Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-09-08

/ DeeQ certain eoSeHeiat efemeuOS cOnl-
mon to all, each one has seemed tc
have some characteristic peculiar, tc
itself. justification by Faith was
Luther's battle-axe, Edwards insist
ed on the Sovereignty of God. TIE
Personal Responsibility of the Sinner
was the fire and the hammer in Fin
ney's preaching
A review of these epochs shows
that God by his Spirit and Providence
sees to it that some neglected truth or
duty, some element of Christian nrac-
tice or doctrine, which had fallen out
of mind, and so had left the Christian
life mishappen and imperfect, is
brought to the front and is made to
round out that life into truer proper
tions. What as still 'oanting to giive
to the church fullness of po0er? The
doctrines of grace are sufficiently
preached and with good degree
of fidelity. There is much praying
and singing. Bands of consecrated
Christian workers penetrate to many
of the dark places of our city popula-
tions The organizations for benevo-
lent work are manifold and are in the
main wisely managed. Probably at
no time in history was there such an
amount of study concentrated upon
the divine word. But there is evident
a radical weakness somewhere. What
is it? Is not covetousness the great
sin? Is not a conservation that lays
all a man has on the alter the great
need? La short, do we not need, and
NAV we not look to see, re-enthrone-
ment of the doctrine of Christian
stewardship as the characteristic oil
the next great revival. 1t would seem
that an element SO belonging to the very
core of Christian living, and so sharp,
ly and abundantly set forth in the
teachings of Christ as essential to dis
cipleship, would always have a clear
place at the front. But this is very
far from being the fact. What a
whitening there would be in the leaves
of Christian profession, if Christ with
audible voice should again lay the axe
to the root of selfshness, Go and sell
that thou hast and give to the poor.
What a sorrowful exodus there would
be from communion tables if there
we're tongue in the elements to utter
again those pungent words, "Whoso-
ever he be of you that forsaketh not
all that he hath, he cannot be my dis
ciple.'
There is here and there man who
consciously, of set purpose and with.
out mental reservation, consecrates
his substance to the Lord. He nc
longer has sense of ownership in it,
only one of stewardship. 1t now
stands to him as trust fund. Taking
from it that reasonable per cent. which
his own needs require, he no more
turns the balance to his account than
he would the estate Of an orphan put
into his hands as administrator. AND
this is Christ's teaching all through Of
the relations of disciple to his pro-
perty. But who does not know that
not this, nothing like this, is the actu
al belief and practice of the mass Of
Christians?
1t is significant to notice thai
although there have been powerful
reyivals during the last decade, there
does not seem to be any corresponding
increase in Christian benefcence. II
may be that here is a weak point il
the preaching of evangelists. II
sweet and af1uent words they Offer
free grace to the convicted sinner
Do they sufficiently insist that in &C
cepting all from Christ, Christ de
mands all from them, really all? This
is doubtless the feeling Of converts
generally in the moment of surrender.
But when they come practically tc
adjust their life to the new faith, the
example of older Christians-is it not
sadly true?-points away from this
radical remuneration of ownership in
their property, and the old covetous.
ness, which seemed to be slain, renews
its hold upon the heart.
If we mistake not, one chief reason
why seasons of refreshing often disap-
point US in the amount of permanent
strength they bring to the church lies
in just this lack. The revivals we
have had ought to have reformed the
nation. If the body of Christian
believers and new converts born into
the church during the last ten years
had gone over to the Lord Jesus with
all they possess as they have covenant,
ed to do, no powers of evil could have
withstood them. God will not bless
a covetous church. They work with
shriveled sinews. they beat the air with
idle words, who labor and pray with
only half-consecrated hearts, with
possessions that are really not conse-
Grated at all. We believe the time
will come when the surprising miracles
of grace in revivals will be not more
the sudden turning of atheists into
believers, of drunkards into sober
Christians, than of misery souls into
liberal souls, of clenched fists that
held fast all that came to them into
open palms that gladly give every
thing. In that revival the taking of
collection will be as tender and
sacred a service as the taking of the
communion. The extended contribu-
tion-box will seem, as it were the
pierced hand of Christ held out
And the weekly offering will be an
act Of worship as glad and reverent
as the liftino nm of holy hands in