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That Man May Live, Earl Clement Davis

Sermons, 1905-1919

The second of two December 1909 sermons ("Good Will Among Men" is the first) on the "real meaning of Christmas. Davis says to honor Jesus -- to really honor him -- is to recognize that he really believed in creating heaven on earth. We have to do the work now to strive for that ideal and not worship some past hero -- such as Jesus -- and hope that said past hero will save us today. Such focus on the past distracts from the hard work needed today to create the better future for tomorrow.

Date refers to Date Given. …

Good Will Among Men, Is It A Fact Or A Theory? (Incomplete), Earl Clement Davis

Sermons, 1905-1919

This is the first of two 1909 sermons (the second being on the 'That Man May Live') David gave about the "real meaning" of Christmas. Davis is concerned that the real meaning of Christ is submerged in a bunch of sentimental pseudo-history, "pure and unadulterated rot." He discusses the Roman god Saturnus and the annual Saturnalia festival and holiday. He discusses Jesus' early life and initially becoming aware of his faith. He also talks about his early disciples. This sermon is incomplete.

Date refers to Date Given.

The primary downloadable document contains the original document followed by the transcription. The …

Is Your God Dead?, Earl Clement Davis

Sermons, 1905-1919

This is from the bound collection—“bundle #4”—that includes sermons from February 14, 1909 to December 26,

Everyone, everywhere all the time is balancing the world that is with the world to be. We make the world--with the world's help--through our aspirations and ideals. Our living God is the God that lies behind your ideals. Davis writes, "What is your God? Your God is your image of your true and secret aspiration for the things that shall be, for the human life that shall be attained."

Date refers to Date Given.

The primary downloadable document contains the original document followed by …

John Brown And The Passion For Justice, Earl Clement Davis

Sermons, 1905-1919

This is from the bound collection—“bundle #4”—that includes sermons from February 14, 1909 to December 26, 1909.

Nearly 50 years after John Brown's execution for his role in the taking of the arsenal at Harper's Ferry, this sermon celebrates Brown's commitments to end slavery, and more broadly to justice. The sermon draws a connection between Brown and the Pilgrims -- evidently Brown was a direct descendant of a Mayflower passenger -- and with the 19th century Unitarians and transcendentalists. Ralph Waldo Emerson and Victor Hugo are quoted on their opinions of Brown.

Date refers to Date Given.

The primary …

The Individual And Society, Earl Clement Davis

Sermons, 1905-1919

This is from the bound collection—“bundle #4”—that includes sermons from February 14, 1909 to December 26, 1909.

In this sermon Davis considers, and rejects, two extreme views: complete determinism and complete personal responsibility.

Date refers to Date Given.

The primary downloadable document contains the original document followed by the transcription. The bottom of each item page also features the primary document as an embedded pdf for browsing.

Transcription by Davis Baird. Item description based off writing and context provided by Davis Baird.

The Spirit Of The Times, Earl Clement Davis

Sermons, 1905-1919

This is from the bound collection — “bundle #4” — that includes sermons from February 14, 1909 to December 26, 1909.

This sermon explores two principles of the modern world: (1) Democracy -- every person counts, and (2) Labor -- one should only achieve by one's labor. Davis traces the long germination of these ideas back as far as the Peasant's revolt of 1381 with quotes from John Ball (1338-1381) and William Langland's poem "Piers the Plowman." He then ties the second principle of labor to Christian ethics (with support from George Burman Foster's 1909 book The Function of Religion …

Ex-President Eliot As A Religious Thinker, Earl Clement Davis

Sermons, 1905-1919

This is from the bound collection—“bundle #4”—that includes sermons from February 14, 1909 to December 26, 1909.

Charles William Eliot (1834-1926) was President of Harvard University from 1869 to 1909; this included the period of time when Earl Davis was a student in the Harvard Divinity School. This sermon was inspired by a conference held at the opening of the 1909 Harvard Divinity School summer session. Roughly half of the sermon focuses on the address by Charles Eliot — then having just stepped down from the Harvard Presidency — which closed the conference. This address ultimately was published — Charles …

Confidence In The Amateur Thinker, Earl Clement Davis

Sermons, 1905-1919

This is from the bound collection—“bundle #4”—that includes sermons from February 14, 1909 to December 26, 1909.

