The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-08
SERMON OF DIR. BROADUS.
Christian Life the One Great Essential in Onr
Relations to God.

The morning and evening services at the First
Baptist Church yesterday were conducted by the
Rev. John A. Broadus, D. D., of Louisville, Ky.
In the evening the topic of his sermon was
Choosing to be Christian" based on the
fifteenth verse of the twenty-fourth chapter of
Joshua, "And if it seem evil unto you to serve
the Lord. choose you this day whom ye will
serve; whether the gods which your fathers
served that were on the other side of
the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose
land we dwell; but as for me and my hou Sc, we
will serve the Lord" The Doctor said it was a
matter of Indifference to Joshua what choice the
people made, but as for himself he chose to
serve the Lord Thus to us is given the choice of
Christian life, and to be d Christian is the high
est possible privilege. By Christianity we are
put in the best relations to God. Indeed, these
relations better than those of the angels, for
the latter have sometimes fallen; and better
than those of our first parents to God,
we have A man may ask if he cannot be a
Christian and yet live in sinful indulgence, if
Christianity thus secures him the best relations
to God; but the fact that he lives sinfully is
proof that he is not Christian. Again, Chris
tianty places us in the best possible relations to
the world. 1t helps US to enjoy lfe to enjoy all
things worth enjoying and enables US to accom-
plish what is best to accomplish To Re a
Christian will help US in all those aims we
would be willing to avow to the people. But
there is nothing in this to lead US to believe that
we must, to live Christian life, be
mournfu or lackadaiscal. There is
nothing in the Bible about such Christianity
To be Christian places in the best rela-
ton to ourselves 1t is opposed to self-com-
placency and egotistical assumptions, but it
leads us to make the best Of ourselves. 1t helps
US to make character man who has made
great wealth, no matter what his life may be,
has character; as he who has achieved remarka-
BILE success in other affairs This calls for ad
miration.
Although in our start in life we have different
environments, yet, poor as we may be, and sur
rounded by the most unfavorable conditions
Christianity helps us. 1t enables us to
make the most of Gods blessings,
which come to all alike. 1t puts us
in the best possible relations to future life.
The man best prepared to die is best prepared to
live, and this preparation is attained only by
being Christian.
Ali can choose to be Christians If there is
amy truth in Christianity, it is tremendous
truth but to accept it is not matter of taste or
inclination. 1t does not do for us to say we are
untitled by chimes and habits for Christian life.
The greatest of all obligations is Christianity, but
to live according to its teachings man finds him
self naturally infirm of purpose He is so averse
to being Christian that it seems impossible
for him to choose. In this his purpose ap pears
at its worst but here divine help comes in to help
him to choose and to strengthen him in carrying
cut his choice This is not to be explained All
that is necessary for us to know is that it is
SO. All of us must choose to be Christians or
we will never be such, and when our choice is
made all the powers of earth and he'll cannot
prevent us being Christians.
From these remarks the Doctor passed to a
short exhortation, appealing to his hearers who
had not made the choice to do 50 at once