The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-10-29

A Sermon Of Good Counsel and Impressive
Service &C the First Lutheran Church.

Ordination services were conducted last night
by the Olive Branch Synod at the First Lutheran
Church. Rev. II. X. Fenner, OF Louisville,
preached the sermon to the candidates. and
took for his subject Ideas" Ideas rule the
world, be said. Men and armies govern il only
because they are the expression of ideas. There
Is q thought. an idea back OF them which con-
trolls and directs them. The pen is mightier
than the sword. It gives q new idea to . thou
sand minds. while the sword destroys one
body. Ideas are pictures, painted by thought,
and mems ideas are naturally Of the earth,
earthly. Being of mundane origin they are Of
material things. Mems imperfect ideas Of the
Deity and loose ideas Of God were advancing
them toward destruction. God devised q
scheme and by symbols and types stimulated
the minds Of men to a higher ideal, and when
they were ready he gave them the
divine Idea In the person OF an incarnate
Christ In Jesus man saw the ideal man, and
the Chris.ly idea Is Of heaven, heavenly, as OPP
posed to the human idea, which is of earth,
earthly. A minister Is an apostle of the heaven
ly idea. It is his duty to arrest mems thoughts
from the earthly idea and turn them to Christ,
VIZ - "a hcofcuis iuc6s duo uEko W
adoptit To such q work ministers must de-
vote themselves. They are the apostles of the
divine idea, and 90 forth as the champions Of
the Christ idea of life as Ii is. and of heaven as
it Is to come. The ehfcisnt minister is one who
produces results.
There are several prscepts you should al
wsys bear In mind, +" said he to the candidates.
.One is, remember that you are servants of
God and ministers TO the people. You have
CHOSEN q vocation. and not a profession. You
choose not a. . lawyer. q doctor, or an artist.
They choose for the temporal benefits that may
accrue ~ them, while you are called OF God.
whether this be your view. every man must
answer for himself. The Master said
to- the apostles, Ye did not choose
me, but chose you Said Paul
Supreme Master, and il is to Him that You
must render an account, and not to the world.
The MESSAGE 10 given to you TO deliver, and you
are responsible for its faithful delivery. You
Are not RESPONSIBLE for It's contents, or for its
reception. You will be tempted to change the
word to suit circumstances. The ordination
rsmon does not make You a heavenly lord, q
spiritual detective, or an ecclesiastical police
man. You are simply the Lords servant, and
yor are expected 10 preach His word. Again,
20 % emcieus You must earnestly believe that
the gospel 10 the wisdom and power OF God.
The progress OF the gospel has been the yictori-
Gus march OF the incarnate idea. Nothing OF 1T
has been lost in eighteen centuries. IL Is the
same gospel shat thrilled the shepherds, that
made Herod tremble, and that awakened Paul.
mat gospel h given 10 you. Go forth
intense believers in its truth. Strive
to inject . the Christian idea into men.
4 believe, therefore have / spoken said
Paul. The imputation of madness and the
snsers of the wise men never chilled the fame
OF his enthusiasm. So must yours be. Be
leve with ardency because the spirit OF the
Master dwells IN you. A negative preacher
"a largely an inefficient preacher. The positive
preacher will exert power among men. He be-
lisvss and speaks because the spirit forces him
to speak. But further, you must speak as q
man among men. 1t Is a. a brother that you
must minister TO and win men. There is no
line OF dsmarkation between you aud your
brothers . Preach as o man who has a message
from . king. Speak to men in their own
language and upon themes which will interest
them. Preach q cheerful. comforting gospel.
Strive to lft msn up, and not depress them.
The worst preacher IL the discouracing preacher!
Men 60 away feeling that IL was net good to DO
there. The Master took for his text: The
spirit OF the Lord Is upon me, because He
has sent good tidines to the poor
Preach in q major and not a minor
chord. The Lord said Il must work. Write
this across your table and upon every door in
your study. All depends upon this thought.
AS my Father has sect me even so send | you.'
Work so that you can say at last. Il have I'm
ishsd the work Thou gavest me to do May
God bless and help you that you may perssvere
to the end"
At the close Of the sermon the licenses OF
Peter Bowman and John Stein were renewed
for another year. and Conrad Gastrock was or
dained . minister BY the president of the synod.
The ordination ceremony was quito i'm Impressive.
The candidate avowsd his belief before the
synod in tho tensts and doctrines of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church. He promised
faithfully to at all times uphold and sustain
them aud be diligent Ia prayer and the study OF
the Scriptures, and to abstain from false doc
trines. He then knelt and the president and
members Of tao examining committee laid their
hands u5cn his head and pronounced him an
ordained minister of abe Lutheran Church. The
other ministers then gave him the right hand Of
Fellowship aud the ceremony was over.