This sermon advances the idea that "amateur thinkers" are more important to the progress of the world than professional thinkers. Multiple examples are provided, starting with Jesus (as opposed to the priests and scribes of his day), and Amos from the Old Testament. He speaks about the early unrest leading up to the Reformation, specifically the "Thirty Weavers of Worcester" from 1165. More recently, he addresses the cooperative movement of the 19th century. In all these cases it was amateur thinkers that moved …

What To Do, Earl Clement Davis

Sermons, 1905-1919

This is from the bound collection—“bundle #4”—that includes sermons from February 14, 1909 to December 26, 1909.

After reviewing the two principles of the modern world -- integrity of the universe and growth -- this sermon focuses on specific "plodding but necessary" things to do to improve Pittsfield. This includes topics such as housing, intellectual life, and class divisions.

Date refers to Date Given

The primary downloadable document contains the original document followed by the transcription. The bottom of each item page also features the primary document as an embedded pdf for browsing.

Transcription by Davis Baird. Item description based …

Two Great Principles Of The Modern World, Earl Clement Davis

Sermons, 1905-1919

This is from the bound collection—“bundle #4”—that includes sermons from February 14, 1909 to December 26, 1909.

The sermon presents two principles of the modern world. The first is the integrity of the universe. The second principle is growth. The sermon closes with a passage from William James' A Pluralistic Universe, emphasizing the power of the will to believe. Davis ends the following week's sermon, "What To Do", with the paraphrasing of this same quote as well as discussion regarding these two great principles.

What Go Ye Out To Seek?, Earl Clement Davis

Sermons, 1905-1919

This is from the bound collection—“bundle #4”—that includes sermons from February 14, 1909 to December 26, 1909.

This sermon is a generous encouragement to be bold and seek the truth, seek righteousness, seek beauty, and seek justice. Davis states "Worship is not at all the attempt to pay tribute to some Deity, or to purchase favor from him. Rather, it is the essential impulse, which is [in] our very nature itself, the impulse to think the structural thoughts of the universe, to measure its ideal achieving capacity, to enter into its inner secrets, to penetrate its deepest and purest purposes, …

Our Debt To Thomas Paine, Patriot And Freethinker, Earl Clement Davis

Sermons, 1905-1919

This is from the bound collection—“bundle #4”—that includes sermons from February 14, 1909 to December 26, 1909. Davis discusses Thomas Paine (1737-1809) in one of his history lessons provided in support of congregational education and written in the years before this sermon. See “Lecture IX: Thomas Paine and Theology Without the Church,”

Discusses the important contributions of Thomas Paine (1737-1809) to political thought -- including contributions to both the American and French revolutions -- and religious thought (with his book, The Age of Reason) for which he was harshly judged by the ecclesiastical authorities of the times. Earl …

The Making Of Reality, Earl Clement Davis

Sermons, 1905-1919

This is from the bound collection —“bundle #4”— that includes sermons from February 14, 1909 to December 26, 1909.

The sermon focuses on the fact that humans make their realities -- at least partially -- and at least occasionally by design, following our ideals. Davis uses a play -- Herod: A Tragedy, by Stephen Phillips -- to illustrate his point.

Date refers to Date Given.

The primary downloadable document contains the original document followed by the transcription. The bottom of each item page also features the primary document as an embedded pdf for browsing.

Transcription by Davis Baird. Item description …

The Fate Of Tomlinson, Earl Clement Davis

Sermons, 1905-1919

This is from the bound collection—“bundle #4”—that includes sermons from February 14, 1909 to December 26, 1909.

The sermon concerns morally innocuous people -- not bad, but also not good. Rudyard Kipling's poem "Tomlinson" is used to make the case that such people are not doing their duties as human beings.

