opportunities are a privilege, and link with our destiny. Similar opportunities exist for serving God in mission, and in our everyday lives.
Your Responsible Share	11/11/1956	Psalm 24; Mark 16: 15.	Mark 12: 42-44.	Faith Takes a Name, book. Quote from Martin Luther, “Every man needs two conversions; the first of the heart and the second of the pocketbook.” “A Clue to our Devotion,” by Serge Hummon, in Church Life magazine.	Stewardship Sunday. Giving is an important spiritual matter. Those who give joyously and generously gain more for themselves than those who do not pull their weight. Church is not an “air plant” that gets nutrients free. We need to support the work with time and money				11/15/1959
Our Forefathers In The Spirit	11/18/1956	Psalm 103.	Genesis 8: 20; Nehemiah 12: 43; Ezra 8: 21.	(See Ditzen in Pul. Dig., 11-56.) The Mayflower Compact.	Thanksgiving. Gives details of the historical first Thanksgiving of the Pilgrims. Also points out that the religion of the Pilgrims was one of order, discipline, and regularity, and was an integral part of their daily lives. Let it be so for us, with regular church attendance, etc.				11/21/1965
The Father and the Son	12/2/1956	Matthew 1: 1, 17-25.	Matthew 7: 11.	(See Fenner in Pul. Dig. 12-550. Quote from Winifred Kirkland, in The Interpreter’s Bible, volume 7, p. 169.	Advent. Think of the meaning of the original event. Jesus grew up in a home. His parents had a profound effect on his character, and he infers especially so with Joseph. He attributes to Jesus an admiration for Joseph as a root cause of his reference to God as “Father.”				12/6/1959
What To Do With The Book	12/9/56	Jeremiah 36: 1-3; 14-26	John 1	(See Kuzenya in Xm. Cent. Pu. 12-56)	Jeremiah’s prophecy, though accurate, was so embarrassing to the king that he burned it. We need to take a fresh approach to the reading of the Bible to allow it to embarrass us, challenge us, help us to see ourselves clearly and how to become what God intends	refers to Hitler’s ordering the rewriting of the Bible so that it could serve as Nazi propaganda.			12/11/66
O Come, Emmanuel	12/16/56	Isaiah 40: 1-11	advent and Christmas in the gospels.	(see Nellin in Xm. Cent. Pul. 12-56); the oratorio, “The Messiah”, by Handel;	Christmas promises comfort; not the comfort of material goods, but the confidence that God is faithful, and will forgive us all our shortcomings.				11/29/59
The Power That Survives	12/23/56	Luke 2: 1-7	The Maccabees	(see Beckelhymer in Xm. Cent. Pu. 12-56); “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” (3rd verse).	The world and our new reports are obsessed with power, the pursuit of power, the pursuits of the powerful. All of this, from Caesar to Napoleon, is transitory; only the power of God’s Holy Spirit, acting through very ordinary people’s lives, is permanent.	Nuclear or thermonuclear power is not nearly as important as we thing, compared to the power of the Spirit in our lives.			12/24/67
Turning The Corner	12/30/56	Psalm 59: 1-10; 16,17; Romans 8: 38-39.	John 5: 2-9; Mark 10: 46-52; Luke 19: 2-10.	(see Keicher in Xm. Cent. Pul. 12-56)	God in his steadfast love will meet me. We need God’s guidance, since our “knowledge” has vastly exceeded our moral capabilities.				8/30/59
Intelligent Good Will	1/13/1957	Mark 12: 28-34; Matthew 25: 31-46.	I John 4: 20; John 8: 1-11; Leviticus 19: 18; John 13: 35.	(See Sockman in Xm. Cent. Pul. 1-57); hymn, “In the Cross of Christ I Glory.” Scandanavian novel by John Bojer. Quotation from C. S. Lewis.	We are to love God, and we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. The kind of love called for in love of neighbor is not the same thing as intimate love of family, but rather an intelligent good will; the words in the ancient languages e.g. Greek are quite distinct.				9/7/1958	7/28/1968
The Glory of theChristian Faith	1/27/1957	Romans 8: 28-39.	I John 4:8b; Galatians 6:7; Deuteronomy 5:9b.	(See Gezork in Xm. Cent. Pul. 1-57); quotation from Chesterton: “I demand the right to be damned.” Prayer of French fishermen. Quotation from Adolph Harnack.	God is love. And the glory of the Christian faith is summarized in Paul’s assertion that nothing can separate us from that love [Romans 8: 38, 39]. The love of God was re- vealed in the life of Jesus, and the depth of it in that God sacrificed Jesus for us [John 3:16].				1/24/1965
Breaking Down The Barriers	2/17/1957	Ephesians 2: 13-32; John 12: 32.	Luke 10: 30-37; Matthew 15: 22-28.	(See Ogden in Pul. Dig. 2-57; also Bosley in Pul. Dig. 1-57; et al.) Quotation from Robert Frost poem, “Mending Wall.”	We must break down the barriers of segregation, and others aspects of our racial prejudice. Our Christian principles of the brotherhood of man demand it. We need also beware of the sin of pride, and fear and selfishness.	Positive aspects of the Supreme Court decision that segregation in public places is unconstitutional; gratifying compliance with same; irritating slowness in getting universal compliance.
Good News	3/3/1957	Acts 13: 26-43; Isaiah 55: 7; Ezekiel 33:14-15.	Luke 24: 47; I John 1: 9; John 14: 2.	Paul Tillich: “Faith is courage to accept the fact that we are accepted by God, even though we are unacceptable.”	The Christian gospel is good news, that people are happy to hear, and happy to proclaim. It includes the friendliness of what God has already done for us; the forgiveness he promises to all who will repent; and the open door he promises to us to the hereafter.
Obligations of the Christian	3/10/1957	Micah 6: 1-8.	James 1: 22.	quotation from Mildred McAfee; quotation from Harry Emerson Fosdick, who calls Christianity not a form but a force. Quotations from Prof. Shotwell, Columbia University;Stanley Jones.	God does not want burnt offerings or blood sacrifices. In general, he is not interested in the form of our religion, but in its being a force in our lives. Religion becomes a dynamic reality when we know we need it, we know of its power, and we discover that it is real & true.
Fishing in Deep Waters	3/17/1957	Luke 5: 1-11; Mark 12: 30,31.	Psalm ?:“O that I knew where I might find him.”	The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare.	Jesus showed his disciples where to catch big fish, in deep waters. He tells us likewise to get out into the deep water, where we may be temporarily over our head, for that is where we will find intellectual and spiritual growth. We need to find God’s will for us, not try to bend him to ours.				3/21/1965
Live for Something Important	3/24/1957	Matthew 5: 13-16; 43-48; 7: 24,25.	I Kings 4: 29; Proverbs 23: 7.	Disraeli: “Life is too short to be little.” Lord Randolph Churchill, a letter to his wife in 1891 complaining of being underappreciated, and vowing to leave politics.	We should live our lives for something important [see Disraeli]. And most find that they can only keep going if they turn their lives over to God, and put him at the center. Mentioned the Alcoholics Anonymous step of turning life over to a Higher Power.				3/1/1964
Compassion in Person	3/31/1957	Matthew 25: 31-45. Matthew 19: 21.	I Corinthians 13: 1,3; Matthew 22: 35-40.		Jesus said that we are charged to care for the sick, the homeless, the lonely, the thirsty, the starving, those in prison, and that inasmuch as we do well for these, we do well for him. The end of the sermon enumerates world- wide relief needs, and is an appeal for funds.
What Do You Say To God?	4/7/1957	Psalm 142.	Isaiah 6: 8.	(See Presbyterian Life, 3-30-57 and 4-2-57, et al.) Quotations from Jeremy Taylor and Brother Lawrence.	Praying is your chance for a conversation with God. God approaches you, and your prayer is your answer. Be honest, be yourself, use your own language. And guidlines would suggest, “O God help me (or others); “O God, forgive me (these specific things); & “God, thank you.”				3/15/1964
Responsible Existence	4/28/57	Psalm 111; Numbers, including chapter 4	Luke 32: 39-43.	(see Hudnut in Xm. Cent. Pul. 5-57; also Lee in Xm. Cent. Pul. 4-57) Stories of Jane Addams (Hull House), Elizabeth Fry (ministry to women in prison), and Elijah Lovejoy (assistance to slaves; attempts to free them.)	A central feature of the Christian life is not just doing one’s duty, but joyfully volunteering for more, to go the extra mile, etc. Also necessary is owning up to our responsibilities both for our past mistakes, and for what we yet need to accomplish. No “absolution by explanation.”				4/25/65
Why They Were Called Christian	5/5/57	Acts 11: 19-30	Mark 16: 15.	(see Darby in Xm. Cent. Pul. 5-57)	The early Christians in Antioch were called Christians (the first to bear that name) because they were different. They had a purpose in life, and they believed in the living presence of Christ. They lived lives of love, and foreswore common pagan practices.				6/12/57	7/17/66
Children’s Sermon	5/12/1957				Mother’s Day. A children’s sermon given at a special Mother’s Day church service for the church school; the program is appended. He discusses heroes, mentions that some go un- recognized, like doctors and nurses, and most especially mothers (and dads).
Strengthening the Family	5/12/1957	Deuteronomy 6: 1-7; 20-25.	Proverbs 31: 28; Deuteronomy 11: 18-20.	Elton Trueblood, et al.	Mother’s day. Comments on commercializa- tion. “Festival of the Christian home.” Training in religion must begin in the home. The parents make clear what they feel is important by what they do, like regular church attendance.				5/13/1962
Treasures In The Church	5/19/57	II Corinthians 4: 1-7	Romans 1: 28-31; James 2: 2-10; Psalm 23.	(see Sockman in Pul. Dig. 12-’56). Quotation from editor of magazine, Punch. Quotation from Emerson.	The church is under attack, but it has always been. The church has several enduring “treasures;” it helps us reappraise ourselves; it helps us repossess ourselves; and it helps us steady our transient moods.				6/12/66
The Coming of the Spirit	6/2/1957	Acts 1: 1-14; Matthew 8: 27; Matthew 16: 16.	John 3: 16; John 14: 16; Mark 9: 2-9; Luke 4: 22; Mark 1: 22.	(See Bobo in Xm. Cent. Pul. 6-27, and others) He quote extensively at the end from a sermon by Martin Luther King, Jr. on passive resistance and love and doing the will of God.	Pentecost. The coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles was fortold by Jesus, and is the natural outcome of the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension. Peter, James and John had toyed with staying on the mountain of the transfiguration, but Jesus told them to come on back down to the valley to work.
Giving the Best	6/9/1957	Mark 12: 35-44.		(See Kelsey in Pul. Dig. 5-’55)	Children’s Day. Tells a story of an Arab woman who had a precious store of dried dates which she had brought back to Syria from a pilgrimage to Mecca, and wanted to give them to an American visitor; the best she had. Compares to the “widow’s mite.”
With Loving Abandon	8/25/1957	Mark 14: 3-9.		Story by Carl Pattan, about a Norwegian immigrant who bought a locket for his sweet- heart with his first paycheck. She remembered his loving act even after he died and she was senile.	The anointing of Jesus with the expensive nard in the alabaster box is an example of an extravagant act of love, which can’t be accounted for in the usual dollars and cents. Jesus recognized it as such. And then he gave his life in similar extravagant fashion.				5/19/1963
Required Of Us	9/15/1957	Micah 6: 1-8; Matthew 6: 33; Romans 12: 10.	Matthew 18: 23-35; Matthew 5: 5; Gensis 22: 1-14.	Victor Hugo, in “Les Miserable,” on the downfall of Napoleon as an act of God against the tyrant. Eugene Debs, whose kindness to another prisoner befriended the man, branded as incorrigible, and let to his rehabilitation. Fosdick on Beecher.	As Micah stated, what God requires of us is to do justice, love mercy (and be merciful to others), and walk humbly with God. Action is required, not just philosophy. God doesn’t bargain, nor add up all our good deeds. To be honest, one has to be that way all the time; otherwise one is branded by one criminal act, and no one pays attention to all the times you were acting honestly.		Remember an incident when a youth, when he fell off a pony he had been riding bareback, was close to being trampled, and got off a quick help me prayer to God.		7/21/1968
The Broken Body	10/6/1957	John 3: 9-21; Matthew 27: 38; Luke 22: 19.	John 3: 16-21; I Corinthians 11: 24; I Corin- thians 12: 27.	(See Craig, We Have an Altar, p.27ff); hymn, “O sacred Head, now wounded.”	World-Wide Communion Sunday. The church is the body of Christ, and like Christ’s mortal body, it is broken. The forming of the UCC out of CC and E&R denominations is a move toward unity, but more remains to be done. We remember our spiritual unity at communion.
Faith That Rebels	10/13/1957	Luke 18: 1-8; Matthew 6: 32,33 ; Luke 11: 9.	Psalm 62: 8; Philippians 4: 6; Matthew 6: 10; Matthew 26: 39.	(See Baillis in Div. Sab. News, 8-57). The Faith That Rebels, book by a British writer. Quotation from Reinhold Niebuhr.	Jesus taught in this parable that men ought always to pray. The sermon deals with four objections that people sometimes raise, and why we should discard them, and always pray.				7/14/1968
where We Live And Worship	11/10/1957	Genesis 26: 17-25; Gensis 28: 10-22.	II Samuel 6: 12-23; Psalm 73.	(See Balcomb in Pul. Dig. 11-57; and Dennison in “Stewardship Notebook.”	Loyalty Sunday. Stewardship. Isaac pitched a tent (home); he dug a well (work); but the first thing he did was build an altar (worship). Our priorities should likewise have God first, especially in our giving. Stewardship is not a ploy to raise money, but is an attitude to life.
The Burden is Light	11/17/1957	Matthew 11: 7-30.	Matthew 5: 48.	(See Sockman broadcast of 11-16-52.) Elton Trueblood as instigator of a golden yoke lapel pin. Sinclair Lewis, Main Street. Lucy Maynard Salmon, monograph “Main Street.”	Christ’s yoke is easy because it is a yoke of love; because it fits our deepest needs; because it steadies us, in much the same way a colt is steadied by being yoked to an older horse; and because it lifts us.
Faith of our Fathers	11/24/1957	II Corinthians 8: 1-9; II Corinthians 9: 15.	II Corinthians 9: 13; Psalm 116.	(See Bomberger in Xm. Cent. Pul. 11-57, and others.)	Thanksgiving. Refers to the first thanksgiving of the Pilgrim fathers. Thanksgiving is an inner reality. True gratitude grows out of a recognition that God is the source of everything. Gratitude is nourished when we know we depend on other people. We express our gratitude by giving ourselves.				11/22/1959	11/23/1967
The Book and the Message	12/8/1957	John 1: 1-14; Galatians 1: 8-9. Genesis 6:19 & Genesis 7:2.	Matthew 12: 9-10; Zechariah 11: 12,13; Matthew 3: 17; Matthew 2: 1-15; Luke 2: 8-39; Esther;	(See Eustin in Xm. Cent. Pul. 12-57, and others). Quotation from Thomas Jefferson.	Universal Bible Sunday. He speaks of two ways of viewing the Bible: First, as the inerrant word of God, containing all of God’s will for mankind in one place; or second, as a library of 66 books, written by men, detailing the search by people for God. He favors the 2nd.				12/8/1963
From Bethlehem to your Street	12/22/1957	Matthew 2: 1-12; Luke 2 (Christmas story).	John 12: 46; John 9: 5.	(See Bonnell in Pul. Dig. 12-57 et al.) Story of Christmas told by Helen Keller.	Christmas; compares the Christmas accounts of Luke and Matthew. Jesus is the light of the world (see below). A life like his, or the life of Sir Wilfred Grenfell, medical missionary in Labrador, shows how life should be lived; inspires us all.		Tells the story of hiking up Haleakala on Maui and seeing the sunrise; compares Jesus’ light to that “lighting up the world” experience. Also tells stories of Christmas from his childhood.		12/17/1967
Another Year [Or, “A few more minutes”]	1/5/58	Luke 4: 1-15		(Refer to Rees in Pul. Dig., 12-57, and to C. McAfee in “Near to the Heart of God,” pp. 68,69); quotation on procastination by an English author named Young.	A new year is a good time for taking stock, and making sure that the extra time we are given is put to good use. No procrastination, but good action on good plans, a sure dedication to the work of Christ.
