The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-02-06

every man ought to be a reproduction of
Jesus. We have no pictures of Christ that
are authentic. We do not know that he
ever rote word. unless il was upon the
sam with his finger. The fact was that
nothing remained of Jesus but the words
lie spoke, and very few of those. We cam
not go back to his day and insti-
ute the Jewish church to which
ne belonged. 1t was believed when
Jesus assembled. into heaven that
only Jew could be Christian. There
was almost revolution in the church be-
lore 1t was settled that persons not Jews
could be Christians. And it was many
years before it dawned upon men that un.
cultivated races. called barbarians, might
De Christians. Indeed, said Mr.. Nutting,
II was only thirty years ago when O great
NUMBER OF the citizens of the United States
doubted whether negro could be a Christ
ian, ana many men could be found today
who will still deny the possibility. In
other words. it required nearly 1.9o0 years
10 bring up the definition of Christian to
anything like its proper level.
Church membership especially was re-
garded by many church members as an in
ciusion among the names that are written
"a
men in any community was absolutely to
be depended upon as the oracle of God.
Mr.. Nutting declared that there was not
now and there never could be any measure
oil man except his spirit. 1t was a
rather thorough-going gospel to preach to
large giver that the gift of all his prop
erty does not make him Christian, and
yet 1t Is solemn fact. When Rockefeller
gave million, and another million, and
then another to Chicago university these
gifts Gid not make him Christian. It
would be possible for Mr. Rockefeller to
give that university hundred millions
without obtaining an entrance into the
kingdom OF heaven, provided that was his
principal merit. His generosity does not
make him Christian, yet he could not be
Christian without his generosity. The
poor widow and her two mites make rs be-
heve she was Christian, and we believe
We see her spirit in the deed. Mr.. Nutting
concluded his discourse as follows:
1t Is difficult to resist the conclusion that
the Salvation Army possesses more Chris
tianity than any other branch OF the
cnurcn, because 1t Is doing more for the
Souls and bodies of the wicked and the
poor than any other branch of the church.
so long as the church presents n broad
target for the just criticisms of men who
stand outside 1t. how can it go forward
successfully 1t is solemn fact that
when church owns property of a half a
million dollars and contributes annually
"a per cent. of its value To missionary work
IL becomes mockery to the name it bears
And there are churches about as bad as
that.s
1t is time for another reformation in the
church. and if the church belongs 10 God
1t must be overturned and overturned
until the ideas of Christ, its founder, reign
IN 1t. The recognition of pride. of faith
iessness and unkindness as compatible
with Christianity ought to cease That
there will be imperfect Christians We must
needs expect. But as a member of the
salvation Army who never went among
the lowly. and never gave generously,
would be an anomaly, so must such per-
sons become marvels and rarities in q
Christian church; but. alas for truth. they
are neither uncommon nor surprising at
the present time. The spirit of Jesus
farther than any set form of words must
IN the next hundred wears become the es-
sential mark of a church MEMBER, or Jesus
will depart from us.