The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-05-05
CHURCH SERVICES YESTERDAY.
Elder Van Buskirk Assumes the Passionate of
the Third Ch~ristian-0ther Services.

Notwithstanding the falling weather yesterday
morning the audience room of the Third Christian
Church on Home avenue, between College
avenue and Ash street, was comfortably filled
with listeners to the Introductory sermon of the
pastor-elect Elder David R. Van Buskirk, for
several years past preaching in Bloomington,
H., but formerly of this State. He was years
ago a member of the Indiana Senate, and for
probably a quarter of a century has been a
prominent minister among the people known as
the Disciples of Christ. Reaching this city late
on Saturday evening with his family, after a
week or more of preparation for moving here, he
was evidently not in a proper physical condition
for delivering a set discourse, and contented
himself with what might be termed a talk much
after the style of the practical speeches of old
time preaching, of the the pure and unadulter-
ated gospel.
He read from the Doth to the Both verses, in
elusive, of the fifth chapter of the Acts of the
Apostles, and referred to the successes which
attended the proclamation of the gospel under
the ministrations of the first apostles, and the
wonderful revolution in human thought and
feeling effected by their ministrations; declaring
that 1t must forever stand as the most success
full and instructive fact Of human history.
Whatever theory we may adopt in attempting a
solution of the problem, the fact is beyond ali
dlspute-it is not only not denied but simply
undeniable. No other fact of history is more
clearly and unmistakably attested than the fact
of the strange and wonderful revolution effected
through the operation of the forces called out
by the labor of the Carpenter of Nazareth and
those He called around him.
In fifty days after, on an occasion OF an an
nual festival, when the whole nation was pres
ent, and the first public announcement of his
ascension, resurrection and coronation was made,
5000 participants in the crime Of the death of the
Savior haoa1nn hic hrIroh1 nauifaOf md 6nUntad
followers. In a few days the number was swelled
to 3, 200, and the work continued with remarka-
bic activity. At the peril of life itself, thousands
attested their belief IN a risen and exalted Savior.
Nor did it stop within the bounds of the Holy
Land, but the wave rolled on until it reached
Europe, and in heather countries its success was
even more remarkable. In fifty years cOngrega-
tons of disciples were found in all of the princi-
persecution was drawn and the faggots of perse.
cution were kindled, and thousands of
persons with no other crime charged against
them than their undying love for the dear Sa-
cruel manner. AS they persisted, multitudes
rushed forward to take their places, and thus in
about 300 years it was by royal edict declared
the religion of the Roman empire.
Here is a result unparalleled in the history Of
the race, of a great and wonderful revolution ae-
complished. To men residing in obscure villages,
nesting among the hills of Galilee, unlettered,
and belonging to a race in bondage, did the
OaVlOf commit an interest second In I'M
portance to none ever before known to
man. To be sure, afterward other men were
added to this work, but we are still unable to ac-
count for its wonderful result. Take into ac-
count the places where this work was done; Asia
and Europe were the theater of their battles. re-
sulting in sublimest victory. Then carefully
consider the opposition met with by these men.
1t was not the opposition alone of the ignorant,
passionate and f~anatical class, but the whole
prejudice of the Jewish nation was arrayed
against them.
Can you conceive of two antagonisms more
intense than were those of Jew and gentileG
And the military of the mightiest nation in an
tiquity were brought against these men; but, in
the face of flood, fire and death, these influences
went on until in the year 35 Constantine de-
clared it, by royal proclamation, to be the
religion of the Roman empire. Their preaching
was a perfect call to self-denial. If You love
anything none than your Savior you cannot
become his disciple. 1t was a perpetual appeal
to faith. to loyalty and to all that is noble in
man. Take Christ out of the lives and hopes of
these men and what is leftl God works through
men. The secret of the wonderful success of
these men is to be accounted for by their deep
and abiding faith-faith in the justice of their
cause and the conviction that no earthly power
could destroy, that God was in their cause and
il mustsucceed.
The grandest achievements of men were of
those goaded on by the firm conviction that God
was with them. There never is earnestness
where there is no faith; and we frequently resort
to questionable expedients in order to make up
for a lack of faith. A genuine faith in God and
in the awful revelations that will be made in the
day of Judgment would make very different men
and women of us. This faith does not become
restless. This battle of faith is the long battle of
centuries. God will take care of the next genera
ton. Do your duty to-day. 1t is not, the work
of a day OF. a month. Aliving faith in the eternal
God should be the impulse, and before such
power and such influence no opposition can