Helping People To take Heart	1/12/58	Acts 9: 10-31; Acts 4: 36; Philippians 4: 8.	John 3: 17	(See Sockman, “Radio Pulpit”, 1-18-53). Letter from Cyprian to Donatus. Prayer by George Elliot. Sermon fragment from Phillips Brooks.	Barnabas, like Jesus, was able by his example to help people take heart. Three examples are given from the Acts; when he gave the treasury money, when he sponsored Paul whom no-one else trusted; and when he worked among the Greeks in Antioch.	The concern of the British House of Commons that they have no concentrations camps in their country, even if they did have foreign “guests” on the Isle of Man who could poten- tially cause trouble.			1/12/64
After the Beginning	1/26/58	I Samuel 3	Genesis 1: 1; Luke 2: 41-51.	Quotations from John S. Wood and Benjamin E. Mays.	We have a need to find the right in all that we do in our daily lives, to have an ethic that is not confined to Sunday. Begin with God, and keep God central to the examination of right ways to living.	Misapplication of “good” technologies to the prosecution of war.			2/4/68
Who Is My Neighbor?	2/16/58	Malachi 2: 5-11; Malachi 3: 1-4.	Luke 10: 30-37.		Brotherhood is an ideal we aspire to, and must start with each one of us.	The “anti-brotherhood” attitudes of segregation, and of hostility against other peoples and nations.			2/19/56
Strength of the Christ	3/9/58	Mark 10: 29-45; John 10: 18; Matthew 10: 34.	Hebrews 12: 2; Matthew 16: 21-23; Mark 1: 9; Matthew 4: 1-11; Luke 9: 51-54; Matthew 26: 51-52; Luke 24: 13-26.	Tennyson; quotation from Emil Brunner.	A very strong Christ turned his face to Jerusalem, walking ahead of his disciples, in order to save mankind following his own goal, his own method, taking his own initiative to bring about the saving sacrifice.				2/24/63
When You Fast	3/16/58	Isaiah 58: 2-12; Ephesians 4: 22-24.	Matthew 6: 16-18; Zechariah 7: 9-10; Mat- thew 6: 19-21; Galatians 2: 20; Matthew 25: 45.	Whittier. quotations from Brother Lawrence. Story of Simeon Stylites. Quotation from Whittier. Story of Emil Brunner in Japan.	Giving up something for Lent doesn’t do much good, especially if it is trivial, and done only for external show. Fast in private. And heed Jesus’ exhortation to do good to the very least of these in order to do it to him.				3/10/63
The Women Who Lamented Him	3/26/58	Luke 23: 27-31	Mark 15: 40--47	Quotation from Halford Luccock.	The women [and men] who lamented Jesus, feeling helpless before the power of Rome, are very like us, when we are witnessing things we cannot change, and when it seems that might makes right. We are called to love God and others as He loves us, and serve.
The Coming of the King	3/30/58	Luke 19: 28-48; Luke 2: 22; Luke 2: 41-51.		Quotation from Halford Luccock.	Palm Sunday is about Jesus coming as a king, not to compel obedience and worship, but to lead us in the way of loving service.
Rooted and Grounded in Love	5/4/58	Ephesians 3: 1-19; Matthew 19: 16-22.	Isaiah 6: 6-8; Luke 6: 27-28.	(See Davis in Pul. Dig. 4-58)	A true Christian life is rooted and grounded in love; love of neighbor, stranger, and even enemy. It is important for all of us to aspire to this as individuals, and to try to make our nation behave this way as well.	Story of Wilfred Grenfell, a missionary to Labrador, who helped fisherman organize cooperatives so as to avoid being exploited by traveling businessmen who paid too little for fish, and gouged them selling supplies.			6/30/68
What Goes on at Home?	5/11/1958	Deuteronomy 6: 1-9; Deuteronomy 6: 20-25.	Luke 10: 27-28.	Extensive quote from Albert Schweitzer on the value of including children in “adult” worship services. Quotation from a school theme about home.	Mother’s Day recast as “Family day.” Four basic items of a Christian family: (1) at least one meal a day together; (2) grace before the meal; (3) recognition of special events, such as weddings, graduation, as deserving thanks to God; (4) attending church as a family.				5/12/1968
Breath of Life	5/25/1958	Acts 2: 1-21	Genesis 2: 7.	(See Farris and Kennedy in Pul. Dig. 5-58)	Baccalaureate Sunday. Also Pentecost. On Pentecost the apostles received the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Breath of Life. We are reminded of those who have gone before, and also that we can learn from anyone. God will take our lives and set them on fire.				5/29/1966
When Two Become One	6/15/1958	Mark 10: 1-12	Numbers 6: 24-26.	(See Pearson in PUl. Dig, 6-58, p 4,5,6) Affirmation for husband and wife suggested by Alexander Magoun.	A wedding is a great event; a marriage needs work to maintain. This sermon is a step by step reminder of all the elements of the ceremony of holy matrimony, and a lecture on what it takes to anticipate the future, and then keep the vows in spite of all hardships.
God So Loved	6/29/1958	John 3: 1-17	John 17; Numbers 21: 9.	[Communion Sunday]	God’s love for the world and all of us is shown by the life and the sacrifice of Jesus. He emphasized not only the well-known John 3:16, but also 17: “for God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.”
Christian Goal	7/13/1958	Philippians 3: 1-16; Matthew 5: 6.	Colossians 4: 11.	(See Janssen in Pul. Dig. 7-58) Quotes from Robert Frost, Robert McAfee Brown, Kagawa, Polyanna, Dr. Eugene Carson Blake, James E. Pike, George Buttrick.	Power of Positive Thinking is currently the rage. In its self absorbed form, it is too limited. We need to be living for the truth, working for God’s plan, rather than asking what God can do for us. “The goal of life is not seen in a mirror, but through a skylight ....toward God.”				6/16/1963
Rest and Restoration	7/27/1958	Mark 2: 23 - Mark 3: 5.		(Some ref. to Mechel in Pul. Dig. 8-58). Quotation from Dr. Leslie Weatherhead.	The rest of the Sabbath, and regular worship on the Sabbath, are needed for the restoration of our bodies and souls. So is a regular vacation. We need to guard against the Sabbath being captured by secular forces.
Worship the Lord	9/14/1958	Isaiah 6: 1-8		(See Waterwelder in Xm. Cent. Pul 8-58)	This is a sermon on worship. He says it has three parts: the “upward” look to God, leaving self and daily concerns behind; the inward look, examining our sins, confessing, and receiving the assurance of God’s pardon; and the outward look,to what it is God wants done.
Communion And Community	10/5/58	I Corinthians 10: 1-4; 16,17.		(See Leiper in Pul. Dig. 9-58)	When we all share the same loaf and the same cup, we are more likely to feel that we are indeed members of the same body, the body of Christ. It is tragic “if Christians ban each other from the Table of the Lord because they mistake it for their own.”	World-Wide Communion Sunday. The need of Christians throughout the world to seek unity in thinking and in action.
Continuing Reformation	10/26/1958	Philippians 3: 1-16; Romans 5: 7-8.	James 2: 17; Galatians 2: 16; Acts 26: 19.	(See Baird in Pul. Dig. 10-58, and Brass in Xm. Cent. Pul. 10-58)	The Reformation is not ancient history, but should be a continuing reality in our lives and in the lives of our churches. The priesthood of all believers puts a responsibility on all of us to be in charge of our own lives, and also in the living out of the love of neighbor.				10/28/1962
Worship and Dedication	11/2/1958	Psalms 84; Psalm 106: 1; Psalm 96:9.	Ephesians 2: 4-10a; Revelation 3: 20; Isaiah 6: 5-8; Matthew 4: 16; Luke 24: 13-35.		Worship is praise, confession, repentence, the experience of forgiveness, witness, and triumph. It is meeting with God, person to person; God needs it, and we need it. It includes silence for the Quakers, and pomp for those who want it.				4/21/1968
Give unto the Lord	11/9/1958	I Peter 4: 1-11		Christina G. Rosetti, Gifts and Grace, [poems], “Grant us such grace that we may work Thy will.” Quotation from Walter Marshall Horton.	Stewardship. Giving proportionally of time, talent, and money, is the key to joyfull stewardship. Feeling that we are only giving back to God part of what has been given to us is a part of our faith, and fits with our offerings during worship.				11/12/1967
Advent of the Messiah	11/30/1958	Luke 1: 5-17; Isaiah 40: 1-11; John 1: 11.	Matthew 4: 1-10; Romans 8: 38-39.	(See Fiske in Xm Cent. Pul 12-58, and Bergendoff in Pul. Dig. 11-58). Handel’s “The Messiah.”	We tend to graft our expectations of what the Messiah should be like, or what God should be like, onto the reality, much as the Hebrews did in the time of Jesus. We need to believe that God is love, and that nothing can separate us from that love [quote St. Paul].
If The Guest Should Not Come	12/7/1958	Isaiah 55		[several pages are missing, pp. 2-8, & 10]	Christmas is not truly Christmas unless Christ is present as the honored guest, by our mainfesting of Christian gratitude, Christian understanding, Christian dedication, Christian action and sharing.
The Bible Is For Us	12/14/1958	Luke 3: 1-18; Genesis 27: 18-29; Luke 22: 54-62.	Exodus 2: 11-12; II Samuel 11: 14-27.		The Bible is a living book for our lives, not just for Sunday reading. It is about real people, some of them badly flawed, who found God’s purpose for their lives and came to be much more than they appeared to be at the start. It is also about God’s love for us in Jesus Christ.				12/10/1967
Be Not Afraid	12/21/1958	Luke 2: 8-14.	Isaiah 52: 7; Matthew 6: 33.	(Ref. McNeur in Pul. Dig. 12-58, and Jordan in Xm. Cent. Pul. 12-58). Poem by Robert Crashaw. Sermon by Hiram Bingham to Hawaiians.	Advent. We should prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus, and open our minds to his ideals for our way of living. As we demonstrate Christian love in our our lives, the gospel is spread to others.				12/5/1965
No Room For Them?	12/28/1958	Hebrews 2	Luke 23: 34; Acts 9: 4.	(See Phillips pamphlet and also Belford in Xm. Cent. Pul. 12-58)	The Jews should not be persecuted as Christ- killers; there is only individual responsibility for that act, and Jesus forgave them; we must do likewise. The turn of the century hope that all the world would convert to Christianity was obviously naive; tolerance for others is a must.
Gaining By Spending	1/18/59	Matthew 10: 34-42; Mark 12: 30-31.	II Corinthians 12: 7.	(See Sockman -N.B.C. 11-30-52); Tolstoi, “How much land does a man need?” [story]; Lloyd Douglas, Magnificent Obsession, [book] Clow on burden, thorn, and cross.	By spending our lives, we find them; by trying to save or hoard them, we lose them. Jesus did not promise pie in the sky bye and bye, but called us to a life of service in the here and now.
Brethren, Old and Young	1/25/1959	Isaiah 40: 27-31; I Corinthians 13: 11.	I Timothy 5: 1; Philippians 4: 7; Isaiah 40: 30.	(see Wood in Xm. Cent. Pul. 1-59)	Youth Week. Times have changed, and we cannot turn back the clock or the calendar. Today’s youth have responsibilities and challenges much different, and often more arduous, than did the youth of prior generations. Adults need to adapt .
All One In Christ	2/8/1959	Galations 3: 13 - Galatians 4: 7; John 4: 4-26.	Luke 17: 11-19; Luke 9: 51-56; Romans 1: 14.	Harriet Harmon Dexter [book] What’s Right with Race Relations.	Boy Scout Sunday; Race Relations Sunday. Points out that Scouting is interracial. Points out that Jesus was more tolerant of and loving to the Samaritan neighbors than many Jews of his time, and that this should be a guide to us. Martin Luther King Jr. and non-violence.
We Believe in the Church	2/25/1959	Ephesians 4: 1-7; Ephesians 4: 25-32.	Matthew 16: 18; Hebrews 11: 16.	(See W. P. Merrill: “Why I believe;” p. 3-11)	We believe in the church as a community of sinners, not saints; sinners who have repented and been forgiven, and are striving for better lives and a better world. It keeps us aware of God, and of Jesus and his way of life.
The Road of Service	3/8/1959	Luke 10: 25-37; Luke 22: 24-27; Acts 9: 3-30.	Luke 24: 13-35; John 13: 4-9.	Roy Freeman Jenney, [book, with chapter on “Christian Roadways.”] Also Earnest Tittle on the status of the word “service.”	Jesus said, “I am come among you as one who serves.” He did not do this because it was profitable, or a good way to win friends and influence people. He did it out of compassion, and because it also reflects the mind and behavior of God.
Good Tidings of Great Joy	3/15/1959	Romans 10: 1-18			The sermon is a celebration of the entrance of Hawaii into the US as 50th state of the union. He reviews the history of missionary activity in the Islands, including his own, and gives data on the strength of the church [which is more impressive than that in Wisconsin!]
Who is Coming?	3/22/1959	Mark 11: 1-11; Zecharia 9: 9.	Mark 6: 3; Mark 15: 39; Matthew 21: 11	(See Cleland in Xm. Cent. Pul. 3-59)	Palm Sunday. We ask the question, “Who is this man?” Valid answers are, “The carpenter of Nazareth;” “Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth, of Galilee;” and “Truly this man was the Son of God.” The last underlies our belief that Jesus helps us to know God.
Death Could Not Control Him	3/29/1959	Acts 2: 24; Mark 14: 66-72.	II Timothy 1:12; Matthew 28: 19-20.		Easter. Peter’s sermon at Pentecost. The power of the belief in the risen Christ, present with us. Death is a certainty for us all; but “Christ breaks the control of sorrow and death. In Him, the love of God becomes the greater force.”				4/18/1965
The Doubter and the Apostle	4/5/1959	John 20: 19-21; John 20: 24-49; John 14: 19.	John 11: 16; John 14: 4,5,6; Acts 9: 1-8.	(See Bodo in Xm. Cent. Pul. 3-59). Tennyson poem that begins “Break, break, break on thy cold gray stones, O sea!”	Easter. Thomas doubted Jesus’ resurrection when he missed the encounter Jesus had with the other ten. His faith was extra strong as a result of his original doubt, and he helps those of us “who have not seen” to strengthen our faith.
Churchmanship	4/12/1959	Romans 12		Quotations from Sir Walter Scott, Ralph Sockman. Quotation (author unknown) from a church bulletin, about how his church will be what he wants, if he pitches in and does what is necessary to make it happen.	God and Country Award. Service in the Body of Christ is how the gospel is lived out. He passes on recommendations for meditation, prayer, a time of quietness or retreat, and having a vital faith, as important parts of the Christian life (some of it from a talk by Anna McMillan).
Christian Higher Education	4/19/1959	Matthew 28: 11-20	Psalm 127: 1.	Quotation from Professor Steiner of Grinnel.	Christian higher education was an integral part of the development of American society. We need to renew our commitment to it, with support for church-related colleges, and support for campus ministries in all institutions of higher learning.
Foundation for a Good Home	5/3/1959	I Corinthians 3: 1-17; Galatians 5: 22-23.	Colossians 3: 12-17.	Edgar A. Guest, poem, “It takes a heap o’ livin’ in a house to make it home.” “The Church and Christian Education,” a study of the International Council of Christian Education.	A Christian home is the foundation of our democratic way of life, and is the fundamental unit of the local church. The most important Christian education takes place in the home. It starts with the mutual dedication of the couple, plays out as they raise children by example.
God’s Love	5/24/1959	John 3: 1-17	Amos 2: 4,6; Genesis 27; Genesis 28: 13, 16.	Douglas Horton; Dr. Albert Schweitzer; George McDonald [poem].	Careful reading of John 3:16 reveals that God loves the whole world, not just me or my church or nation. Further, God’s love is given freely, and includes forgiveness but also judgment. And the subject of the sentence is God whom we worship, who empowers us.
