Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1868-07-29

An6s
Text. Matthew 2s:1S, and Luke 1915.
These passages of scripture taken togeth.
er furnish the Great Commission. Each
supplements the other. Neither is COM
plete as embOdyinS the whole commission
without the other. take it for granted
that the Savior uttered what both affirm.
If were % enunciate the Commission SO
as not TO repeat should put it together in
this way: All power is given to me in
hesven and in earth, go ye therefore and
preach TO every people: disciple all na-
tions, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost,
teaching them to observe all things that l
command you. Lo, am with you always
You see that all comes into this without
repetition. It is an amazing document,
an astonishing military order as it were, a
proclamation the most remarkable that
has ever gone forth TO the world. The
strongest language possible is used. In
TACT Il looks as il language staggered under
the burden committed TO its charge. Su-
perlative terms are used. AL power in
heaven, and all power in earth are given
unto me. Gp ye into all the earth and
preach the gospel to eveTy creature. Then
again, disciple all nations; teach them to
obey all l have commanded you. am
with you GLlCay unto the end of the world
You see the strength of the terms em>
ployed.
Look at The order; see what authority it
gives 10 the disciples. Look at the
preface as reason for the order, as an ar
gument for its issue. The grand evidence
tnHt he was all he claimed to be is there
presented All powe:, and might, and
strength were given unto him. All Iaggre.
cations of wealth and talent are his. All
the laws of mind and matter, everything
are in his hands. What declaration is
this. In the face OF it who can claim that
Jesus is not all ne claims to be-God over
all, blessed f0revermore. Here is a foun-
dAtion that amounts to something. No
gospel ever amounted TO anything WithOu.
this authority.
1 am astOnished many times at this
fashionable coquetting which men display
who strip Jesus of all authority. They
present HIM as model man, the greatest
Of men. If Jesus was not what he said he
was, what kind of man was he? Was e
not the sacrifice laid upon the altar? The
ransom of our souls! The atonement for
our sins? The only consistent man who
denies this, is the jew, and the only Jew
IS the infdel, and of course he does not
concede it.
After having enuncIated this part of the
proclamation, demonstrated with so much
power, he comes forth with one unfolding
the heart OF God to men, one Of yearning
solleltude for which there is no precedent.
1t is the gospel Of good news, the news of
a sacrificed and risen Savior, one who has
suffered the Just for the unjust.
The commission empowers US to
preach to all. 1t is not only one of good
news, but we are required to carry it
10 the ends of the earth, preaching it
belieVlngly. and without mental reser-
Vation. Wherever / find 8 fellow crea-
ture, there find brother of my Lord,
and be he rich or poor, white or black,
ne Is brother, and Jesus says,go, look
after him want to make a man of
him. want 10 give him a crown. When
he looks TO me will smile upon him.
This proclamation engenders q tray
cling ministry, for it requires that to
be done which cannot be done without
1t. 1t don'treQuire much logic TO prove
It. 1t begins, 80 praach the Gospel TO
every creature" Why don't you let
things 90 by supply and demand say
some. Because men will 60 to damna-
tion if they are not called to repent
ance as the Lord has directed. We are
sent to preach salvation. 1 do not say
that other churches are not right in
their economy, but in these United
States, two thirds of the people will
never hear the glad tidings of saliva
tion, except through the instrumental
tiles offered by travelling ministry.
The proclamation authorizes the
building Of churches. 1t says: "Go,eu-
roll the people in the school of Christ,
and prepare for the conquest of the
world" An army can do nothing with
out organization. 1t can make no ag-
gressive movement successfully. The
Gospel news may not be carried across
the sea by one man. The world never can
be evangelical by individual effort
Organized effort is necessary to the &C.
complishment of any great enterprise.
How much more so in this where the
eternal interests of men are at stake,
where the cause is that of the great
Prince of life. In this organization we
have our signs and our tokens. 1t has |
its outward forms. Baptism is one of
these, and il should not be laid sside |
nor changed any more than any other |
part Of the commission. How absurd !