Omaha daily bee., 1894-01-22
Observation-Disclosures.
Discussed by Rev. Il. N. McCaig at Hans
com Park Meth ,dist church.

Discussed by Rev II. N. McCaig at Hans
com Park Meth odIst church.
Last nights service at the Hanscom Park
Methodist church began series of gospel
meetings which will continue for at least
two weeks. The pastor, Rev. w. p. Murray,
is assisted by Rev. r.. N. McCaig, who will
be remembered as a former pastor of the
First Methodist church of this city. For
some time Mr.. McCaig has devoted his en-
tire time TO evangelical work in which he
has been very successful. The church was
filed last evening and the meetings opened
with manifestation of marked interest.
MIR. McCaig spoke on the text: IF any
man will come after me. let him deny him
self and take up his cross and follow me-"
In the opinion of the speaker the text laid
down three distinct tests for discipleship,
and in regular order Christ compelled no
one to come after Him, but to those who
were willing to do so these three require
ments were necessary. The very first OBJ
ject of the disciple must be to deny himself
Christ had set the example by being tra-
duced and reviled and prosecuted while on
earth. and so all who would follow Him
must expect to have difficulties to overcome
and burdens to bear until the time Of the
resurrection and the final glory.
Three Tests Considered.
The speaker considered the three tests in
their order and first asked what was meant
by self-denial Christ did not mean to de-
prive the body of its enjoyment and proper
uses. He did not mean that his disciples
should wear forbidding faces and ill-ftting
clothing That was not self-denial, but self
Righteousness, which a good many people
practised to make the world believe thai
they were better than the world was. 1t
did not mean that the disciple was to smut
his eyes to all the opportunities and beauties
OF the world about him. He must not how
ever, allow his attention TO be drawn to
those things which had tendency to divert
him from his discipleship. But this was
principle that belonged not only to Chris
tian life, but to every sort Of life To attain
success in any calling q man must
shut his ears to distracting voices.
This was but the philosophy of life and was
necessary essential for any man to make
the most of himself. Self-denial as Christ
meant it and as the church meant 1t today
was the entire surrender of ones self to
God. The man who truly denied himself
was the one who believed that without
Christ he was nothing and yielded himself
up to be used for Christ's service ana to be
known as one Of His followers
10 take up the cross was always the next
step IN the order of salvation. No man could
take up his cross until after he had sur
tChoOiCu hliuoOli W SurlSb anu Jucu IL lOl-
lowed as natural consequence.
Why Crosses Are Heavy.
The reason why some people were drag
ging their crosses along so painfully was
that they had their ha2ds and hearts and
eyes full of self. Taking up the cross was
simply being ready to do anything that one
could do for Christ. No one could tell an
other what his cross was. All had their
own personal crosses, which were peculiar to
themselves. =
The speaker went, on to classify some of
the crosses which the disciple of Christ
should bear. One was the business cross
Business men should recommend their re-
ligion to their business partners, to their
clerks and to the men with whom they rode
down town on the street cars in the morning
and lunched with at noon. The social cross
was another ana 1T consisted i'll religious
effort among ones circle of acqualntances
and in endeavoring to save souls in the social
circle A more important cross than all was
the one that must be borne in the home
circle Every Christian should ask bless
ing on his meals, read the scriptures, in his
family and have regular family prayer.
The meetings will be- con tinued every
evening in the week except Saturday night
and an afternoon service will be held from /
to ID, m, each Qay.-