St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-06-22
What are You q Christian For.
BY THEODORE L. CUYLER, D. D.

Every good thing in this world has a
right to exist 1t is its own vindication.
1.-The world owes us living, at any
rate" said a worthless idler once to DIR.
johnson. The shrewd old philosopher
replied 81 am not so sure that it does
This world does not owe house-room to
anybody or anything, social, civil, OF
moral, which is of no possible value.
At the very outset the religion of Jesus
Christ was challenged by such sharp
questions as: "What does this new
Gospel mean ? What reason has it for
being? What are its fruits 2" Jesus
forewarned his followers that they must
stand this searching test of practical re-
suits. ''By their fruits We shall know
them. A tree that bringeth not forth
good fruit is hewn down and cast into
the fire." One of his apostles reiterated
the same idea when he reminded his
fellow Christians that they must ''be
ready always to give an answer to every
man that asketh you reason for the
hope that is in you" The evident
meaning of this passage is that every
Christian must have good and sufficient
reasons for being Christian. These
reasons he must be willing to give to
every one who either challenges his
creed or who honestly seeks for enlight-
enment. The strongest of all vindica-
tiOns would be the practical fruits which
Christianity should produce.
"What are you Christian for ?" is a
question which the uncOnverted often
address to those who profess to be fol-
lowers of the Lord Jesus. They have IA
right to ask it. Every auditor in my
congregation has a right to put this
question to me, as / stand in the pulpit.
If | urge IA man of the world to yield
himself to the claims and control of the
Lord Jesus he is entitled to know what
Christ can do for him, and also what he
is expected to do for Christ. In reply
to his proper interrogatory, | would
answer that | am a Christian for three
reasons. First, for my own good. In
the daily conflict with sin am sure to-
be overcome if | do not have divine
help; and this Christ gives us. My
evil appetites and ambitions and I'M
hallOWed desires ale certain to rule me
and to ruin me if divine grace does not
hold them in check. | am ''under con-
domination" for past iniquities, and
Christs atOnement alone can deliver me
from the just punishment due to me.
In Christ find pardon, peace, strength,
and hope of everlasting life. If there
were not another person on the globe
but myself, | ought to be Christian
for my own sake. Life is only pure
when it is under Gods controls life is
only happy when we can enjoy COM
munion with God. Death is only safe
when it is departure, "tO be with
Christ, which is far better"
A second answer to the question is /:
| am Christian for the good of others.
None of us can live entirely to ourselves
and for ourselves, if we try. We touch
others at too many points. If | reject
the Gospel, [ not only rob myself of its
benefits, but my example is against my
neighbours acceptance of the Gospel.
Every impenitent sinner has two-fold
guilt. He not only rejects Christ, but
helps to influence others to reject him
also. Taking a stand for Christ may
lead others to come out on the Lords
side.
Christ Jesus taught no more beauti-
full and beneGcent principle than that
1--WE are not our own. No man liveth
to himself or dieth to himself We are
debtors. Every man is to look not Oh
his own things, but also on the things
of others. We are to bear one another's
burdens, and so fulfill the law of love-"
Our Master set us an example of in-
effable beauty in this regard. He "pleas-
ed not himself.n He came not to be
ministered unto, but to minister to
others. AS the sun expends itself in
giving light and warmth, so Jesus made
his earthly existence one constant ex-
penditure of blessings. That journey
to the coasts of Canaan was probably
just for the relief of one afflicted woman
and her daughter. Never does my
Saviour appear more lovable to me than
when he girds the towel about his loins
and stoOps to wash his disciples feet.
$50 ought ye," he sweetly says, "to
wash one anOther's feet.n This is the
meaning of the phrase aye are the salt
of the earth )" for the prime use of salt
is not to keep itself, but to preserve
other objects from putrefaction.
Is it not about time for every Chris
tian professor to feel that, if he is not a
standing rebuke to rascality and false
hood, and if he has no antiseptic quail
ties, then he is fraud himself? Is it
not time, too, that the idea of absorbing
Gospel every Sabbath and giving out
none during the week should be regard
ed as disgrace to his Christian pro-
fession This question cannot be push
ed home too close to every member of
Christ's Church "What are YOU here
for? Who is the better for your in
fuence, your gifts, your acts, and your
example ?" Our self-denying Redeemer
gave the chief reason for his coming to
earth to make men and women Chris
tians when he said: ~ have chosen you
and ordained you that We should go and
bring forth fruit" That fruit is godly
and beneficent living. No other re-
ligion in the universe ever had so sub
lime purpose. If all who profess and
call themselves Christians wOHld simply
hUe out their holy professions, the con-
version of the world would soon be
achieved. If even single state or a
single county were thoroughly Chris
tanned in every house, every school
every place of business, and if Jesus
shOne out in the domestic, social. and
civil life Of that whole community, then
the whole world would be attracted tt
look at so beautiful spectacle. Their
the whole world would see what mel
and women could be made Christian.
for. Infdelity would hang its foolisl
head before such triumphant argu.
ment for the religion of Calvary anC
the Gospel. But until Christ's repre-
sentatives live cut more thoroughly the
teachings and spirit of their Lord Their,