The Right Size	5/31/1959	Romans 12: 1-12; Genesis 3: 4-5; Luke 12:19.	Psalms 8: 3,4; Daniel 6: 10 ff; Matthew 28:20b; Genesis 27: 18-42; Matthew 10: 28-31; Genesis 37: 5-11; Mark 9: 35; Romans 12: 3; Psalm 8: 4, 5, 9.	Louis XIV, “L’Etat, c’est moi.”	Our lives can be “out of focus” with us thinking ourselves much bigger or grander than warrented, or by thinking ourselves too small. The cure for both extremes is to live consciously in the presence of God, learning from Jesus’ example and precepts.				5/30/1965
The Grace of God	6/7/59	John 4: 5-26; Mark 8: 34; Matthew 11: 29.	Luke 9: 59, 62; Luke 17: 33.	(see Gill in Xm. Cent. Pul 6-59)	We are a nation of Salesmen; so some say we should be doing more to “sell” the church or religion. Jesus did not “sell;” he sometimes seemed to go out of his way to make his truths unpalatable, or his way hard. But God’s grace given to us freely, helps ease our burdens.
Those Who Are Hungry	6/28/1959	Psalm 107: 1-15; John 4: 10.	Revelation 3: 20.	See Craig, We Have An Altar, p.48. Short story, “Hunger.”	[Communion Sunday.] Communion is for the hungry in spirit. It won’t provide significant calories for the physically hungry, but it helps those who hunger and thirst for a better life, who are conscious of this need, who yearn for the living bread of life.
To the Glory of God	8/2/1959	Psalm 19	I Corinthians 2: 9	(See Interpreter’s Bible)	“The heavens declare the glory of God.” This and the rest of Psalm 19 are examined in detail, including the middle section about adhering to God’s laws, statutes, command- ments.
What do you Make of it?	8/9/1959	Psalm 84	Isaiah 49: 6b; Acts 13: 47.	Whittier: “The starry pages promise-lit, with Christ’s Evangel over-writ.” Whistler: the Bible as “that splendid mine of invective.” Fosdick, Great Time to be Alive, p46.	God will ask on the day of judgment, “What did you make of it? [of your life]. We would all love to be in the group of people who emerge from crises stronger, who are waked up by crises, intellectually and spiritually. Those who do usually seek help from without [God]	Refers to world wars I and II, and the Korean conflict. Spends some time on the bombing of civilian populations in WW II, including napalm and atom bomb. Story of prisoners of war, some emerging stronger, others not.
Foundations	8/16/1959	Psalm 11; Matthew 7: 24b-25; Luke 6: 41-42.	Isaiah 53: 6a; Romans 3: 22b-23	Winston Churchill; General Ludendorfer. Quotation from Benjamin Franklin, at the Constitutional Convention.	A firm foundation of ethics and faith, embedded in all the people, is necessary for the success of superstructures such as family, state, nation, the United Nations. Failures of such superstructures are almost due to lack of a proper foundation.	Attempts to build world peace after the two world wars; failure of the League of Nations because there was not a generally accepted faith foundation for it in all the peoples.
He Leadeth Me	8/23/1959	Psalm 23; John 10: 11-16.	Romans 8: 37; Psalm 78: 19.	Sermon by Joseph Parker.	The Psalms were the hymns of the early Hebrews, and were well known to Jesus and his disciples. They have continued to be used in worship by Christians. The sermon analyzes the meaning of Psalm 23, describing the daily duties of a Palestinian shepherd.
Sing unto the Lord	10/18/1959	Psalm 100	Ephesians 5: 19.		The service was the inaugural use of the new (1959) Pilgrim hymnal at the Wisconsin Rapids church. He discussed many of the hymn sources, old and new, and closed with a prayer of dedication for the hymnals.
What has been Entrusted to You	11/8/1959	I Timothy 6; Ephesians 5: 2.	Luke 10: 30-37; Matthew 25: 14-30	Betty Carlson, (a girl from Minneapolis) on her view of Christian stewardship. A sermon on the philosophies seen in The Good Samaritan preached by Dr. Charles Reynolds Brown.	The thieves in the Good Samaritan parable lived by: “What’s yours is mine; I’ll take it if I can.” The priest and Levite lived by: “What’s mine is mine; I’ll keep it.” Jesus seemed to recommend, and the Samaritan lived: “What’s mine is ours; we’ll share it.”				11/5/1967
The Mission of our Church	11/15/1959	Psalm 24			Loyalty Sunday; a discussion of the proposed budget for the following year, and a request for a 10% increase in pledges to cover all the proposed increases. Particular attention is paid to mission, and to a study of the need for more church space, probably new buildings.
Everyone who is Thirsty	1/10/1960	Isaiah 55	John 4: 7-15; Matthew 7: 7-8; John 16: 33b	Quotation from William Hyde.	God provides through Jesus the water of life, which quenches the thirst of the spirit. Many who are thirsty, unsatisfied with their current existence, find ways to redirect their efforts in order to make their lives more satifsying.		Personal friends, a high school principal, who became also a church school superintendent, and also a lay preacher, and found thereby life to be more fulfilled. Also a lawyer friend who went back to school to become minister.
Dip Into The Deep	1/17/1960	Luke 10: 38-42	Luke 4: 4; John 6: 67-68.	Rufus Jones [story of a man setting up sunday school on a remote Atlantic island off the coast of Maine]	Martha and Mary. Martha’s practical bent, and her anger at Mary for “just sitting around listenting to Jesus” when there was work to be done. Jesus’ rebuke of Martha, and her excessive anxiety, and saying Mary had chosen the better part. We need to be Mary.				6/16/1968
Breaking Down The Wall	2/21/1960	Ephesians 2: 13-22	Acts 17: 26a	Robert McAfee Brown and letters to the editor, “The Christian Century,” Feb. 17, 1960. Quotations from Alfred J. Marrow.	Brotherhood week. We have a long way to go in this country toward real brotherhood among the races, between Christian and Jew, and between Roman Catholic and Protestant Christians. Suggestions for the Protestant/ Catholic dialogue.
Compassionate Understanding	3/27/1960	Matthew 9: 10-17; Matthew 9: 35-38.	Luke 10: 30-37; John 3: 1-15; Luke 19: 2-10.	(See Bodo in Xm. Cent. Pul. 3-60)	Some people like crowds; others would prefer to avoid them. Jesus liked the crowds, and liked many different kinds of people. He gave time particularly to those he perceived had needs that he could fill. His compassion was not condescending, sentimental, nor cheap.			The Good Samaritan
Hour of Judgment	3/30/1960	John 18: 28 - John 19: 16.			This sermon is a blow-by-blow recitation of the gospel account of Jesus’ trial, first by the Sanhedrin, and then before Pilate; and he says that just as Pilate had to decide Jesus’ claims and fate, so must we.
We Preach Christ Crucified	4/3/1960	I Corinthians 1: 10-25.		(See Walker in Pul. Dig. 3-60). “The Green Pasture,” [play] by Marc Connelly. Story of Cal Coolidge: “The preacher preached on sin; he was opposed to it.”	Paul’s preaching of Christ crucified starts with sin, a place neither his hearers nor any of us is comfortable with. But he makes the point that Christ’s salvation is all about our redemp- tion from sin, and about the love of God that will suffer so much on our behalf.
Old Charges Attack a Great Fellowship	5/1/1960	Philippians 4: 1-9		Air Force manual NR 45-0050. Quotation from Edmund Burke.	Above Air Force manual contained charges of communist infiltration of Protestant churches, and of the National Council of Churches in America. The entire sermon is a rebuttal of the charges, and a spirited defense of the churches in the USA as loyal and American.	The public furor over this manual, which was withdrawn by the Secretary of the Air Force, was symptomatic of the leftovers of “McCarthyism;” the House Committee on un- American activities got involved, for example.	He recounts that a seminary classmate was “said to have gone communist.” He reports that he could not confirm this, but that he could confirm that this fellow was not a UCC minister!
Who is to Blame?	6/19/1960	Philippians 2: 1-13	Leviticus 16; Genesis 22: 1-14; Matthew 7: 3.	(See Watkins in Xm. Cent. Pul. 5-60) and the Interpreter’s Bible. Speech by Senator Wm. Fulbright, chiding his colleagues and all of us for blaming all our troubles on the Soviets. A quotation from Charles Kettering.	Tells the story from Leviticus about the original scapegoat; also Abraham and Isaac. Points made are that the tendency to create scapegoats permeates our polity, our personal lives, and allows us to avoid taking responsibility and fixing our wrongs.	tendency to blame everything politically on communists or the Soviet Union. Need to be more realistic in assessing the root causes of the problems we face, both in politics and in society at large.
We Have An Altar	6/26/1960	Hebrews 13: 1-10		(See Craig: “We have an Altar,” pp 54 ff)	[Communion Sunday]. Churches are liable to boast of their parish hall, kitchen, gymnasium, choir, organ, outstanding preaching; but the important feature of a Christian church is the altar where the people of God gather to share communion with each other and with God.
The Christian’s Labor	9/4/1960	Ecclesiastes 2: 12-26			Labor Sunday. Everyone has the right to find joy in daily work. This requires attention to making sure that each worker understands the meaning of his or her job, and is helped to savor its importance. He takes pot shots at treatment of migrant crop pickers.
Stand Fast In The Liberty	9/11/1960	Numbers 13: 25 - Numbers 14: 8.	Galations 5: 1; Luke 9: 62.		Talks about the need to move forward, and not cling to old ways, using the Exodus story as example. The punch line is the need to consider building a new church building (in fact done over the next five years) and to vote on the merger creating the UCC.
War for the Minds of Men	9/18/1960	Revelation 3: 14-22	Luke 5: 31-32; Matthew 9: 12-13		We are living in the “Cold War,” a struggle for the minds of men. We Christians need to practice our Christianity fully, in our daily lives, in order to eliminate some of the needs on which the communist appeal is based. And we must emphasize our belief in God, his love
Foundation for your Faith	9/25/1960	Psalm 11	Joshau 6: 26; Isaiah 51: 13a; II Kings 6: 12-17.	(See Sherman in Pul. Dig. 9-60) Quotations from Henry Thoreau, Emerson, and Dr. Frederick Meek. Hymn, “How firm a foundation.”	We need God as foundation for our lives. We need to understand that many important things in our lives and in the universe are things we cannot see, but that we take on faith.				5/1/1966
One in Christ	10/2/1960	I Corinthians 10: 12-17		(See Emmons in Pul. Dig. 9-60)	World-wide Communion Sunday. All who partake of communion on the same day, even though following different rites and having differing creedal views, are partaking together in the one body of Christ, communing with Him and with one another.
The Mission of the Church	11/6/1960	Mark 3: 19b-35 (especially 32-35)	Matthew 28: 19, 20.	“The Day’s Prayer,” from Baillie, John: A Diary of Private Prayer; Charles Scribner’s Sons, copyright 1949.	Jesus was a family man, raised in a carpenter’s home. But he always reached out beyond the concerns of his own family to those of the whole world. This is what we do in our missions. They need our continued and increased support.	He gives detailed descriptions of all six areas which our benevolences giving supports, and makes a plea for more.
Time, Talent, and Treasure	11/13/1960	Luke 12: 13-31; Luke 12: 48.		novel about “Edith, a little country bounded on the north, on the south, on the east and on the west by Edith.” Quotation from Carlyle. Maimonides’ eight degrees of charity.	Describes two philosophies, one based in ownership, and being self-centered, and the other based on stewardship, on the attitude that all we have is a trust from God, to be used for the benefit of all. [Stewardship Sunday]
Thanksgiving and Ordinary Living	11/20/1960	I Timothy 4: 1-10; Luke 10: 23; Matthew 6: 11.	Psalm 42: 1; Ecclesiastes 5: 19,20. 2 Corin- thians 6: 2.	(See Hulme in Xm. Cent. Pul. 11-60). Hymn, “This is my Father’s world.”	Thanksgiving is a pure and noble activity, and should be a part of daily life, acknowledging our gratitude to the Creator. Daily family meals, and the saying of grace, are a way that keeps this a part of daily life as well as a national holiday.
The Visited Planet	12/4/1960	John 1: 1-14; John 14: 6,9; Genesis 1: 7, 8.	Psalm 8: 3-6a; Colossians 1: 15-19; Mat- thew 11: 27.	( See Dahl in Pul. Dig. 12-59, et al.) Quotations from Dr. Harlow Shapley, Robert Browning, Norman W. Pattinger.	The advent of satellites and imminent space travel, and the understanding that earth and the sun and the galaxy are a small part of the universe, has led again to questioning God’s part in it all. A greater creation means a great- er Creator; and Jesus still conveys God’s love.
Letter to Christians	12/11/1960	II John; John 13: 34; Matthew 5: 44; John 5:17	Ephesians 2: 19; [Ep] 5: 27; Revelation 21: 2.		Universal Bible Sunday. He celebrates by preaching his sermon on the book of II John, a “letter to Christians.” The exhortations to live in Christian love are relevant today. Christ said “love your enemies” -- not to agree with their wrongs, but to respect them as people.
Making Melody to the Lord	12/18/1960	Luke 1: 68-79; Luke 1: 46-55; Ephesians 5: 19	I Corinthians 14: 26; Colossians 3: 16; I Sam- uel 2: 1, 4-5	Sunday school song, “Count your blessings.”	Christians sing hymns. Historically there has always been singing in the church. He brings forward three early Christian hymns and discusses them; the Magnificat (song of Mary); the Benedictus (song of Zechariah); and the Nunc Dimittis (song of Simeon).	Refers to Castro, both it being too bad he turned out to be a communist, but also as a beacon pointing out to us how much unrest there is in South America and what needs to be done to avoid violent revolution.	In the above context, he refers to Jesus’ “Passion for the poor” and the oppressed.
The Fullness of Christmas	12/25/1960	Matthew 2: 1-12; Luke 2: 29-32; John 3: 16.	Genesis 1: 1-3; Proverbs 14: 34	(See Case in Xm. Cent. Pul. 12-60); story by Count Leo Tolstoy, “Where Love Is, There God Is.”[read at end of sermon]. Phillips Brooks, lyrics for “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”	Christmas is a song. It is a song of creation, a celebration of unselfishness, an assurance of hope.
Old Accomplishments and New Decisions	1/1/1961	Acts 24: 10-25	Job 1: 21	(See Lowe in Presbyterian Life, 1-1-61)	Communion Sunday. The end of a year is final, like a period. A period is good when it is in the right place, ending the sentence. And our lives benefit from final endings, and not keeping old wounds open. But life also goes on, and never ends. There is much to do.
The Household of God	1/8/1961	Ephesians 2: 11-21		(Re: United Church of Christ constitution) Quotation from Dr. Howard Schloeser, President of Chicago Theological Seminary.	The Constitution of the United Church of Christ is being put to a vote of all Congrega- tional Christian local churches. The vote in the WR congregational is at the annual meeting on Thursday. He is going to vote for. He describes some features, local autonomy.
The Concern of Youth for the Church and the World	1/29/1961	Ephesians 3: 7-21		Quotation from Dr. Stanley U. North, at La Foret, Colorado.	Youth Week. Tells of the initiatives of the United Church Youth Movement. Also mentions Bonhoeffer’s dictum that God speaks in the here and now; tells how the youth of WR church worked to better the lot of migrant farm laborers just 25 miles from home
Sons of One Father	2/19/1961	Ephesians 2: 11-22	Malachi 2: 10; Luke 10: 30-37.	Quotations from Galen Weaver, Robert McCracken (Riverside Church), H. N. Brailsford, Louis Adamic. Longfellow, “Song of Hiawatha”; journalist H. N. Brailsford, essay on the need for brotherly love as the motive to promote justice for formerly colonized and subjugated people.	Brotherhood Week. The need to match, in actions rather than just words or formal declarations, our Christian principles of brotherly love with what we actually do in our churches, our homes, our workplaces. Heal- ing in racial relations begins person-to-person
Wilderness Temptation	2/26/1961	Luke 4: 1-14a; Mark 1: 12,13; Psalm 18: 2.	Psalm 139: 9,10; Hebrews 4: 15,16; Deut- eronomy 8: 3; Luke 5: 14; Luke 16: 31.		Recounts the story of Jesus’ baptism, and the temptations in the wilderness. Points out that in each temptation, he was tested not be appeal to his self-interest, but by appeal to how much good he could accomplish. Jesus decided the ends didn’t justify the means.
