Solomon's Scrapbook-The First Sunday in Advent, Dr. Hopkins

The First Sunday in Advent

Dr. Hopkins Delivers an Earnest and Thoughtful Sermon Appropriate to the Occasion

Yesterday was the first Sunday in Advent. In Catholic churches sermons were preached to the congregations relating to the approach of the holy Christmas season when the birth of Christ is celebrated. The “Gloria” in the Mass is not sung during the season of Advent, and the pious parishioners make the season one of devotion and preparation for the day when the Savior was born in the lowly manger in Bethlehem.

At St. Mary’s church yesterday the Rev. Dr. Hopkins preached on the coming of Christ and the Day of Judgement.

He said in substance: The closing of the year brings with it the thought of the coming judgement. It is not singular that the closing of the year should bring with it such thoughts. At the opening of the new year, the faithful should take up the work of atoning for the sins of the past year. It is God’s eternal truth that we will one day have to be judged. It is a consciousness that an account will have to be rendered that the Church gives to us. The season of Advent is one of penance and repentance. The coming of Christ can only be welcomed by hearts free from sin.. The joyous chant of the “Gloria” is not heard at this season, but there is a quiet joy in the thought that the Redeemer is coming. The judgement in the Gospel plainly teaches that we may by our humble, penitential approach to Him conciliate His judgement. Reason teaches us that there will be a judgement, for in this world vice is so many times triumphant and virtue despised. Some such day is needed that God’s Word can be proven and His promises kept in His just judgement. The self same soul that at the moment of death stands before God for judgment will stand at the final judgment before the whole world to be judged and to return the acknowledgment of the justice of His judgment. This final judgement is utterly inevitable, and no soul can avoid it.

There was a time when we did not exist. God’s creative power brought us into being... The human life is but the beginning of existence, when everyone is given a chance to prepare for eternity. Through the portals of the grave everyone must pass to eternity. Millions have passed through, and not one soul has passed by the throne of God without judgment. We are utterly ignorant of the time that we will be called upon to pass through. It will come like a thief in the night. Watch you, therefore, and pray, for you know not the hour or the day. We know that the time is constantly drawing near. Every tick of the clock, every hour, every year goes over us into eternity. We know that it is coming, and that there is no power under God’s heaven that can delay it.

The records are written in our own writing, and there is no impeaching the testimony. . The Almighty’s hand will unroll the scroll on which we have written our deeds. The whole world will say: "Thou art just, O God, and righteous is Thy judgment.”

There are only a few years left to prepare, and that is the reason the Church provides for us these thoughts at this season for the coming of the Saviour.