Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-07
THE CHURCHLESs MASSES.
Rev. Mr.. Holmes Speaks on an In.
teresting Theme.

The mission of the Christian church to
the masses was the theme of the discourse
yesterday morning by the Rev. Mr.. Holmes
at the First Presbyterian Church, 1-2
street. The sermon was based on the text
found in the forty-seventh chapter Of Eze-
kiel and the ninth verse, And everything
shall live, whittier the river cometh." After
speaking of the significance of Ezekiers
vision to the Jewish exiles as prophecy of
the spread of the knowledge Of God through
the 1nstrumen tality of the Jewish nation.
the preacher went on to show how in the
text there Is to be found promise and
picture of the way in which Christian truth
was 10 nnd Its way to the world through the
channel of the Christian Church. In the
time OF Christ and the apostles this proph-
ecy found its swift and literal fulfllment.
away up In Nazareth we find the foan-
tam mead or the stream of Christian truth,
winch, as II flows along through Galilee
and Judea and out into Asia and unto Rome
gains constantly in volume and intensity.
carrying healing and life wherever it goes.
But since the first century the church has
not always been a minister of life to the
multitude. The centuries have witnessed the
formation of a mighty channel for the pa s.
sage of the waters of life. The church, as
an institution. has steadily increased in
wealth and power, but despite her material
prosperity, she is not today conveying Spir-
1tual life to the multitude to an extent COM
mensurate with her opportunities. She is
surrounded with dense masses of souls. en-
during deep distress and full of an unutter
able discomfort: souls who find in her min
istry and teaching too often neither heal
ing nor life
The speaker then went on to say that the
failure of the church to impress it's mes
sage upon the people was due not to any
lack of power in the gospel itself, but to the
HfeleSSness of the church. The first need of
the hour is, that the church should preach
the whole message of Jesus with full faith
In Its perfect practicability. His gospel was
not gospel of future redemption Merely,
but gospel of daily redemption and per-
Sonal righteousness. Nor is this AL, there
is also need that the church should pro-
claim an incarnate gospel me that finds
daily embodiment In the characters and
lives Of those who claim to be Christians.
The Master lived His gospel and therein
laid its power with men. Wherever Chris
tan truth has found its way to the head Of
humanity it has first become incaraaIe in
some human life. That faith Is L fiction
which does not control the passions and
sweeten the spirit and issue in righteous
ness. Throughout the great universal
church there is pressing need not Cor more
elaborate organization, nor for a more COM
plicated ecclesiastical machinery, bug for q
revival of spirituality. for consecrated men
and women upon whom Pentacost has
come, by the conservation of single souls
has the spiritual progress Of the race hcen
wrought. Not until the Holy Spirit shall
come and make us new men and women in
Christ Jesus shall the prophecy be fulfilled
10 every thing shall live, whittier the river
cometh."