One of the Master’s Men, Andrew	3/5/1961	John 1: 19-42a; Mark 3; Matthew 10; Luke 16.	Proverbs 17: 24; Acts 1; Luke 9: 52-55; Mark 10: 35-42.	(See William Barclay, The Master’s Men.)	Andrew made a habit of bringing people to Jesus. First his brother Peter, then the boy with the loaves and fishes, then a group of Greek inquirers. He did this knowing Jesus would want this, and not threatened that his might lose “his” place. [Apostles series]
One of the Master’s Men, John	3/12/1961	Matthew 4: 12-22	Mark 3: 17; Mark 10: 25; I John 4:8.	(see William Barclay, The Master’s Men.)	[Apostles series] John became the Apostle of love, due to Jesus’ loving attention to him, and in spite of the fact that he started out overly ambitious, with an explosive temper, and with intolerant heart. He is probably the “beloved disciple” of the gospel of John.
The Master’s Men, James	3/19/1961	Matthew 10: 24-39; Matthew 10: 16; I Corin- thians 3: 21, 23.	Acts 12: 1-2; Galatians 1: 19; Mark 8: 34, 35.	(See Barclay, The Master’s Men, and others). Quotations from Harry Emerson Fosdick, and from Albert Schweitzer.	[Apostles series] Speaks mostly of James the brother of John, but also spends a paragraph on James, the son of Alpheus (don’t know much but he may have been a zealot) and James the brother of Jesus. Both Jesus’ and John’s brothers were martyred early.
One of the Master’s Men, Peter	3/26/1961	Mark 8: 27-33; Mark 11: 1-9; John 21: 15-17.	John 6: 68-69; Matthew 16: 18.	(See Interpretive Bible, and Wm. Barclay’s book, The Master’s Men.)	[apostles series] Peter was the rock on which Jesus founded his church. Not that he was perfect; but when he made mistakes, as in his denial of Jesus, he was able to accept forgiveness and go on with the work. He was leader and spokesman of the early church.
One of the Master’s Men, Thomas	4/2/1961	John 20: 11-31	John 11: 1-16; John 14: 1-6; John 21: 2.	(See Barclay, The Master’s Men, et al.)	[apostles series] Thomas, labeled the doubter, is perhaps unfairly treated. He was prepared to die with Jesus. And when he could see the risen Lord for himself, he became a firm believer. He demonstrates how belief is easier in the company of other believers.
The Responsible Christian Citizen	5/23/61	Romans 13; Luke 20: 21-25.	Romans 12; Luke 10: 30-37; Matthew 22: 34-40.	(see Johnson in Xm. Cent. Pul. 5-60);	“Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s”. Further, we have a responsibility in the US to be active participants in government; its actions are our actions, its failures our failures.	Less participation may be indicated in Communist countries where freedoms are curtailed.
For Such a Time as This	8/20/1961	Esther 4.			This was no sermon. He told the whole story of Esther from beginning to end. And his moral is, Esther did what she did (under threat of death) because it was right. We also have to decide to do what is right, as Jesus himself also had to do.
Refuge and Strength	9/10/1961	Psalm 46; Psalm 23.	Hebrews 12: 27-28.	(See Richardson in Pul. Dig. 6-61). Quotation from Ernest Hemmingway.	The lives of people like Tom Dooley and AI Ludlow, who gave their lives to serve the medical needs of people in the Orient, are examples of Christian service to others that we might emulate. It is a mystery why Dooley died young and Ludow lived a long life.
Commitment	10/1/1961	Acts 1: 6-12.	Psalm 37.		World-Wide Communion Sunday. Speaks of commitment of time, talent and substance to the work of God. Proper reading of Luther and other reformation leaders saying “the priesthood of all believers” is that we have an obligation to help each other; a mutual service
You Are Multiplied Through Your Church	11/5/1961	Acts 2: 37-47.		(See Mildred Horton in United Church Herald 10-5-60, et al.)	Loyalty Sunday. Presentation of draft budget; Stewardship Sunday next week. Points to the multiplier effect of our giving, particularly our giving to mission. Gives a pitch for the need for new facilities, but the need to study it further rather that pony up money right now.
The Cost and the Joy	11/12/1961	Mark 10: 23-25; Matthew 19: 20,21.	Proverbs 39: 8,9; Revelation 3: 17; Luke 6: 24.	(Largely from Scribner, “The Needle’s Eye.”) Quotation from Robert Louis Stevenson. Tolstoi, in War and Peace.	Stewardship Sunday. We are stewards of all we have, which has been entrusted to us by God for our use. It is up to us to decide how much we spend on ourselves, and how much to provide for others. He is hoping many will increase pledges, oversubscibing the budget.
Thanksgiving Proclaimed	11/19/1961	Psalm 100	Psalm 92: 1	Mayflower Compact. President John F. Kennedy’s Thanksgiving Day proclamation of 1961. Poem by Grace Noll Cowell. Isaac Watts’ hymn, “O God our help in ages past.”	Thanksgiving. Expressions of our gratitude to God and to others on whom we depend is a sign of emotional and spiritual maturity. Giving in gratitude is not a burden, but a welcome opportunity.	Talks of the huge relief effort, part of which known as Food-for-peace, in which our contri- butions fund distribution of government surplus food and supplies to places where there is urgent need. 280 million pounds last year.
Jesus Christ, the Man of Nazareth	12/3/1961	Luke 2: 1-7; Matthew 25: 31-40.	Matthew 5: 48.	Daphne du Maurier, “Happy Christmas.” A Christmas story, which is told in its entirety and makes up the bulk of the sermon.	Advent. Jesus’ life is an example to us all of the kind of spirit we should have in the living of our lives. Also, he has admonished us to help the poor, the sick, those in prison, and said that as we do things for these needy folk, we are doing it for him.
Jesus Christ -- Our Lord	12/10/1961	Philippians 2: 4-11; Philippians 2: 14-15.		“My First Christmas Tree,” story, by Hamlin Garland. [told in its entirety]. Sermon by Dr. Leslie Cooke.	Advent; Christmas trees. Speaks of the early history of the Wisconsin Rapids First Congre- gational church, and of the periodic needs for more space as the congregation grew. Need more space again, and the trustees are asking to buy land for a new church plant.		Refers to Christmas trees of his childhood, and to his father’s service as superintendent of the Sunday School of their church.
Reconciling the World to Himself	12/17/1961	John 3: 1-21.	John 1: 12; I Corinthians 13.	St. Francis of Assisi prayer. Story of St. Francis and the first creche, told by Florence Taylor in a booklet, “The Family Celebrates Christmas.” Henry Smith Leiper, article, in Social Action magazine.	United Church of Christ Statement of Faith. Richard Neibuhr: the goal of the church is “the increase among men of the love of God and neighbor.” Jesus gives us the key to do this.
He Has Come To Us	12/24/1961	Luke 2: 8-20; Ruth 1: 16; John 1: 4.	John 16: 33; II Corinthians 4: 6.	Ben Hur, by Lew Wallace (the Christmas story). Bill Adams, a Christmas story. “The House of Christmas,” by G. K. Chesterton.	Christmas. Journey to Bethlehem, not only the birthplace of Jesus, but the burial place of Rachel, Jacob’s wife; birthplace of King David; location of the story of Ruth and Boaz, who were ancestors of David and Jesus. It is “House of Bread.” Bread of life, joy, courage, love.
The Old and the New	1/7/1962	Revelation 21: 1-5; II Corinthians 5: 17.	Luke 15: 11-32; Matthew 17: 1-8; I John 1: 9; I Corinthians 11: 28.	Pope’s essay “On Criticism.”	New Years. Communion Sunday. Paul said that those who accept Christ are new creatures: “old things are passed away; behold all things are new.” We can feel this cleansing not only with our initial commitment, but also with every communion we take.
No Other Gods	2/4/1962	Exodus 20: 1-6	I Kings 21: 1-20.	Quotation from John Bennett.	Family Sunday. “The American family is in trouble.” He feels this is trumpeted much too loudlly and broadly, and that the media blitz on the subject is counterproductive. The fix is for all people to live according to the moral principles set out for us by God.
Like Oak Trees	2/11/1962	Isaiah 61; Matthew 25: 35-45; Psalm 1.	John 6: 35; John 7: 37.	John Gilbert Holland, poem, “God give us Men.” (See Hodges and Herbster in Pul. Dig. 1-62).	We need reminding that we live now, not in the past or the future. And our living should be righteous, “like oak trees.” We need grounding in the faith, and also need to emerge from parents’ protection to learn how to do things for ourselves.
With Glory and Honor	2/25/1962	Psalm 8; Matthew 5: 8.	Gensis 1: 26; Psalm 147: 4.	(See Interpreter’s Bible regarding Psalm 8)	Sermon is a thorough analysis of Psalm 8. He points out man’s position “just a little lower than God” and worries that we forget the little lower part. He bemoans our invention of new technologies (e.g. atom splitting) before being ready to use them responsibly.
To Walk Together as Christian Brethren	4/1/1962	Hebrews 8: 6-12	Galations 6: 7	Quotation from Abraham Lincoln’s annual message to Congress, December 1, 1962; related to Emancipation Proclamation. Short story by Howard Thurman. Sermon by the Rev. Robert M. Webster, First Congregational church of Grand Rapids, WI, 89 years previous.	Centennial celebration of the Wisconsin Rapids church. Rededication. Thurman story is about an old man planting little pecan trees with no hope of harvest. He points out that he harvested what others planted, and has faith enough to plant these for others to harvest.		Refers to his work in Hawaii at Kahului Union church, where he tried to convert many youth and children, particularly of Asian ancestry, from Shinto or Buddhist homes, with no immediate success. As adults they are converting.
Forgiveness of Sins and Fullness of Grace	4/8/1962	Isaiah 1: 10-20; Luke 15: 11-32; Luke 23: 34.	Micah 6: 8; Matthew 5: 23-24; Matthew 18: 21- 22.	a revised story of the Prodigals, by George Buttrick. Cry, the Beloved Country, by Alan Patan.	title is the first of four statements in the UCC Statement of Faith. He emphasizes that God promises such forgiveness only to those who ask for his mercy, and who do all in their power to correct the evils they deplore. For- giveness does not suspend the moral law.
Courage in the Struggle for Justice and Peace	4/15/1962	Zechariah 9: 9-12; Luke 19: 28-46.	Matthew 7: 21; I Kings 19: 4, 10; Psalm 37: 1-7		The second of four statements from the UCC Statement of Faith. Palm Sunday. The struggle for justice and peace is very real; God will give us courage for it if we trust him. Jesus took his strength for cleansing the temple, and speaking out, from God.	Refers to Kagawa in Japan; died about one year ago. He was courageous in standing up for the right in spite of many physical ailments and handicaps.
His Presence in Trial and Rejoicing	4/19/1962	John 14: 15-31			Maundy Thursday Communion. The third of four sermons on four items in the last paragraph of the UCC Statement of Faith. Jesus assured his followers, including us, of the presence of God in both trial and rejoicing, in the crucifixion as well as on Palm Sunday.
The Expression of Love	5/6/1962	Mark 12: 28-34; Acts 12: 1-7; James 2: 26.	Matthew 10: 34; Luke 7: 36-50.	(See McAdams in Pul. Dig. 5-62) Article in “the latest Reader’s Digest”, by George Grant, entitled, “I Love You.”	Love. God’s love. Love of seamen for their captain (George Grant article). Love of men and women in marriage. Need to express our love; tell others about it. And also to live it out, especially the way we live out our love of God in service to others.		Tells of attending church with his family in Huron, South Dakota, and of hearing their excellent church choir of 56 voices (2 excused absences.) Makes a pitch for dedicated service to the church in choir, boards, etc.
The Man Who Escaped	5/20/62	Mark 15: 1-15; John 18: 40; Matthew 27: 16.		(see Bodo in Xm. Cent. Pul. 4-62) A Christmas Oratorio by W. H. Anden. Play, “Tobacco Road.”	Barabbas is the man who escaped, who Jesus literally died in place of; what became of him? Possibly he understood it, and was thankful, as we are.	Refers to the 1954 Supreme Court decision throwing out the doctrine of “separate but equal,” which the same court had established in 1898. Points out our role in changing the political climate to make such change doable.
Building the Temple	9/30/1962	Ezra 5: 6-15.	Joshua 4: 6.		“building the temple.” On the need for new church building(s). An analysis of the need for a new educational, office, and fellowship plant, and a plea to build a new sanctuary right away as well, rather than defer it to a later date. History of two prior church plants.
The People of the Church	10/14/1962	Colossians 3: 12-17		Quotation from John R. Mott about mission.	Upcoming Vatican Council [“Vatican II”]. He indicates a hope for some changes in the polity of the Roman church; more flexibility, more recognition of other Christians; but he warns it is not a given. Then talks of the big role of lay people in the Protestant tradition.
Dealing With Dark Days	11/4/1962	Mark 1: 29-38; Mark 6: 38-46; Luke 6: 12-13.	Luke 9: 28-36; Luke 10: 38-42; Philippians 4:7; Matthew 11: 28; Revelation 3: 20.	hymn, “Dear Lord and Father of Mankind,” words by John Greenleaf Whittier; poem, “In Thy Presence,” by Archbishop French; quotation from Keats; sermon by Carl Patton, Keep your heart open.	God’s peace is what keeps us sane in crisis. Jesus showed us that by making time for prayer when he needed renewed contact with the Father. Kagawa demonstrated the same. We would do well to similarly make time for prayer in our lives.	Delivered at the height of the Cuban missile crisis. Refers to the President going to church right in the middle of it all.
Will You Be Satisfied?	11/11/1962	II Corinthians 9.	Acts 1: 8.		Stewardship Sunday. Detailed discussion of next year’s budget, both for home operations and for world mission. Considerable detail about how the world mission dollar is spent. Asks people to consider a fixed proportion, 5% (or less; or more). Give till it feels good.
Good Tidings	12/9/1962	Luke 1: 1-4; Luke 2: 1-10.	Acts 1: 1.	Poem, “Advent”, by Alexander T. Coyle. Book, History of France, by Michalet, and a commentary on that book by Edmund Wilson. Quotation from Halford Luccock. Poem by Strickland Gilliland.	Christmas and the Advent season are about the good news of the gospel, the entire good news that is at the core of Christianity, that a Savior is born to us, to all people.
Joy To All People	12/23/1962	Isaiah 40: 1-11.	Luke 2: 9b; Psalm 98.	Alexander T. Coyle, poem, “What on Earth Happened?” Poem, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “I heard the bells on Christmas Day.” poem, untitled, by T. G. Soares.	Christmas, Advent. Why has Pollyanna become a dirty word? What is so wrong with a little optimism, as long as it is not overdone? Christmas is a season of love, thoughtfulness for others.	Christmas joy is right in the wake of the Cuban missile crisis.			12/14/1947
What Is Man?	1/20/63	Psalm 8; Romans 7: 19-25; Matthew 5: 6.	John 1: 1,14; Hebrews 1: 1-2; Genesis (first several chapters)	(see Ambrose in Xm. Cent. Pul. 1-63)	Psalm 8: a song about God, Nature, and Man. The story of Adam is our story; we need to hear about the Adam in ourselves, and to understand that we cannot go back to Eden, but we can go forward into a world of forgive- ness and salvation through Jesus Christ.
Getting Along With Some People	2/10/1963	Acts 17: 22-28.		Quotations from Carl Rowan and Martin Luther King, Jr.	Boy Scout Sunday; Race Relations Sunday. Getting along with others and respecting them is built into the Scout creed, and is practiced especially at national meetings. We all need to be ready to live the Golden Rule, and to support those trying to improve race relations.
Getting and Giving Joy	3/3/1963	Matthew 9: 10-15; Luke 6: 23; Galatians 5: 22.	Proverbs 12: 25; John 2: 1-11; Luke 12: 27; Luke 15: 3- 10; John 16: 22; Matthew 23: 11; Matthew 25: 14-30; Matthew 5: 3-12; John 15: 11; Mark 2: 18, 19; Matthew 4: 1-2; Philippians 4: 4; Matthew 7: 11.	quotation from Sir Oliver Lodge of the University of Manchester; quotation from David Livingstone, “I never made a sacrifice in my life.” (see Fosdick, Manhood of the Master).	Lent can be a time of sacrifice and fasting, if we want it to be. But it can also be a time of getting and giving joy, which Jesus preached and practiced with his disciples.
