Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1894-03-22
Faithful Preaching and Fruitful
Believing.


Henry Ward Beecher once remark
ed that early in his ministry he made
a profound study of the first chapters
of the Acts and that he found in them
the guiding principles of his work.
The second chapter Of the book GER
tainly throws much light on the ques-
ton now before the churches, uamely,
how they can be more fruitful and
bring in the Kingdom Of God.
The important features Of the chap
ter are these: The disciples were to-
gether in prayer, in obedience to the
Savior's directions asking for the en-
duement of power from on high; the
enduement came; Peter preached
Christ crucifed to the multitude,
closing with a call to repentance and
an immediate acceptance OF Jesus
Christ as SAVIOUR. A great number
turned to the Lord and were baptiz-
ed; and the result was q very great
change in their lives and a most happy
condition of things as indicated by
the remaining verses Of the chapter
They continued steadfastly in the
faith, holding sound doctrines and
resting upon the great cornerstone,
Jesus Christ. 1t is we'll to mark this,
for IN spite of all disparagement of
doctrine which is so common now, no
one can be so unreasonable as to be.
lieve that the Kingdom of God can
be built up on false doctrine or on no
doctrine at all. Men and women who
do not know or care what they believe
are not going to build up a kingdom
of any kind.
In the next place, they continued
steadfastly in the fellowship Of the
apostles and Of one another. There
was loyalty to the cause and the COM
pany. They did not try to build up
the kingdom Of God by abusing one
another, drubbing the church and
praising outsiders. They were also
faithful to ordinances, services and
meetings for prayer They would as
soon have thought OF giving up their
religion itself as to give up worship.
They knew that the mighty stream of
spiritual blessing which went like
new fire and new blood through their
veins came from the throne above,
and they kept close to the throne of
grace.
sand fear came upon every SOUL"
This was not craven fear. 1t was the
1--WE and solemnity which great COM
oany of'believers feel when they rea-
ize that God is among them, that his
power is upon them, that he uses them
or the highest and hottest purposes
IN earth. 1t was the fear that sets
iree from the fear of man and from
he bondage of custom and fashion,
and which gives men great boldness
n religious profession and work. It
s the veriest cant for men to talk so
oftily against the element of fear in
religion when they are IN the most
'ervile bondage to the fear of the
world, Its opinions and customs.
In the next place, wonders and
signs were done by the Apostles,
Wonderful things can be done by
preachers and religious leaders when
hey are supported by church full
of the spirit OF prayer and baptized
by the Spirit of God. There is day
in the history Of a kirk in Scotland
more than $50 years back upon which
a mark Of great honor has been set
because on that day 500 conversions
followed one preaching service. The
whole of the previous night was spent
in prayer for blessing upon the SER
vice. In 1859, 10000 people were
added to the Presbyterian churches
Of North Ireland. The revival began
in the efforts Of four young men who
joined in persistent prayer. And
what wonders and signs marked the
great awakening of 1740! The
churches can have wonders and signs
now if they will come to the throne of
God as did the early disciples and as
Gods people have often done since.
But we come now to that mark of
Christianity for which there is such a
strongly expressed demand at the
present time, "They had all things
common" They did not merely give
enough to keep few people from
starving or freezing to death, but
there was Literally about their Civ
ing up their goods and sharing their
prosperity with one another which