Date refers to Date Given and The primary downloadable document contains the original document followed by the transcription. The bottom of each item page also features the primary document as an embedded pdf for browsing. Transcription by Davis Baird. Item description based off writing and context provided by Davis …

The Adventurous Task Of The Church, Earl Clement Davis

Sermons, 1905-1919

This is from the bound collection—“bundle #4”—that includes sermons from February 14, 1909 to December 26, 1909. This sermon traces a long history of defensive defeats on the part of the church defending its once central place based on supernatural revelation. It starts with the conflict between Frederick II and Pope Gregory IX and continues through the Reformation and the scientific/historical studies of the Bible and of Jesus.

Date refers to Date Given.

The primary downloadable document contains the original document followed by the transcription. The bottom of each item page also features the primary document as an embedded pdf …

The Travail And Pain Of Human Life: What Can It Mean?, Earl Clement Davis

Sermons, 1905-1919

This is from the bound collection — “bundle #4” — that includes sermons from February 14, 1909 to December 26, 1909.

This sermon addresses the problem of evil, and considers how there can be evil in a world with an omnipotent, benevolent God. The first thing Davis argues is that the world is not finished. All the evidence we have is of continuous change at the natural and human levels. The unfinished and imperfect world provides us the experience we need to understand what would be better--and the motivation to consecrate us to action. Davis ends with the poem "All …

Easter Sermon: The Festival Of The New Life, Earl Clement Davis

Sermons, 1905-1919

This is from the bound collection—“bundle #4”—that includes sermons from February 14, 1909 to December 26, 1909.

Date refers to Date Given.

The primary downloadable document contains the original document followed by the transcription. The bottom of each item page also features the primary document as an embedded pdf for browsing.

Transcription by Davis Baird. Item description based off writing and context provided by Davis Baird.

The Nature And Function Of The Church, Earl Clement Davis

Sermons, 1905-1919

This is from the bound collection—“bundle #4”—that includes sermons from February 14, 1909 to December 26, 1909.

This sermon argues that there is a religious impulse -- an impulse to connect to "the infinite," or "the unseen" -- in human nature. Churches exist to support this impulse. This is an incomplete sermon manuscript, ending after just three pages.

Date refers to Date Given.

The primary downloadable document contains the original document followed by the transcription. The bottom of each item page also features the primary document as an embedded pdf for browsing.

Transcription by Davis Baird. Item description based off …

The Inevitable Compensation Of Thought And Conduct, Earl Clement Davis

Sermons, 1905-1919

This is from the bound collection—“bundle #4”—that includes sermons from February 14, 1909 to December 26, 1909.

With reference to the idea of a "Religion of Healthy-Mindedness", as put forth by William James' in Varieties of Religious Experience, this sermon looks at the transition from a wrathful God to a loving God. Davis spends time warning against a "sentimentalist" idea of a loving God for which anything goes.

Date refers to Date Given.

The primary downloadable document contains the original document followed by the transcription. The bottom of each item page also features the primary document as an embedded pdf …

The Spiritual Realities Of Everyday Life, Earl Clement Davis

Sermons, 1905-1919

This is from the bound collection — “bundle #4” — that includes sermons from February 14, 1909 to December 26, 1909.

In this sermon, Davis argues for paying attention to the sacred aspects of everyday life, and not just the uncommon, astounding, or perhaps miraculous. The Ralph Waldo Emerson poem "The Rhodora"is quoted in full, while the James Russell Lowell poem "The Vision of Sir Launfal" is also referenced.

Date refers to Date Given.

The primary downloadable document contains the original document followed by the transcription. The bottom of each item page also features the primary document as an embedded …

The Value And The Limitation Of Allegiance To Religious Leaders, Earl Clement Davis

Sermons, 1905-1919

This is from the bound collection—“bundle #4”—that includes sermons from February 14, 1909 to December 26, 1909.

This sermon pesents a view of almost inexorable human progress -- with fits and starts -- where great leaders such as Jesus, Mohammed, Martin Luther, and John Calvin among many others, express the forward-looking cultural momentum for positive change. Followers follow leaders because leaders follow the interests of their followers. But then leaders get lionized and deified, and the true moral imperative -- the ideal they have articulated -- is lost in hero-worship. The tragedy is that we lose the sense that change …