Magnanimous Lord	3/10/1963	Luke 6: 32-38; Luke 11: 1-4; Matthew 5: 21-26	Luke 15: 1-2; Ephesians 4: 25-32; Exodus 23: 4; Romans 12: 20; Proverbs 25: 21-22; Genesis 45: 1-15; Matthew 5: 38; Matthew 5: 43-44; Matthew 26: 50; Luke 23: 34; Matthew 27: 11-44; Luke 9: 52-56; Luke 4: 16-30; I Corinthians 13: 5; Matthew 18: 21-22.	Reader’s Digest (early 1963) story of George Haley, a Negro who entered U. of Arkansas law school in 1949, encountered much hate and prejudice, but persevered and graduated and overcame much of the hate by personal contacts and communication. (see Fosdick, Manhood of the Master).	Jesus is more magnanimous than human nature would seem to allow, forgiving even those who put him to death. But he is an example to us all, as are people like George Haley, of how powerful such magnanimity can be.	Racial prejudice and segregation in the US, and the role the spirit of Jesus, properly understood, could have in overcoming it.
The Angry Christ	3/17/1963	Mark 3: 1-6; Matthew 12: 1-8; Luke 17: 2.	Luke 20: 46-47; Luke 16: 19-31; Matthew 16: 21-23; John 16: 21-23; Matthew 23: 23-28; John 2: 13-17; Matthew 7: 1-5.	Quotation from Harry Emerson Fosdick: “Conviction without sympathy makes the bigot; sympathy without conviction makes the sentimentalist; together theymake the truly liberal man.” (see Fosdick, Manhood of the Master)	Jesus on more than one occasion displayed anger, or perhaps better, righteous indignation. It was never triggered by an injury to himself, but always by injuries to others. And he turned it off if there was the slightest sign of repentence in the offender.
He Was Loyal	3/24/1963	Matthew 7: 21-29; Matthew 12: 46-50.	Mark 10: 17-18; John 4: 32-34; Matthew 5: 13-16; Matthew 6: 24; Matthew 6: 33; Mark 14: 32-42; John 18; 33-34; Mark 13; 46; Luke 9: 51; John 9: 4; Luke 4: 43; John 4: 34; Matthew 5: 29, 30; Mark 10: 21; Luke 14: 26; Matthew 11: 19; John 2: 1-11; John 5: 30; Matthew 6: 10; Luke 11: 28; John 11: 16; Mark 1: 7.	Quotation from former president Eisenhower on the need for loyalty to country (patriotism). Quotation from Sir Robert Peel, on the occasion of making Tennyson poet laureate of England. (see Fosdick, Manhood of the Master.)	Jesus was fiercely loyal to the cause of the kingdom of God, and to finding out and doing the will of God; he expected (s) the same loyalty from his followers. This quality of his loyalty is a part of his character that is particularly attractive to converts in some mission fields.
The Master’s Integrity	4/7/1963	John 12: 12-16; John 12: 20-26.	Zecharia 9: 9; Matthew 15: 7-9; Isaiah 29: 13; Matthew 6: 1; Matthew 5: 33-48; Matthew 7: 15-20; John 18: 37; Luke 9: 57-58; Mathew 6: 6; Matthew 10: 28; Acts 4:13.	(See Fosdick, The Manhood of the Master.) Comment of Charles Spurgeon on the integrity of William E. Gladstone.	Jesus attacked hypocrisy wherever he found it, especially in the religious leaders of his day. He honored and loved the old Law, but not the picky detailed observance of its letter, with the resultant loss in its meaning.
God Is With Us	4/21/1963	Isaiah 43: 1-12; Romans 11:29.	Philippians 1: 6; Daniel 3: 17-30; Matthew 28: 20; I Corinthians 15: 9; Ephesians 3: 8.	quotation from turn-of-century writer, W. T. Stead, editor of the Review of Reviews, bemoaning the shrinking of Christians from making a public witness to their faith. Quote from Robert Rainy.	The presence of God with us, even in humdrum times, is central to the Gospel message of Jesus. He uses the passage from Isaiah to illustrate God’s promise to us all as of long standing.
God and Man	5/5/1963	Matthew 6: 19-24.		(See Bosley in C.T.S. Register, 3-48)	What do we mean when we say the deepest problems of our time are spiritual? It is that we have elevated man, ourselves, to the position of deity, and ignore God’s laws, the fact that there is a moral order to the universe that we should discover and live by. It is not optional, and is not ours to create or change.
We Who Are Branches	9/8/1963	John 15: 1-11; Revelation 3: 15-20.	Matthew 16: 23; John 11: 16; Matthew 22: 36-40; Esther; Matthew 10: 37-39; Philippians 3: 13-14.	book by Dr. Henry Link, The Return to Religion; quotation from Oliver Wendell Holmes; gravestone epitaph of Nathaniel Rogers in Kentucky, reported by Harold Bosley.	We are the branches; Christ is the vine; we can not live without him. Commitment to Christ and his cause is required of us; to love God with all of our being, and our neighbors as ourselves.
Known By Their Fruits	9/15/1963	Matthew 7: 15-20.	Matthew 12: 33-37; Luke 6: 43-45.	Phillips Brooks, the hymn, “O Little Town of Bethlehem;” Harry Emerson Fosdick, the hymn, “God of Grace and God of Glory.” (See Bosley p. 19ff.)	We are known by our fruits, both as individuals and in the groups and organizations to which we belong. This is also true for the church, which is known for (1) worship of God; (2) discovery of Christ; (3) study of the Bible; (4) being a fellowship where these other activities take place.
The Might of Little Things	9/22/1963	Matthew 13: 24-43; Matthew 13: 31-33.	Mark 8: 15.	(See Bosley, p. 10ff.) Thomas Paine, “Common Sense.” Phillips Brooks, “One Solitary Life.” Howard Thurman, “Little Things Make Big Differences.”	parables of the mustard seed and leaven. Little things can make big differences. One often asks, “What can one person do?” and the answer is, quite a startling lot of good. The atom is packed with latent power. So are good deeds.		He remembers his mother baking bread, with yeast from the store, or with “starter” saved from the last baking day. When it emerged from the oven, successfully baked, is was a “feast fit for a king.”
This is God’s World	10/13/1963	Psalm 19.		Travels With Charley, John Steinbeck, comments on Wisconsin; also comments on California redwoods. The Saddle Road, on the wonders of Wisconsin, especially in the fall.	Nature tells us of the glory of God, and reminds us of Him. We not only glory in the beauty of the creation, but also in the beauty and rigor of God’s laws. There are clear choices to make between right and wrong.
It Is Our Business	10/27/1963	I John 4: 16-21.		Reference to the “March on Washington” in support of civil rights activities.	Reformation Sunday. Entire sermon, however, is on the racial justice crisis in the United States, and what individuals and the church should do about it. He details the response of the UCC to date.
My Share In The Work	11/10/1963	I Timothy 6: 12-21.	Acts 1: 8; II Corinthians 9: 7.	Quotations on money and stewardship by Jay Thomas Stocking.	Stewardship Sunday. We are stewards, not owners. God has made us stewards of our lives and possessions, and we needs to administer them responsibly, in accordance with God’s will. We should give proportion- ately, and enough, until we feel good about it.
To Accept What Comes	11/17/1963	Matthew 5: 1-12; Matthew 7: 24-29.	Luke 6: 20; Luke 6: 27, 28; Romans 12: 19; Luke 10: 30-37; John 14: 27.	(Refer to Skinner in Presbyterian LIfe, 9-1-63) Quotation from Ralph Sockman about a blind man who appeared totally “normal.” Quotations from Immanuel Kant and Robert Louis Stevenson.	Sermon on the Mount. The Beatitudes. Build your “house” upon a rock, not sand, so as to be better prepared to weather the storms of life.
Mourning Mixed With Praise	11/24/1963	Psalm 67: 1-5; Ephesians 5: 15-20.	Romans 8: 28; Proverbs 16: 16.	Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural address. Presidential proclamation of Thanksgiving in 1961 by president John F. Kennedy. Quote from the fourth president, James Madison.	Although Evil remains evil, we can sometimes find glimmers of hope in and around it, and reasons to be thankful. These are good to remember at this thanksgiving season, in the midst of our national mourning.	Assassination of President John F. Kennedy. We can be thankful for orderly succession, a new president with vast government experience, support for him from past presidents and others.
Good Tidings to the Afflicted	12/1/1963	Luke 7: 18-23; John 12: 21.	Isaiah 61: 1-3; Isaiah 35: 5-6.	Hymn, “We Would See Jesus;” first of 4 Advent sermons based on this hymn.	The hymn has five verses. (1) the birth of Jesus; (2) his childhood and youth; (3) his career as a grown teacher; (4) his ministry of healing; (5) dedication to the spirit of the Master. This sermon is on healing as a very Christian activity.	He commends to the congregation the campaign to raise money to build a new local hospital.
Are We Ready To Follow Him?	12/15/1963	Matthew 2: 1-11; Matthew 25: 1-13; Revela- tion 3: 20.	Mark 2: 23-27; Mark 8: 34; Matthew 25: 40.	Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Booklet by Sheldon, In His Steps. Sermon #3 based on the hymn, “We would see Jesus.”	We should be prepared for the coming of Christ into our lives, not just the coming of the Christ child at Christmas, but for accepting him as leader and savior. This should not be in some mystical sense, but in the practical serving in his cause.
A Savior, Who is Christ the Lord	12/22/1963	Luke 2: 1-20; Matthew 1: 18-21; John 3: 16.	Romans 8: 24; John 16: 33.	(See Sockman). Hymn, “A Mighty Fortress is our God,” by Martin Luther, verse 2. Hymn, We would see Jesus.” Carol “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” by the Rev. Phillips Brooks.	Advent and Christmas. Fourth sermon based on hymn, “We would see Jesus;” this sermon based on verse one. Jesus saves us through a saving faith, a saving hope, and a saving love.	Cold War easing a bit? Nation is surviving and carrying forward in the aftermath of the Kennedy assassination.
In a Moment of Time	1/5/1964	Luke 4: 1-15; Ezra 9: 8.	Matthew 6: 33.	Duke of Wellington: “British soldiers are not braver than the French; they are just brave 5 minutes longer.”	Minutes symbolize life’s rapidity, relativity, and generosity. They have meaning when they are used properly, in the pursuit of the will of God. Let us dedicate our new year to such good purpose.
Whose Church?	2/2/1964	Isaiah 61.	Luke 9: 24.	(See Truman Douglas: Why Go To Church?, chapter 7.)	Some view the church as belonging to the clergy; others as belonging to the people, to all the members. The proper view is that it belongs to God, and that it exists to do His will. And if we understand the church to be mission, that helps us get on with it.
The Building of Men	2/9/1964	Acts 17: 22-28.	Luke 2: 52; John 3: 16.		Boy Scout Sunday; Race Relations Sunday. Scouting is a good model to us in others parts of society in the area of race relations, since the organization is colorblind, and boys of all races participate and can run into each other at jamborees.
Do Something for Brotherhood	2/16/1964	Isaiah 58: 1-12; Genesis 11: 1-9.	John 17: 1-26; Ephesians 2: 13-16.	Quotation from Henry Smith Leiper, giving world demographics as if the world were a village of 1,000 people. Quotations from Frank Jennings and John Baille. Poem by Edith Blair. Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi.	All people are brothers and sisters under God. It is important for we Caucasians to understand that we are a minority, and also that we use more than our share of the world’s resources. We also need reconciliation among Christian denominations, and between Christians and Jews.
The Future is Ours	3/29/1964	John 21: 1-17.	Luke 24: 6.	William Howard Taft, to Henry Sloane Coffin, “You ought to know that, in this world, the best things get cricified; but they rise again.” Quotation from Professor William James about immortality. Edward Increase Bosworth and others from a Thanksgiving service at Oberlin. Howard Thurman and the man planting small pecan trees. Book by Gertrude Slaughter, Only the Past is Ours.	Easter. The end of Lent. The old man planting small pecan trees said he did not expect to harvest any nuts, as he had eaten all his life from trees that others had planted. “The man who plants just because he will reap the harvest has no faith in life.”	League of Nations died, but rose again, stronger, as the United Nations.
We Are Not Alone	4/5/1964	Isaiah 43: 1-13.	John 20: 21.	C.S. Lewis, “Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer.” Song, “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”	We are not alone, because God is with us, in crises and in joy. We find him with us in the voting booth, seeing that we do the right. He will be with us in the building of our new church buildings. This sermon is the kickoff of 8 weeks of fundraising for the new buildings.
The Holy Christian Church	4/19/1964	John 17: 1-10; John 10: 17,18.	Isaiah 6: 3; I Peter 1: 15-16.	Quotation from Leonard Griffith, minister of City Temple in London, comparing Jesus at his passion with a general being relieved of command and brought home to be honored.	The church is supposed to be universal (proper meaning of the word “catholic”). We Christians are supposed to do good works, but we are also supposed to be holy. Jesus’ prayer for his disciples in John 17 is for their holiness, for them to stay in the world resisting evil. Obviously it is a prayer for us, too.
The Glory of the Church	5/3/1964	John 17: 20-26.	Philippians 1: 21-25.	William L. Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. (See Griffith in The Eternal Legacy from an Upper Room, chaplter XVII).	Christ’s last prayer, laying out his desire that his disciples be with him in glory, is sort of like a heart-felt card from a vacationing friend, “Having a wonderful time, wish you were here.” We need to preserve our role as the Pilgrim People of God.	Refers to the D-Day account in Shirer’s book, and states that the evening shared with the disciples in the Upper Room was Christ’s D-Day.
Equal Opportunity for All	5/17/1964	Acts 2: 1-4; Acts 2: 12-17.	I Corinthians 14: 23.	Quotations from Abraham Lincoln. (See Patton in Use of the Bible in Preaching, p. 285ff).	Pentecost; also the tenth anniversary of the Supreme Court decision declaring school segragation illegal. Pentecost story indicates the church was born in enthusiasm. We should maintain that enthusiasm about God’s work, including “Racial Justice Now.”	UCC has a committee on “Racial Justice Now” and the sermon ended with a call for a special offering to be taken, during silent meditation, for support of that cause. This is the middle of a major building campaign!
Conformation or Confirmation	5/24/1964	Romans 12.		Story of the reformation of a young man, by Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick. Four points about Christian living, by Dr. Edward Increase Bosworth.	Confirmation Sunday. The confirmation class is advised, as Paul advised the Romans, to not blindly conform to society, but to do right and to use Christian precepts to transform their lives.		Talks about his Father’s rule of not racing as a precondition to being permitted to drive the family car. Also tells a story of a classmate in college who cheated on an exam and had a complex rationale for justifying the act.
The Struggle for a Free Mind	5/31/1964	Acts 22: 17-29; Genesis 1: 26.		(See Hamilton in Pul. Dig. 5-64, et al.) (See Vlastos, Christian Faith and Democracy). Negative reference to “Mrs. Dilling’s book, The Red Network.”	Memorial Day weekend. The best memorial we could make to loved ones who have passed on, or given their lives for the country, is to vigorously defend freedom. Freedom and Christianity are linked. Communism threatens both. But both are also threatened by anti-communism which ignores the reality of the need to protect the rights of the accused.	See below. Takes to task Congressional committee investigating subversion for going too far, and violating due process of law in some of their proceedings.	Tells of his personal contacts with the Ku Klux Klan in South Dakota in his youth, and his disagreement with their message.
Beauty of the Church	6/14/1964	Psalm 27; Psalm 90: 17.	Mark 8: 2; Philippians 2: 5.	(See Hevey in Pul. Dig. 4-64).	Church School Sunday. The people of the church are what make the church, and they are what make it beautiful. Their beauty is revealed in their devotion to God, and in their compassion unto others.
Do You Believe?	6/21/64	Mark 9: 14-29; Psalm 23: Psalm 42; Job13: 15	Jeremiah; Job 23: 8-9; Luke 23: 46; Mark 15: 34; Luke 7: 9; Ephesians 3: 14.	(See Keith in Xm. Cent. Pul. 5-64); George Bernard Shaw; Dean Willard Sperry of Yale Divinity; Increase Mather; William Lyon Phelps.	Some people seem to have an unshakable faith; but for many, faith is “hammered out on the anvil of doubt.” No one need feel guilty about doubting; you’re in good company. The man wanting Jesus to heal his son said, “I believe; help me my unbelief.”	In the post-was era, church attendance is up, religious books are being read; it seems that people who tried being purely secular found they didn’t like it, and wanted to return to God.
