The Indianapolis journal., 1893-07-31
THE UNITY OF THE FAITH
Rev. H. A. Bqchtel's Morning Sermon
al tCentral-AvenueM Methodist Church.
Bringing Men to Condition of Manly Char
acter-A Sermon by Rev. DR.. Van
Anda of Roberts Park.


Rev. Mr Buch,el breaches on the si-a,ure
of Christ's Stature.
Rev. n. A. Bnchtel preached an interest
ing sermon. yesterday morning. to u good
audience, at the Centrsl-svenue Methodist
Church. HIS text was follows:
Till we all attain unto the unity of the faith
and of the knowledge of the Son OF God unto q
full grown man. unto the measure OF the stature
OF the fulness OF Christ-Eph. iv, I3.
The following Is an excerpt from the
sermon:
The letter to the Ephesians is sometimes
called n catholic epistle, for the reason
that it did not spring out of special condi-
tIons which called Tor specific teachings.
The apostle bias always before his mind
here large and dIgnifisd programme. He
directs attention To the foundation. the
work ana the aim OF The church. This
tnree-fold division 10 held Clearly In view
in every part of this letter. In tho para
graph from which this text Is taken It is
evident that the apostle Is considering he
aim or purpose had in view in the organiza-
tion of the church. That's first, TO bring
men to the unity of the faith aud knowl-
edge of the Son of God, and. second. to
bring men toa condition Of full growth;
the measure of CbrIst's stature.
There Is o religion for children and for
the feeble-minded. IL has no requirements
at all. There is also q religion for tne
poorly instructed-for the unhappy mil
lions who have always been in the majority
IN shis world. 1t has few requirements.
The Judge of oil the earth will do right.
He will know those who would have exhib.
tied st. Johns character If they had had
ST. Johns opportunities.
Then there Is nlso u religion for men and
women who bsve had their life in the midst
of the light of Christian civilization. This
has two requirements IN harmony with the
two purposes for which the church is organ
lied.
Tho first of these purposes of the gospel
for men and women is TO bring them to a
condition OF unity OF faith and of knOwl-
edge of the Son OF God. At our tirst thought
this will appear impossible. We are accus-
toned to remind ourselves that men are
unlike IN their mental constitution even as
they are unlike Iii their physical aspect.
And from this div versity we hastily conclude
that there are points OF unity among
men. But when we look moro carefully
into human nature we find marks of like.
ness which are as striking os the diversity
which we have noted. The soul OF man in
| its normal condition shows certain strong
and universal cheracteristlcs. such as the
| capacity for friendship and the hunger for
| love. In nothing 10 this unity of human
| nature more surprisingly exhibited than In
the manner In which men have estimated
Jesus Christ. The Euman Catholics. the
| Greek Catholics and all tho Protestant
bodies speak practically one language In
making estimate of Jesus Christ. Not only
| 80. The whole world of sincere and honest
mrnt concerning Jesus Christ, where there
| have been reasonably favorable conditions
| TO consider the person and the teaching of
| Jesus.
The condition of unity of knowledge of
the Son of God fellows as a necessary re-
suit of true faith. he walking by faith
| brings one very quickly into u large and
| delightful place where one walks by sight
| The life of companionship with Jesus
| Christ IA as III tenseiy real a. any fact In the
| material world.
| The second purpose of the gospel is to
| bring men to n certain condition OF manly
| character. described here the measure of
| Christs stature. The gospel IS not a re-
| ligion of faith and worship only. The
| partial aud imperfect religions have these
| features In sOme measure. But Christie @ re-
ligion is pre-eminently and exclusively the
| religion of character. The ultimate pnr-
pose of faith and knowledge il to reach the
| grade of full growth In manlness. / must
| urge you to fix it clearly In your minds
| that this is not merely incidental and sub-
! sldiary to some other purpose, but
| tnis is The ulterIor purpose of religion.
! The church Is organized for this. Christian
| truth Is believed for this. Everythl In
| the Oh arch points TO the securing of char
acter as the final and glorious aim of the
| gOspol.
Consider how worthy of God Is this true
| conception of the purpose of the gospel.
| 1t Is not To minister 10 the glory of God in
| some indefinite and obscure sense, but In o
|
the Improvement of man. Man is the off
spring of God, and God is pleased with
| man and giOrihed by man only man sets
his face to the light and makes himself to
become something In character.
The attention of the world is lust now
| attracted to q most CONSPICUOUS lIlustra.
tion of the manner in which the gospel has
! improved man. stimulated him to high
achievements, and quickened him in his
| entire being.
In the Midway Plalsance you see illus
| trations of the fact that missionary opera
tions are necessary. In the worlds fair
| you see glorious demonstration of the
| fact that missionary operations have sue
ceeded. In the Midway Plaissnce You see
| illustrations of the low level or the life of
| men who have not been influenced by
| Christs gospel. An hundred years of time
| will make practically no difference In the
life of men who are without that intellec-
| tual and spiritual stimulus which is the
| soul of Christian civilization. In che world s
fair you see the hIgn level of men rho have
been tOnched by the gospel into the now
| ness OF life. An hundred years III the life
| of these men shows q tremendous advance
ment. for the reason that they have ac-
cepted the inspiring gospel which Is the
| soul OF civilization. In the Midway PIai-
| sance you see illustrations OF the moral
| conditions which Jesus Christ found In the
| world when He came save Ii. In the
worlds fair you see what He has done for
that part OF the race that has received the
| light of His truth.
If the inspiring source of all this marvel
Gus development should be properly rec-
| ORnized at the worlds fair one would see
! great crosses higher than the Ferris W heel,
| at the north, at the south. at the east and
| at the west side of jackson Fark. But
men and women with fine eyes and pure
| hearts can see the crosses standing by
| overy exhibit in all the great buildings.
where anything Is shown which relates to
the comfort, the welI-b the improve.
| ment and the refinement OF man.