Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1895-05-09
Our Country's Need Of a New Pen
tecost.
by REV ), NJ, BUCKLEY, D. D.

The aggressive and defiant attitude
of the anti Christian forces at present
working with almost preternatural &C.
tivity in American society moves
thoughtful observers OF the conflict tc
ask: lis the Christian Church able to
overcome the gigantic wickedness oil
the times?" The real question is not
"could she cope with it ii she would
bring oil the resources within her
reach to bear upon IT." but "10'H she
put forth her full strength, and bring
all her available power into the fieldY
Allied as che is with her Divine Head,
the everything CHRIST, who is pledg-
ed to endow her "with power from on
high" there is no room to doubt her
success in this or any other contest,
provided she enters upon it with q
fixed determination to do all her
Lords will. What she did in the
days of Pentecost, in the Lutheran
Reformation, in the Wesleyan revlv-
al, and in unnumbered minor victories
over the powers Of darkness, she may
do again and on far grander SCALE
seeing that her Observation-Disclosures are
vastly more numerous than ever be
fore, il she will not seek until she OBJ
tains the complete fultillment OF the
promise of the Father
To these remarks it is assumed that
ia her present spiritual condition the
Church, including all denominations,
is not dealing effectually with exist
ing wickedness, is not confessing the
conoueror, but is like an army held
at bay by stubbornly resisting foe.
She holds her own, making some
slight gains, but she is not pushing
wiekedness 70 the WALL not, in
deed, preventing it from maintaining
an aggressive attitude. This being
undeniable, the question returns
evil she awake to the emergency
which is nigh at hand, and, by arm
ing herself with the whole armor OF
righteousness, by seeking the full
baptism of the Holy Ghost, infict q
deadly blow on the mighty forces
which are warning with Satanic en-
ergy the peace Of society, against
morality, against religionG'
This inquiry IS forcing itself, not
on Methodism alone, but on the en-
tire Protestant host. The decay Of
national respect for the sanctity Of
the Sabbath, the demand made by
wealthy professors Of religion for
lower ethical standard of church lift
than can be justified by the words o
CHRIST, the spread of revolutionary
theories, especially among the work
ing classes, the disregard of many
perhaps most, powerful corporation
for the rights of their employees, tn
organization Of the proletarlat for tn
accomI lishment of selfish ends b,
despotic and unlawful meane, and tn
readiness of corrupt political leader
10 help the dangerous schemings o
unpatriotic demagogues who ma
chance to gain control OF proletarla
associations, are among the omens c
an evil spirit in society which, ono
loosened from the control OF religio
and law, would scatter arrows, firC
brands, and death through the lanC
This spirit is that Of rampant selfish
1t is working through all the abov
named and other methods. Its forcC
may be called legion, but they are q
dominated by one spirit of rebelllC
against God, religion, and law, The
audacity, their activity, their presi
tence, indicate the approach of trou
lous times. And there is nothing
cuutend against them but Christia
ity. The only spirit that can success
fully contend with this gigantic, tt
many-armed selfsm, IS the unselfi
spirit Of the Gospel which is the pC
session and the life of the Christa
Church,
But existing facts show, as remal
ed above, that the church is not n,
sufficiently filed with this spirit to
more than hold the vaunting self
of the hour in partial restraint. S
,canfronts, but does not impress
with tear, does not prevent it fr
..defyingsber ,as Goliab anciently def
the army of1srsd. Evidently, the
fore, she needs greater spiritual pc
nv In he 40 filled With the Holy Oh