Land of Liberty	6/28/1964	Galatians 5: 1; Galatians 5: 13-25.	Leviticus 25:10; John 8: 31-32; Psalm 33: 12.	(See Kostyn in Pul. Dig 6-64, and US Herald 7-1-64). Quotation from Theodore Roosevelt. Quotation, George Washington. Poem by Katherine Lee Bates, (the words to “America the Beautiful”); Hymns “God of our Fathers” and “My Country ‘Tis of Thee.”	Independence Day (July 4). We should be aware of our heritage at this time. Our nation’s freedoms and liberty are tied closely with our religion. We proclaimed at the outset that they were granted to us by God. We need to work to preserve and maintain them.
Sacraments of Christian Fellowship	7/5/1964	Matthew 13: 1-16.		(See Walter Marshall Horton, Our Christian Faith, pp. 63-66).	Communion Sunday. The UCC tradition uses baptism and communion as “outward and visible signs of an inward and spiritual grace.” Many acts can be sacramental if they are understood as symbols for God’s grace and not to be sacred or worshipped in themselves.
The View from up There	7/12/1964	Psalm 121; Mark 12: 28-31; Matthew 6: 33.	Mark 9: 2-8; Matthew 16: 26; Luke 10: 38-42.	(Ref. Gilkey: “Perspectives” Chapter 1). “God hath yet more light to break forth from His holy word;” pastor (Robinson) left behind in Holland by the Pilgrims.	Looking to the hills is a must, to remove ourselves from the daily routine, and be reminded of things more lofty, more important than what we usually allow to occupy our time and thoughts.	the “loss of moral compass” in politics, particularly “machine” politics of big cities.	Refers to climbing Mount Haleakala on Maui; seeing the sunrise; watching the light reach down into the crater; seeing the surf from that height; occasionally in the afternoon, with clouds in the crater, seeing a circular rainbow with your own shadow in the center.
The Rock That Is Higher	7/19/1964	Psalm 61; Isaiah 32: 2; Philippians 3: 13-14.	Matthew 5: 48; Luke 18: 19; Psalm 18: 29.	(Ref. Gilkey, “Perspectives” Chapter 6, pp. 63ff). Quotations from George Mallory on climbing Mount Everest.	A rock (as in Psalm 61) can be viewed as a challenge, or as a refuge, e.g. shade from the desert sun. Religion has two parallel and paradoxical facets; as a challenge to do our best, or even better than that; and as a refuge from the storms of life.		Rock climbing by Mrs. Kingdon and his younger brother in the Black HIlls of South Dakota. His own experiences climbing Mount Haleakala.
God’s People	9/13/1964	Ezekiel 37: 1-14	John 13: 35; Mark 16: 15.	(See Duncan in Pul. Dig. 9-64). Quotation from Karl Heim, in Christian Faith and Natural Science.	Ezekiel, by reporting that the dry bones will live, was trying to reassure Israel, in the throes of the Babylonian captivity, that they would be made a whole nation again. Our church should truly be the body of Christ, a community that nurtures its members, and reaches out to preach the gospel and serve others throughout the world.
Coming to, and going from, the Lord’s Table	10/4/1964	Luke 22: 7-22.	Mark 14: 26.	“We are not divided, all one body we..” from hymn, “Onward Christian Soldiers.”	World-Wide Communion Sunday. We put aside all our schisms, and partake of the bread that makes us one body in Christ. We come to the table for thanksgiving, for confession, for forgiveness. We leave to serve, changed by the love of God.
Whose Builder and Maker is God	10/11/1964	Hebrews 11: 1-10; II Chronicles 2, 3, 4, and 5.	I Corinthians 3: 9; Luke 14: 28; Matthew 16: 1-3; John 5: 17.	Quotation from Henry Van Dusen. Short story by G. K. Chesterton, about an artist who bought and renovated a building that he had found artistically offensive.	We must build not only buildings, but good lives, together with God, the Master Builder. The church is not a building; it is people. The building of the temple by Solomon was quite an achievement (See chapters in Chronicles). But the building of community is more important.
Loyal to the Future	10/25/1964	Psalm 145: 1-13.	Matthew 25: 14-30.	Quotation from Martin Luther.	Autumn. Reformation Sunday. Cornerstone Laying Sunday for the new Wisconsin Rapids church buildings. We are loyal to the future if we support this building program, building not only the house of worship but the church of people, in a manner that our descendants can use properly what we create.
Thankfulness of a Good Christian Steward	11/22/1964	II Corinthians 9: 1-15.	I Corinthians 13; Luke 19: 1-8.	Quotations about stewardship from Dr. Warren Dennison. Paragraph on stewardship from a church bulletin in Hawaii. Lives of Schweitzer and Polycarp.	Thanksgiving Sunday; Christian Enlistment (stewardship) Sunday. The generous spirit of the giver is beneficial to the giver, apart from the beneficial impact of the gift.	He mentions it is the one-year anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
Free and Interdependent	12/6/1964	I Peter 2: 9-25; Galatians 5: 1; Leviticus 25: 10	II Corinthians 3: 17; John 8: 32; Psalm 24: 1.	(See Laird in Xm. Cent. Pul. 12-64 for part). Lengthy quotation from Henry Van Dyke on the Bible. Quotation from a pastor in northern Uganda.	Universal Bible Week. Speaks of the work of the American Bible Society. Bible is particularly relevant in times of revolutionary upheaval, such as the present. Speaks of freedom, and of responsibility which comes with freedom.	Reference to communist revolutions, and revolutions for independence from colonialism in Africa.
Christmas Carol	12/20/1964	Luke 2: 1-20; Matthew 6: 11.	Matthew 4: 4; John 1: 14; Luke 24: 13-35.	A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens.	Christmas Sunday. Christmas is not just a spectacle. It is a revelation to mankind about God; about his mercy, his love, his grace. No wonder so much about Christmas is conveyed in song. We know Jesus is near when we stand in the presence of innocence, when we have an impulse to be generous, and when we experience joy.
Over the Ridge to Another Year	1/3/1965	Revelation 21: 1-7.	John 5: 17.		New Years Sunday. Advent of a new year is a bit like getting to the crest of a mountain, looking back as well as looking ahead. He recommends looking ahead, both for individuals and for the church in Wisconsin Rapids, which is poised to build a new physical plant.		Talks about the exhilaration of climbing a mountain, wanting to be there for the sunrise.
Is a Sabbath Day’s Journey Far Enough?	1/10/1965	Acts 1: 1-14; Matthew 12: 9-14; Matthew 9: 2-3	Matthew 12: 1-8; Mark 2: 27; Luke 6: 1-2; Mat- thew 9: 10-13; Matthew 21: 12-13.		Rules-based reigion is capable of neglecting the spiritual basis of life, of enforcing narrow rules and neglecting the needs of people. It was this kind of attitude toward religious rules that killed Jesus, and can derail our spiritual journey.		Childhood memories of Sabbath rest, of Sabbath “rules” and customs on the farm.
Called Higher	1/17/1965	Mark 1: 1-20.		(See -- in part -- Shaw in Pul. Dig. 12-64)	We have in a sense lost our spiritual sense of direction in this time. We are called by Christ to be better, to a higher level of service, as were the original disciples/apostles by Jesus.		He talks about having a strong sense of direction from growing up on the South Dakota prairie, with all its developed features mapped out in rectangular coodinates.
Laws of Good Living	2/7/1965	Psalm 24.	Proberbs 15: 13, 15; Matthew 22: 37-40.		Boy Scout Sunday. Tells the story of the founding of Scouting in the USA, and of the first troop in Wisconsin, troop 1 (later 2, 72, & 172) of the Congregational church in Wisconsin Rapids. Names all scoutmasters & cubmasters in history, and recites the scout oath and law, and explicates the law.
Your Neighbor as Yourself	2/14/1965	Matthew 19: 13-30.	I John 4: 19; I John 4: 11.	(See Ensley et al. in Pul. Dig. 2-65).	Valentine’s Day. But he doesn’t even mention it! It is Race Relations Sunday; the sermon is about God’s love; about the commandment to love neighbor as self. Our love of neighbor flows from God’s love for us. He feels we are called to improve race relations as one component of loving neighbor.	Reference to race relations, and the increasing demand for equal opportunity voiced by blacks. Christian response demands trying to understand the feelings of injustice.
Treat All Persons As Persons	2/21/1965	Psalms 133, 134; I John 4: 19; I John 4: 11.	Philippians 2: 1-4.	Cites Martin Luther King, an essay, “On Being a Good Neighbor.” Also a story about Kitagawa in Rhodesia, and Robert McAfee Brown’s six “ground rules” for Catholic- Protestant dialogue.	Brotherhood Sunday. Not only are we called to treat people of other races as brothers (last week’s topic) but we are called to be brothers, Protestants and Catholics, and more broadly, Christians and Jews. This requires dialogue, a better understanding of the others’ traditions and points of view.
What is Right and Wrong?	3/7/1965	Matthew 5: 13-24; Matthew 7: 21	John 8: 3-11; John 3: 16.	(Ref. Irish in Pul. Dig. 2-65). Quotations from Sir Richard Livingstone, Will Durant, historian. Story from Plato’s Republic. Quotation from Jung, The New Morality. Book, Honest to God, by John Robinson.	There is a trend today to say there are no moral absolutes, that aside from love everything is relative. This is not so; there are rules and laws to live by, and all of us need them.
Greeting Jesus Now	4/11/65	Mark 8: 34,35; Matthew 16: 23; Luke 9: 23.	Luke 19: 29-44; Mark 8: 34; John 10: 27; John 5: 17.	(see Bosley in Pul. Dig. 4-65) Movie, “Quo Vadis.”	Being a Christian in early Rome was not easy. But the early Christians did stick with Christ and his program when things got rough. Not all of Christian life is like a Palm Sunday procession; it takes love, understanding, gentleness, cooperation.
A Christian and his Community	5/16/1965	Isaiah 58: 6-14; Exodus 20: 8-11.	Psalm 23: 1,2; Psalm 28: 7; I John 4: 16; Mark 2: 27; Isaiah 43: 5; Psalm 34: 18.	Quotation from Elton Trueblood.	Keeping the sabbath, and keeping it holy. Corporate worship is important to us as a community as well as to us as individuals. It was an important part of keeping the Jewish culture alive during the Babylonian captivity, and has been an important element in western culture. A day of rest is important for all, as well as providing for worship.	Refers to a statement published in the local newspaper, signed by 23 local clergymen, asking for no more store openings on Sunday, and suggesting to people that they conduct their shopping on the other six days of the week.
Exalt God in the Congregation	5/23/1965	Psalm 107: 1-31; Joshua 4: 6.	Colossians 3: 11; Psalm 150: 6.		Last service in the old stone church. Recounts the history of the (now four) houses of worship enjoyed by this congregation. We will continue to worship together and praise the Lord, first in temporary quarters, and then in our new sanctuary.		Shares personal nostalgia regarding the stone church. Two sons baptized here; all five children joined the church here. One married here. One family member memorialized here.
To Serve the People	6/6/1965	Romans 8: 1-14.		poem by Edward Everett Hale.	The church exists to serve people, and must find out what people need. The needs of folk in the inner city of Chicago are different from those in Wis. Rapids, and also different from rural people. A group of young people and adults are traveling from this church to Cleveland to try and find out what the needs and hopes of those inner city folk are.
It Is So Good To Live!	7/4/1965	Jeremiah 31: 1-14.	Joshua 24: 13,14,15; Matthew 22: 37.	quotation from Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address; (government of the people, by the people, and for the people). Comedy scene of Karl Vallentin.	Pray for the delegates to the UCC General Synod, meeting in Chicago this week. Also Independence Day. He reminds us that with liberty comes responsibility; and that our form of government evolves directly out of biblical ideas and ideals.
Lift Up Thine Eyes	7/18/1965	Psalm 121; Exodus 20; Genesis 28.	Isaiah 40: 25-26; Isaiah 40: 31; Philippians 3: 14: Psalm 24; Psalm 25.	Poem by Winfre Ernest Garrison, “For an Hour.”	We naturally look up to contemplate God and his works. The psalmist said it; Jacob had a dream of a ladder to heaven; and we think of Jesus as God coming down to us, the Holy Spirit at Pentecost coming down to us, and Jesus ascending into heaven.	Refers to the death of Adlai Stevenson, and wonders about the continuing work at the United Nations.
Keep Life Fresh	9/9/1965	Acts 3; John 13: 13; Luke 23: 42; John 8: 32.	Galatians 5: 1; Matthew 7: 7; Ecclesiastes 12: 5; John 1: 4; John 1: 12; John 16: 33; Luke 23: 34; Hebrews 12: 1,2.	(See Sockman - radio broadcast, 10-5-52). Quotations from H. G. Wells, Browning’s Rabbi Ben Ezra, Canada’s John Buchan.	3 translations of Acts 3. Christ as Prince of Life, Pioneer of LIfe, and Author of Life. He is all three. Jesus had a princely, commanding presence. He was an innovator, pioneering ways of living that were brand new. And he is the beginning and end of our lives, a “life-giving” spirit that starts and sustains us.
Growing Up	9/26/1965	I Corinthians 13.	Matthew 19: 14; Luke 18: 17.	(From Scott in Pul. Dig. 9-65). And the Interpreter’s Bible. Dag Hammarskjold, Markings.	The love of God (agape) is beautifully described in the thirteenth chapter of I Corinthians; not only agape, but also Eros, so that the passage is frequently used at weddings. Growing up involves continuing to be a learner, and mature our faith, as well as our understanding of hosts of details about this life and the creation.
Draw Near With Faith	10/3/1965	Hebrews 10: 11-25; John 6: 44; John 12: 32.	James 4: 8; Luke 15: 11-32; Job 13: 15.		World-wide Communion Sunday. Points out the Scriptural bases for the invitation to “draw near with faith.” God invites us, and as we respond, He begins drawing nearer to us as soon as he perceives the movement on our part. Like the father responding to the prodigal son.
Hope for a Christian World	10/17/1965	Acts 16: 1-10; Acts 1: 7-8; Mark 16: 15.	John 3: 16, 17; John 10: 16.	(From Read in Presbyterian Life, 10-15-65). last verse of the hymn, “For all the saints.” Quotation from Winston Churchill.	Mission has changed. It should no longer try to express a triumphal assumtion that the world will become totally Christian. Rather, it is important to recapture the servant spirit of the early church.	opposition of communism to the church and to mission is mentioned.
Reform or Revolt	10/31/1965	Galatians 2: 16-21; John 8: 31-36.	Micah 6: 8; Mark 12: 30-31.	(Ref. Robert McAfee Brown, “Spirit of Protestantism.” p. 13 ff, et al.) Quotation from Jaques Maritain.	Reformation Sunday. The Reformers did not set out to divide the church; they attempted to reform it from within. It was reform, not revolt, that they were after. The Roman Catholic view is that they were in revolt, were divisive, with catastrophic results.
We Give Because We Want To	11/7/1965	II Corinthians 9; Matthew 19: 21; Matthew 6: 14.	Luke 6: 38; Luke 14: 11; Matthew 10: 39; Luke 12: 48; Ephesians 6: 2,3; Romans 8: 14-17; Psalm 107: 22; Matthew 26: 6-13; Matthew 7: 21; Matthew 6: 2; Matthew 5: 16; Matthew 25: 14-30; Hebrews 10: 24; Matthew 6: 21; Mark 9: 41; Matthew 19: 29.	Quotation from T. M. Taylor. Also, unattributed poem: “They’re praising God on Sunday. They’ll be all right on Monday. It’s just a habit they’ve acquired.” Luther Powell, book, Money and the Church. Quotations from George Buttrick. Quotation from “the old Scotsman,” to David Livingstone.	Stewardship. Nine motives for giving, with extensive biblical references documenting the Scriptural support for all of these motives, some of which we might in the first instance tend to disregard as “unChristian.”
Our Mission Here and Over the World	11/14/1965	Isaiah 55			Stewardship Sunday. A less-than-usually detailed budget; a very moving, long, excerpt from a letter from a medical missionary, to get across the message of mission giving. Comments on the progress of the new church building.
