Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-02-17
Aggressive Christianity.
Sermon preached by Rev. j. N. Pre- stridgc,
Pastor OF the HOpkinsville Baptist Church,
Feb. 8, 1885.

The children of Israel were set aparr
to perform mission. Their shack
les had been stricken off and tho
march toward the promised land be.
gun. They had accepted the com.
mission and committed themselves tn
the task. All but before them were
many difficulties. Now they stand
facing the Red sea, the mountains
leaping up OH either side and from
behind approach the armies of Egypt
God says to Moses; "Speak to the
children of Israel that they 90 for.
ward" The sea was not to be bar
rier. And beyond the sea spreads
out the mighty desert destitute OF
bread and water, yet the command is
ever the same. Many countries were
TO be crossed aud with each, and
sometimes with several combined
they must fight for passage, but nc
stop can be made. They reach the
land and find it occupied and armed
and for each foot they must cross
swords. AT last the promised land
was theirs. Upon the hill of Zion
they erected the temple. God seat a
David and Solomon to establish the
nation and then came and dwclt with
them In the Holy ofllOlies.
The history OF Israel is a flgurativc,
yet true history of a true christian
church. 1t is to "go," and eight,
and occupy" Along its pathway
lie many seas and deserts and hostile
armies. 1t is a sad fact that this is
not the conception Of the many as to
the church and its work. Too many
churches are content with an attrac-
tive, comfortable building; with a
choir and preacher and furnace which
will draw. And if from thirty to
forty names are added yearly to its
list-names of people who behave
themselves and contribute their part
to the church's funds-then they are
entirely cOmplacent. But they are
mistaken. Such church is too neg
ative. 1t will never be recorded OF
such :"She hath done what she could >
No, the church is aggressive in its
very nature. There lies within it a
dormant power higher and grander
than the sleeping power in wafer
heat it, arouse il and it can turn
mighty wheels TO the crushing Of
sin and the bearing forward Of justice
and righteousness. The combined
power Of the churches in this city is
vaster and grander than that force
which for the time is folded = in
the VOLCANOES bowels. If they real
lied what they profess, if they felt
the weight of dying men, if Trey Oe-
lievcd in the Heaven-oilered help,
with one blow they could crush aud
Danish Satan. | said the Churcht3-
| will say this church can do this
thing. And the commission it has
received and the.vows it has taken
commit il to this word. But, several
times of late il has been said, "egil is
so wide spread, and sin SO deeply
rooted, and vice so well fortified that
this cannot be done" Is sin deeper
than the sea? Is evil wider than the
desert? Is vice better entrenchcd
than the combined armies of Israers
enemies? The God who says to us,
"go forward" dried up the sea,
brought water out of the rocks. and
destruction on his peoples enemies.
ave are" as Carey said, ITO under
take great things for God and to
expect great things from God"
There is great need of an .aggrcs-
sive warfare on the part of the church.
Every day IN our city, laws are OPEN
ly violated, the location of gambling
rooms is all open secret, whisky is
sold to minors, drunkenness is mat
ter of course, and robberies, some-
times, "tread each others heels.' The
withering, blasting influence Of Ken
lucky whisky is seen in the faces Of
many Of our citizens, felt in the halls
of Justice, and recorded in blood up
on the pages Of our docket, Little is
being done to check the evil-to save
the falling. The Devil is meeting
with very little aggressive opposition.
The police force is asleep; the Coun-
Gil seems afflicted with tender hands /;
the politicians hOpelessly comprom-
ised by their ambition; our newspa-
pers conservative to fault, and our
pulpits too exclusively circumscribed
by the several theories of theology,
The enemy must be met and van
quished. God has commanded, and
the Master expects its accomplish
ment. The erring we must reclaim
the weak we must save; the SHINING
we must rebuke. As individuals
and as a church we must wage a
holy warfare ON vice. We must carry
into the stores and into the street
hearts Jealous for righteousness and
full of sympathy-active sympathy
for the erring. We must set them
examples of noble living, and instruct
them in the way of purity. Breth-
rem, are we ready for such work
Are we armed for such conflict
Are we a unit in our influence? l
said we could save this town. Ii
there was no stain upon us we could.
If no members life compromised us
with the powers of darkness it would
be short and decisive battle. But
these cold, dead members who do
nothing but complain, and contrib
ute nothing but criticism whose lives
give the lie to what they profess
these as dead corpses fill up the path
aud otnp tla n,nnnh Snvnrol timnc