Everlasting Joy	12/12/1965	Isaiah 35; Colossians 3: 11.	II Corinthians 5: 17	Records of the Lemonweis Association regarding the cornerstone laying of First Congregational Church in 1864.	Advent; the coming of Christ. Also, this is the first complete worship service in the new sanctuary in Wisconsin Rapids, the fourth home for the congregation, which built its first home almost exactly 100 years earlier. Also communion Sunday, and Universal Bible Sunday.
It Makes a Difference	12/19/1965	Luke 2: 1-20; Luke 23: 34; I Corinthians 15:57.	Luke 23: 47; II Corinthians 5: 19; Isaiah 7: 14; John 14: 27; I Peter 5: 10-11.	(See Tittle: The Gospel According to Luke, chapter 2.) Quotation from Lincoln’s Gettysburg address; quotation from Emerson; (apocryphal) story about Tennyson and a friend, about good news. Letter by Sam Keck. “O come to my heart, Lord Jesus” (hymn).	Advent; Christmas. The birth stories in Luke and Matthew are about God coming to earth in the person of Jesus. God came to the humble (shepherds) and the privileged (wise men). He is present in history and in our lives if we are willing to receive him.
All Things New	1/2/1966	Revelation 21: 1-7		(See Boss in Pul. Dig. 12-65).	New Year. Christ makes all things new. And he can make new our personal lives, our lives with our families, our lives at work, and even the life of this nation.
Strength Enough	1/19/1966	Isaiah 40: 27-31; Ezekiel 2: 2; Psalm 27: 1.	Ephesians 3: 16; Philippians 4: 12-13; John 8: 16; Matthew 6:6; Romans 8: 9; Luke 22: 42.	(See Harry Golden, Only in America, pp 78-80, and Harry Emerson Fosdick, A Faith for Tough Times, Chapter III. Quotation from Mark Twain.	Talking about God, philosophizing and theologizing, as opposed to experiencing God and knowing that He is all you need. Man has inborn capacities for worship, to be inspired, for spiritual fellowship, to experience radial transformations, and to be a channel of spiritual dynamic.
On Being Useful	2/6/1966	Luke 4: 14-30; Luke 10: 30-37; Luke 16: 19-31; Matthew 25: 42-43; Matthew 24: 14-30.	Matthew 13: 3-9; Matthew 21: 28-31; Luke 11: 33; Matthew 5: 13; Luke 13: 6-7.	The Meaning of Being a Christian, book, by Harry Emerson Fosdick.	He asserts that Jesus applied the test of usefulness to all customs, laws, habits, and institutions. If they were useful to mankind, they were supported. If they had become un- useful, they were attacked. He tries to recruit people to help the people of Adams- Friendship, a neighboring community to the south, discern if they should form a UCC church for themselves. And he announces a special “Racial Justice Now” offering to be taken at the services next week.
“Helpful, Friendly, Kind.”	2/13/1966	Luke 10: 25-37			Race Relations Sunday; Boy Scout Sunday. Points out that the title attributes, from the Scout Law, are needed in race relations, as well as courtesy. Gives the reasons for the special “Racial Justice Now” offering to be taken immediately after the sermon.	Reference to the lagging of education, housing, and job opportunity for Negro people as compared to white. Also comments on the poor relations between Negroes and police.
How Crooked Are We?	3/6/1966	Romans 3: 1-20; Mark 3: 1-5.	Exodus 20: 1-17; Matthew 5: 17-20.	(See Ogden in Pul. Dig. 3-65). Quotation from Dean Charles Reynolds Brown. Story told by Stanley Jones. Mother Goose poem about the crooked man.	“It is the straightedge of the Law that shows us how crooked we are.” (the Phillips translation of Romans 3:20). Yet God understands, loves us, and forgives us. We must face the fact of our sin, or crookedness, to be able to repent and benefit from this forgiveness.		He recalls telling his mother an outright lie, and being healed when he confessed it, received her punishment and forgiveness, and the assurance that God’s love and forgiveness was very similar.
God in Action	3/20/1966	John 1: 6-18; Habakkuk 3: 2.	Exocus 20: 4; John 14: 9; Acts 27: 29.	poem by McGregor Smith, Jr. published in the Christian Century, March 9, 1966. Quotations from Sir James Jeans, James Thurber and Martin Buber. Quotation from Russian cosmonaught Titov.	We do not see God in the sense of seeing an old man sitting a particular place in the heavens (or in space, as the Russian Titov taunted). But we see God’s actions, and we see him in Christ’s actions and teachings.	Refers to the Russian cosmonaut Titov as having remarked that he didn’t see God anywhere up there in space as he orbited the earth.
Long Grass and Wild Flowers	4/3/1966	Luke 9: 51-56; Luke 19: 29-42.	John 11:16; Isaiah 1: 7; Romans 8: 22, 23; Revelation 7: 9; II Timothy 3: 1.	(See Walker in Pul. Dig. 3-63). Quotations from George Moore, Thomas Carlyle, Charles Beard, John Bunyan in Pilgrim‘s Progress, Erasmus, Cowper, King Albert of Belgium; Spinoza; John Milton; references to Thanksgiving and the Pilgrim Fathers.	Palm Sunday; Easter. The future belongs to those who have a faith that good things will happen because God’s will prevails, even in times of ugliness.	Reference to soldiers in World War I and World War II.
New Covenant	4/7/1966		Acts 2: 46; Jeremiah 31: 31-36.		Communion service. Describes communion as a thanksgiving, a remembrance of Jesus, and a renewal of covenant with God. He also stresses the sharing of a meal with friends, and other kinds of sharing in the community of which communion is symbolic.
From Death to Life	4/10/1966	Matthew 28: 1-10; Revelation 14:12,13.	John 21: 12; John 13: 1-11; Matthew 28:16-20	(ref. Ferris and Burris in Pul. Dig. 4-66).	Easter. Belief in resurrection and life eternal is a matter of faith, not of science and things that can be proven in the laboratory, or with mathematical equations. How one views death and the life hereafter depends greatly on how one views God.
I Need the Church	4/17/1966	Matthew 16: 13-19.		Quotations from Emil Brunner, John Burroughs, William Penn, and J. Irwin Miller.	What is the church, and who needs it? The church is the community of the people of God, called together by Jesus Christ. All of us need the church, since we cannot live Christian lives in isolation.
The House of Worship	5/15/1966	II Chronicles 6: 2,3,12,13b-23; 32-33; 40.	Psalm 127: 1; Ephesians 2: 20,21.		The new church buildings are going to be shown to interested members of the community in the afternoon of this day. He remembers that the old stone building was occupied by both church school and worship just one year ago, and now the new buildings are a reality. Spends quite a bit of the sermon on Solomon’s prayer of dedication for his temple (the primary Bible citations above).
Daily Bread	6/5/1966	Luke 11: 1-13.	Luke 16: 19-31.	The Syrian Christ, book, by Abraham Rihbany. Quotations from letters by Mr. Telfer Mook, about starvation in India.	The line, “give us this day our daily bread” in the Lord’s prayer is a request for the bare necessities of life, for all people, not just for ourselves. As good stewards, if we have a bountiful life, we are obligated to share that bounty.	Drought, starvation, and famine in India. What needs to be done both in the short term, and for the long term improvement in order to prevent such tragedy.
Patience and Persistence	6/26/1966	Matthew 13: 24-30.		(See Bosley in Parables, pp. 124ff)	In the parable of the wheat and the weeds, Jesus says let the two grow up together, and they can be separated at the harvest. So it is with “rooting out” evil in too much of a hurry; one may destroy much good as well. Evil is best dealt with by patience and persistence, the patience of God.
Walking In His Ways	7/3/1966	John 17; II Samuel 22: 31; Psalm 1: 6b.	Isaiah 35: 8; Mark 1: 3; Matrthew 2: 1-12; Luke 24: 13-32; Acts 2: 1-4.	(See Goff: “Invitation to Commune,” pp. 42ff).	Communion Sunday. There are many ways open to us, modes of living that we can follow. We do best when we walk, not running, in a way that best fits the way of Christ, the way that God intended us to follow.
Beginnings	9/11/1966	Matthew 6: 25-33; Genesis 1: 1.	Philippians 1: 21; Luke 14: 28.	“New every morning is the love,” hymn. Quotations from Henry Drummond. Quotation from Martin Luther.	Beginning of the new church season, after some time off during the summer. Beginning of the use of a dedicated new facility. New opportunity to teach in Sunday school, lead the scouts, help finacially to retire the debt & support the work of the church (he believes, with others, that the budget ought to go up by 50%!).
Looking Back in Faith	9/18/1966	Deuteronomy 6: 1-13a.	Exodus 20: 1-17.	(See Read in Sons of Anah, Chapter 6.) Read being Dr. David Read, born and bred in Scotland, and pastor of one of the leading Presbyterian churches in New York City.	“Heritage Sunday.” Looking back in faith is a part of being able to go forward in faith. It is important not to lose track of who we are and where we have been. Americans need to be reminded of these things, being a comparatively young nation.
Faithful and Loyal	10/2/1966	Mark 14: 22-31; Mark 14: 66-72.	James 1: 17; Psalm 89: 26.	[Sources - Craig, Goff, et al.]	World-Wide Communion Sunday. We are reminded that God is faithful to us, and constant, even if we be changing in the wind. We have a weathervane with a cock on it on the church, to remind us of Peter’s denial of Christ, and his ultimate faithfulness as well.
Making Melody to the Lord	10/23/1966	Ephesians 5: 1-2, 15-20; Ephesians 4: 1-3.	Psalm 42: 6, 7; Psalm 42: 11.	Quotations from Henry Sloan Coffin.	The title is from Paul’s letter to the Christians at Ephesus, in Ephesians 5. The new church building in Wisconsin Rapids has installed in it the rebuilt organ from the old building, and in the evening of this date there will be a service of rededication, with organ and choral music.
Living, Loving and Giving	11/6/1966	John 3: 1-16.		William Bradford, History of Plymouth Plantation; sermon by pilgrim John Winthrop; quotations from Ralph Sockman and T.K. Thompson, and from the UCC Statement of Faith.	Stewardship Sunday. Giving is the most important act of a person; and doing so happily, not grudgingly, as did the Pilgrim fathers in helping out each other.
All the World Together	11/13/1966	Isaiah 55.	Acts 1: 8.		Stewardship. Commitment Sunday. Gives details of proposed budget, compared with previous years. Asks for a 15-20% increase in pledge amount! Gives quite a bit of detail on how the dollars given to state and national organizations are utilized. Points out that witnessing to the whole world was mandated by Jesus himself.
We Need Thanksgiving	11/20/1966	Deuteronomy 8: 11-20.	Matthew 6: 22,23; Luke 17: 11-19.	Quotation from Paul Tillich. Hymn, “Now Thank we all our God.” (See Roberts in Pul. Dig. 11-66) Interpreter’s Bible, et al. Thomas Gaddi’s book, The Birdman of Alcatraz.	Thanksgiving. We need the occasion for thanks as well as the attitude that makes us grateful. Robert Stroud, known as the birdman of Alcatraz, didn’t reform and become renowned as an authority on birds until he said “thank you” to his guard for giving him an orange crate to use as a cage for his injured bird.
The Best News	12/4/1966	Luke 21: 25-37; Luke 1: 26-33.	John 3: 16; Hebrews 1: 1,2; Psalm 23: 4.	(See Sockman 12-14-52 et al.) Quotations from Isaac Newton, Coleridge. Hymn, “Joy to the World.”	Advent; Christmas. The news of the Savior’s birth is the best news ever. It is the culmination of the word of God, coming again and again, to the patriarchs and prophets, to the psalmist, to David and Solomon, and then to all of us in the person of Jesus of Nazareth.
Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Christmas Tomorrow.	12/25/1966	Luke 2: 1-20. John 1: 1-12.		Article in United Church Herald, December 1966. Poem by Howard Thurman.	Christmas. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are special. But so is Advent, and so can the days after Christmas be, if we keep alive the vision of the love of God as revealed to us in Jesus Christ.
The Dignity Of Man	1/1/1967	Hebrews 2.	Hebrews 1: 1-2.	(See, partly, sermon of 1-4-59). Quotation from Nels Ferre: “Life is like steering.” Lives of Robert Louis Stevenson, Helen Keller, George Frederick Handel.	New Years. Communion Sunday. How do we approach the new year and make it really new, not just a bunch of habits carried over from before? The key is listening to Jesus, and being sure of our moral and spiritual compass.
The Christian Faith In Our Time	1/15/1967	II Corinthians 4; Hebrews 11: 1.	I Kings 18: 1-40; I Kings 19: 1-18.	Saturday Evening Post, April 1948, biographical sketch on Chick Young, creator of Blondie and Dagwood. Poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins.	We need to recapture and put into practice the Christian faith as preached and lived by Paul. We call ourselves a Christian nation, but there are many things that happen that are at variance with the moral values of Christianity.	The church in Corinth was divided by political parties, not unlike our society today.
In the Wisdom of God	2/5/1967	I Corinthians 1: 21-31.	Acts 2: 32; Jeremiah 9: 23-24.		Lent. Guidelines (from Paul Olson) for meaningful Lent. A time of contrition, emphasis on faith, sacrifice, and witness. The sacrifice should not just be “giving up candy for Lent” but rather adoption of an attitude of spending of self for others.
You Are My Friends	2/19/1967	John 15: 12-17; Hebrews 1: 1-2	Proverbs 17: 17; Proverbs 18: 24.	(See William Hudnut in Xm. Cent. Pul. 2-67, and Jeroslav Pelikan in “Platform of Goodwill.” Also quotations from Ralph Waldo Emerson, Martin Buber, and Douglas Horton in The Art of Living Today.	National Brotherhood Week. We must not only tolerate others, but understand. If Christians don’t understand Judaism, we miss out on an important part of our own historical faith. Ditto if Protestants don’t understand Roman Catholicism. Jesus said, “You are my friends.” Friendship is important.
Small People and Big Problems	3/5/1967	John 6: 1-15; Isaiah 6: 5	Jeremiah 1: 6; Romans 14: 7.	(See Fosdick, On Being a Real Person , p. 176ff) et al. Quotation from Thomas Jefferson. Poem by James Russell Lowell.	Story of feeding of five thousand with five loaves and two fishes. All of our individual efforts, especially in the establishing of good homes, have an impact on the whole world. All good and bad depends on the quality of individuals.
Why We Believe	3/12/1967	Matthew 27: 33-54; John 13: 31-35.	Exodus 12: 21-28; Luke 23: 34a; Luke 23: 46; Matthew 27: 46; Psalm 22: 1; Luke 23: 47; Romans 5: 8.	(See Fosdick, On Being Fit To Live With, pp. 88ff.). Hymn, “In the Cross of Christ I Glory.” Testimony of one of “Doolittle’s Raiders” on the need to go back to Japan and minister with compassion to his former captors.	Lent; Passion Sunday. Having faith in the goodness, no matter how incongruous it seems in the light of the brutality of Calvary.
Having Eyes, Do We See?	4/9/1967	Matthew 5: 8; Mark 8: 1-21; Psalm 19: 1.	Ephesians 1: 17-18; Genesis 32: 22-30; I Cor- inthians 2: 14.	James Moffatt translation of Matthew 5: 8. Quotation from Kierkegaard. Quotation from the artist Turner.	The pure in heart of the beatitude are those who are not “double-minded.” They will the Good. They shall know Jesus’ all-inclusive precepts; they will be in a frame of living which keeps the commandments without the “musts;” because of their own desire and purpose.
On Being a Person	4/23/1967	Romans 7: 15 through 8: 4; Genesis 3: 12, 13.	Matthew 5: 5; II Samuel 11: 15; II Samuel 12: 7; Matthew 7: 13,14; Romans 12: 1; Galatians 2: 20.	Shakespeares plays are referred to, including Julius Caesar, Hamlet, Macbeth, and Othello. Quotation from Tennyson. Reference to “The Last Supper” (painting) by Salvador Dali.	(Written prayer included) Being an integrated person requires “pulling ourselves together.” That is, there are surely efforts of genetics and the environment in our lives, but what makes the difference in character is how we respond to them. Full living requires self-blame, self- discipline, and self-dedication (to Christ) and to some overarching goal in life.
The Earth is the Lord’s	5/7/1967	Psalm 24; Luke 8: 3; Luke 19: 2-10.	Luke 12: 15-21; Luke 16: 13; Psalm 121: 1,2.	Quotation from G. K. Chesterton. Kipling, The Light That Failed.	Stewardship. Jesus preached a lot about the attitude we take toward our possessions, that are really loaned us for a short time, and which we administer on behalf of our families and others. He emphasized their use in mercy and justice. Rural Life Sunday. Those in urban locations must recognize their dependence on those on farms, and all must understand their stewardship over precious topsoil. And we should all celebrate and enjoy the beauty around us.
From Death to Life	6/11/1967	I John 3: 11-24;Luke 14: 1-24; Matthew 22: 32	Revelation 21: 5; Luke 10: 25-28; Exodus 20: 13-17; Luke 23: 34; Luke 23: 43; Luke 23: 46; Mark 15: 34; John 19: 26,27.		God is the God of life, not of death. Death means separation; life is relationship. Except for his early cry of abandonment (My God, my God), Jesus was affirming life even in the bulk of his sayings from the cross; in the midst of his dying his focus was on life.	Creation of Israel at the expense of Arabs who had lived in Palestine for millenia. Continuing war in the area. Need for Israel and its supporters to address the need of the displaced Arabs, and the need of nations in the region to recognize Israel’s right to exist.
Accents for the United Church of Christ	7/9/1967	Deuteronomy 30: 15-20; James 1: 16-25.	Luke 17: 33; Matthew 25: 40, 45.	(from Herbiter at Sixth General Synod).	Status report on the United Church of Christ, and on the recent General Synod meeting in Cincinnati, which he attended as delegate. We are committed to recognizing the person- hood of all people; also to peace, which we must work for with everything we have.	Refers to the insanity of having so many weapons of destruction. Also to the illogic of allowing the population to increases when there is not enough to eat. States that eliminating hunger is a prerequisite to peace.
Change the Lord’s Prayer?	7/16/1967	Matthew 6: 1-15.			The Lord’s Prayer. History of the Sixth General Synod of the United Church of Christ and how a reporter took out of context a resolution and reported that the Synod had voted to change the Lord’s Prayer. He goes through a detailed explanation of the meaning of the Lord’s Prayer, and why the language used is not as important as the meaning.
Candlesticks and Bushel Baskets	7/23/1967	Matthew 5: 1-16; Matthew 5: 44; John 14: 27.	Matthew 10: 34; Matthew 6: 1-3.	Shakespeare, “The quality of mercy is not strained ....”; Tennyson, “Crossing the Bar” (last two lines).	Beatitudes. Paradox of being told to give in secret, but also “Let your light shine.” The solution is that attitude is key; you let your light shine, not for self-aggradisement, but to help others understand what we are doing for Christ, and to recruit them to the cause.
Christian Heritage	9/17/1967	Matthew 12: 1-12.	Mark 2: 27.	hymn “Faith of our Fathers.”	Heritage Sunday; “Wonderful Wisconsin Week”; “Constitution Week.” Part of our heritage is honoring the Sabbath; the gospel lesson is about Jesus’ conflict with the authorities on that point. Reports on a church in Chicago which articulated a program in- cluding emphasis on fair housing, job training including child care, and educational opportunities.	Talks of the unrest in Milwaukee, with street demonstrations on behalf of fair housing legislation, and counter demonstrations. Points out the heritage of participation in the underground railroad, of standing for justice for all.	Personally against the technique of demonstrations as perhaps too divisive, fuelling anger and hatred. But respects those who are participating, and is heartened that fully 1/3 of the demonstrators are white, standing in solidarity with their black brothers and sisters.
“Age of Innocence”	10/15/1967	Mark 10: 13-27; Matthew 26: 7; Mark 14: 3.	Luke 7: 37.	Tallyrand: “Distrust first impulses; they are nearly always right.” Painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds.	The need adults have to bring a childlike spirit to the tasks of life, in order to live in the kingdom of God. Not that children are perfect; just that their openness is something we should emulate. Also, our attitude toward possessions can affect how we live in the kingdom, or don’t. We must view them as gifts from God, to be administered as a trust.
Reformation, 1517 and 1967	10/29/1967	Romans 1: 1-17.	II Corinthians 3: 17; Galatians 5: 13.	See sermon of 10- -53.	Reformation Sunday. Protestant faith should be a positive position of faith in the Jesus of the gospel, and an affirmation of living in the gospel as it was done by the early Christians of the New Testament, not just a negation of abuses of the Roman Catholic tradition.
Thy Will Be Done On Earth. By Whom? Me?	11/12/1967	Matthew 6: 5-15.		(As indicated above, the first ten pages of handwritten inkpen manuscripte were used at the beginning of the sermon, together with the ending filed for the ‘67 date. Pencil notations indicate the changes needed to update.	Stewardship Sunday; Loyalty Sunday. Title tells the story. He challenges everybody to increase their giving, and to oversubscribe the budget.				11/09/1958
The Spirit Is Here	12/3/1967	John 1: 1-14; Hebrews 4: 15; John 3: 16.	Matthew 1: 23; Amos 5: 21, 24; Philippians 2: 5, 13; Matthew 25: 40; Mark 14: 3-7; Luke 24: 13-31; Mark 10: 17-22.	(Some reference to Van Meter in Pul. Cig. 11-67).	“The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.” God revealed himself in the life of Jesus. We also understand God in the lives of great people with whom we have contact. The fact of Jesus’ life invests our lives with dignity; this applies to the here and now, not just the hereafter; and the implication is strong that the Word should become manifest in us.
Christmas Coming!	12/17/1967	Matthew 1: 18 to Matthew 2: 12.	Luke 2: 18, 19; John 12: 46; John 9: 5.	Quotation from John Ruskin about wonder.	Advent, Christmas. In addition to other seasonal beauty, it is beautiful that the anointed one came into the world to become King of Kings and Lord of Lords. God’s revelation of himself to mankind in Christ is the primary point of Christmas.				12/22/1957
The Power And The High Cause	12/24/1967	Luke 2: 1-20.	The Macabees	Alan Paton, Cry the Beloved Country. “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” third verse. Also, “I heard the bells on Christmas day.”	Advent. Christmas. If we really love our neighbor as ourself, we will be on the right side of current conflict, supporting blacks in their desire for more self-determination, and standing with Alan Paton against apartheid in South Africa.
As With Gladness	1/7/1968	Luke 2: 41-52; John 1: 29-36; Luke 22: 15.	Psalm 8: 4; II Timothy 1: 12; Luke 22: 28.		Communion Sunday. The central fact of Christianity is that we relate to a person, not a theory or theological argument. As Paul said, “I know the one whom I believe.” People have related to Jesus as baby, as youth, as teacher, and as spirit, and always positively.
Choices Amid Plenty	1/21/1968	Joshua 24: 14-25.	Deuteronomy 8: 7-10; Deuteronomy 8: 11-14.	(See Stevenson in Xm. Cent. Pul. 1-68, et al.)	In this land of plenty, we have to make choices; most importantly, what kind of vocation to follow, and which god(s) we will serve.	We are one of the “have” nations in a world of have not nations. We have an obligation to share, at least to share our knowledge as appropriate and if desired by others.	He talks about what life was like on the South Dakota farm when he was growing up (to age 13), without electricity, automobiles, and particularly without movies, radio and television. He contrasts this with the current wide selection of entertainments, and talks about having to choose.
Freedom For What?	2/11/1968	Jeremiah 9: 23,24; Luke 10: 38-42.	Philippians 1: 27 through 2: 4.	Quotations from Bayard Rustin.	Race Relations Sunday; Boy Scout Sunday. The revolutionary trend sweeping through race relations in the US right now is Black Power. The leadership has passed from Christian ministers like Martin Luther King to others who are more militant. It is up to us to listen to the grievances, and to support our church and its efforts in the inner city, even when “we don’t have this problem in Wisconsin Rapids.”
What’s This Brotherhood?	2/18/1968	John 15: 1-17.	Amos 5: 24.	Quotations from Julius Schreiber and Henry Smith Leiper. Quotation from Washington’s letter to the Touro Synagogue at Newport; quotation from Declaration of Independence.	National Brotherhood Week. The goals of the week are noble, and the work done by the National Council of Christians and Jews, the sponsor, is worthy. But why do we still need a special week; why are not these goals and this work just a part of our every day life?	Refers to coming face to face with a local Ku Klux Klan organization in rural South Dakota while he was serving as a student minister. The members had no experience with blacks or Jews, but were “death on Catholics.”
The Old and the New	3/3/1968	Luke 5: 27-38.	Mark 8: 18.	(See Bosley, “He spoke in Parables,” chapter 1). Exortation of Pastor Robinson to the Pilgrim Fathers: “God hath yet more light to break forth from His Word.”	The old and the new are always in tension. Ideally, the new learns from the wisdom of the old, and the old knows how to give way to the new when it brings genuine improvement. The Pharisees of Jesus’ time didn’t know how to give way to the new.	Tension between old and new is typical in government and politics. Currently labor has more power than when the movement was young; presumably the clock will not be turned back, and labor will also learn its responsibility to society at large.	Talks of a teacher in his high school, who taught Chaucer and Shakespeare, and made it vital to the students, in spite of them being “old.”
The Virtue of Staying With It	3/10/1968	Luke 11: 1-13.	Psalm 90: 4; I Thessalonians 5: 17.	(See Bosley, He Spoke in Parables, Chapter 5.) Reference to John Knox praying for Scotland.	The Lord’s Prayer. The parable given in Luke after the prayer, about persistence. Not only did Jesus give his disciples a form of prayer to follow, he counseled them to be persistent in their approach to God.
Heeding The Other’s Need	3/17/1968	Luke 16: 19-31.	John 14: 8-10; Matthew 25: 40.	(See Bosley, He Spoke to them in Parables, Chapter 9. The life of Albert Schweitzer.	We are called to minister to the needs of our fellow men, to be sensitive to those needs, and to do something about it. And the parable also teaches that we should listen to ordinary teachings, that if we don’t “get it” from ordinary teachings we are unlikely to “get it” from any extraordinary ones either. [Vide infra].		Memory from his youth of an imported evangelist who held a 3-week revival, stirring up folk and having people “getting saved” but with little long term benefit to the people, the church or the community.
The Devil Came Back	3/31/1968	Matthew 12: 38-50.		(See Bosley in He Spoke to Them in Parables, chapter 8.) Quotation, Sir Robert Seeley. Poem, William Butler Yeats. Homas Chalmers, sermon entitled “The Expulsive Power of a New Affection.” Samuel Longfellow, poem (hymn verse).	Life abhors a vacuum. It is not enough to clean out evil; one must replace it with good. Positive thoughts, beliefs, acts, are necessary to “take up the space” of former negative things which we wish to be rid of.	Makes several references to support for the United Nations and UNESCO; also to support for the National Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches, even though “none of us approve of everything they do.”
Citizens of his Realm	4/14/1968	Matthew 13: 44-52; Matthew 28: 1-10.	Mark 10: 17-22; Mark 12: 37; Acts 2: 24; Acts 2: 32; Acts 3: 15. I Corinthians 15: 3-8.	(See Bosley: He Spoke in Parables, Chapter 7.)	Easter. The risen Christ was very real to the early Christians, and Acts and the letters of Paul testify to the fact. All Christians in this day should also testify to that fact, in word and deed. And to do so requires, as with the rich young ruler, that God’s business be made the most important thing in our lives.
Worship the Lord	4/21/1968	John 4: 3-24; Psalm 84; Isaiah 9: 2.	Ephesians 2: 4-10a; Isaiah 6: 5; Isaiah 6: 7.	Poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins; quotation from Theodore Ferris.	Worship; what is worship? Worship is praise, confession, repentence, the experience of forgiveness, witness, and triumph. It is meeting with god, person to person. We need it, and God needs it. It includes silence for the Quakers, and pomp for those who want it.				11/2/1958
Word and Deed	5/5/1968	Luke 7: 18-35; Mark 1: 14,15; John 6: 67, 68.	Luke 9: 62; Matthew 23: 37-39.	Quotation attributed to Lincoln, “..fool some of the people some of time .... can’t fool all the people all of the time.” (See Bosley, He Spoke to Them in Parables, Chapter 11).	Jesus’ first and most insistence call was a call to repent. He required change to his way from his followers. The church should witness to his call for constructive change.
First Generation Christians	6/29/1969	John 6: 53-69.		He tells the story of Opukahaia, an orphan Hawaiian who hitchhiked a ride with the boat “Triumph” to New England, learned to read and write, and became a Christian. He was set to return to Hawaii as the first missionary, but died of typhus; he was however the inspiration for the missionaries who did go to Hawaii.l	He speaks of his direct experience in Hawaii with first generation Christians; first in his first twelve years of ministry before going to Wisconsin Rapids, where he spent 28 years before retirement; and now that he sees some of them again in an interim assignment during the winter. These first generation Christians teach us much about the solemn meaning of baptism, and about living the Christian faith.
On Earth, as it is in Heaven	8/2/1970	Psalm 72: 1-14; I Samuel 16: 1-13.		hymn # 484 of then-current UCC hymnal, verse 3: “God bless the men and women who serve him overseas, ...”	He gave a detailed account of the 9-month trip he and Mrs. Kingdon took around the world, which was paid for by gifts from the Wisconsin Rapids congregation. Spent 4 months in an interim pastorate at Imiola church on the big island, and then went to Japan, Korea, India, Israel, Turkey, Greece, Europe (“6 or 8 cities” ) and finally home. Was very impressed by the vitality of the Christian missionary enterprise.
I have built thee an exalted house.	10/10/1971	II Chronicles 6: 2,3,12,13b-21;24-25,32-33;40.	Psalm 127: 1; Ephesians 2: 20, 21.		Fifth anniversary of the dedication of the “new” church buildings. Quoted extensively from Solomon’s dedication of the temple. Told the history of the four church buildings of the Wisconsin Rapids church. Discussed meanings of the stained glass window.
The Strength of his Might	11/11/1973	Ephesians 6: 10-17.	Matthew 5: 48.		connections of Wisconsin Rapids church to Hawaii through the Baldwins and the Alexanders, who were missionaries in Hawaii and ancestors of the H.P. Baldwins. Singing the Doxology in Hawaiian. The story of Henry Opukahaia, an orphan who left Hawaii at age 16 on a Yankee ship, learned reading and writing and Christianity in New England, was prepared to return to Hawaii as first missionary but died of typhus, but was the catalyst for the missionaries who did go.	Oblique reference to “Watergate” as revelations of “evil and wrongdoing in high places.” The need to rededicate ourselves to doing right.	Tells a story of his meeting with Horace Leavitt and Harry Emerson Fosdick in 1936, while briefly at Union Theological Seminary for a refresher.
The First Christian for a New Hawaii	2/17/1974	Luke 2: 8-14. (This was the first text preached by missionaries in Hawaii).		other sermons with this story, or a part of it, include 6/29/69 and 11/11/73.	Detailed biography of Opukahaia, the first Hawaiian Christian, who died in New England before he could return to Hawaii as a missionary, but whose story stimulated others to go to the Islands - 2 ministers, 2 teachers, 1 printer, 1 farmer, their wives, and 5 children.
I Believe	11/14/1976	Mark 10: 46-52; I Corinthians 13.	Hebrews 6: 19a; Romans 5: 5; II Corinthians 3: 12; I Peter 1: 3; I Peter 1: 21.	Prayer written by Dr. Fred Field Goodsell.	(Written prayer included.) He catalogues his personal beliefs. He emphasizes his belief in the mission of the church, and gives several examples of missionary successes. The story of Bartimaeus in Mark’s gospel is compared to the story of “the Hawaiian Bartimaeus”, a blind Hawaiian who was the first to be baptized by the missionaries who came to Hawaii in 1820 (he was baptized in 1825) and who became a powerful preacher of the gospel to his people.
Reformation and Renewal	10/30/1977	II Timothy 3: 14-17.	Philippians 4: 11-13.	Quotation from Martin Luther. Quotation from Pastor John Robinson to the Pilgrim fathers.	Reformation Sunday. The history of Wyclif, Hus, Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli, and the history of the Puritans in England, leading to the voyage of the Mayflower. The continuing work of re formation of the church is a task for us all.