The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-10-14
CHURCH AND CHRIST
SERMON BY REV. ID. j. ELLISON on
ADVANTAGES OF CHRISTIANITY.
The Best of society and Intelligence
Is Always Found within the Church
and Little Outside.

-D
occasion was preached by the pastor, Rev.
d.. j. Ellison. The text was Eph. v, 80,
Christ and the Church." He said in SUBJ
stance:
And so the motto of the great Christian
Endeavor was not originated by Father En-
deavor Clark 1t is but the far off echo of
the words OF the great apostle in his letter
to the church at Ephesus. What vague
ideas many of us have of the character and
surroundings of those primitive churches.
Those Christian churches which sprang up
In Antioch. in Corinth and in Rome were
absolutely new creations with a new life.
new spirit and new manners in the midst
OF the old and decaying society of pagan
ism, and just as in primeval forests, where
thick and dark rises the growth of CEN
turtles through which lived wild beasts and
Wilder men. 1ne sometimes comes upon a
tion. the hum Of industry, the little group
of pretty cottages and the schoolhouse
nesting among the trees. so there sprang
little clearings of Christian brotherhood
that by their sweetness and purity and light
a striking contrast to the foul and
life prevalent in corinth, in Ephe-
sus and in Rome.
When you call TO mind how feeble these
churches We're in the early days of Chris
antagonized by the combined forces of
and how to-day they are con-
quering a world, you cannot but be sur
prised at their marvellous growth illustrat-
.No
heaven is like unto a grain of mustard
seed, which is the least of all seed But
when 1t is grown 1t becomes a tree. deep
rooted and wide-branched, in which TIE
birds build and find shelter, OF like tie
leaven which a woman took and hid in
three measures of meal until all was leav-
ened. So we cannot judge by beginnings.
penny you ave that poor little boy
be the beginning of a great %fortune;
the love grasp you gave the orphans cold
hand may be the beginning or an animation
an eternity. 1t is something inspir-
ing TO be connected with the Christian
church. which though to-day 1t be like a
tains, in due time the fruit thereof shall
shake like Lebanon. Do not associate your
self with Institutions that have the con-
a kingdom with a music that shall
gather all other music into its Infinite hal
1elujah.
first. the nature of the Christian church;
second, the influence of the Christian
church, and third, the destiny
of the the Christian Christie church fSa 10 rSris, my
church is strikingly set forth in those MEM
orable words of the Lord Christ TO the apos-
tie Peter: Thou art Petef, and upon this
of hell shall not prevail against It. BY this
rock Christ meant not Himself, not the
sublime confession that mad Just Deen W.
to make this rock refer TO anything else
than the man Peter Is a mistake which we
Baptists ought not to commit. II is our
proud boast that we take the Bible Just
as it reads. and We justly condemn that
subtle ingenuity which would twist the
words OF the Scripture away from their
plain and logical meaning. Applying that
to the case before us the Roman
are right in their Interpretation
of this passage though utterly wrong IN the
entire beauty and significance of this pas
sage. When we twist the meaning for
fear Of some dogmatic inference, Christ Is
hero indicating the material of which His
church Is to be composed. material that in
and Of itself might seem imperfect, as
Peter was imperfect. but Peter, rude, tickle
and impglslvs as ne was; nad Just risen 70
ton of Jesus as the Son OF God: in that
moment he seemed a transformed man., a
radiant character, with the hgnt OF divine
personality. and Christ says that such stun,
dull enough by nature. but luminous by
grace. Is built INTO the formation and rising
the the regenerating owe OF His spirit,
by the uplift of His presence, by the mag
netism and enthronement or eternal truth,
God is building men In that vast and peer
structure, the Church of God, and that
which before was well nigh worthless. II
not positively hurtful, rs transformed into
power and light and beauty, as by the fin
of God. There are illustrations some
times Of such wonderful transformations In
nature.
storm is given by Lieut.. j. p. Finley. one
of our eminent meteorologists- IL was while
ascending Pixies peak that what seemed
first a shower of fire occurred. AT first each
snowflake seemed to discharge a tiny light
as it touched the clothing or settled on the
snowy ground. AS the storm increased in
fury. however, each fake of snow seemed
a drop OF fire. Electric sparks were shaken
i'm streams from the Lieutenants fnger
tips, as from his ears. beard and nose, and
a wave of his arm was like the sweeping
of a flaming sword blade through the air;
every point of snow touched gave out its
little snap and flash of light. so charged
with the power of a great truth and in
spired by contact with those who loyalty ar
range themselves about il. transforms a life
that otherwise would be barren and solitary
until X enlarges itself in wondrouS beauty,
i'm divine power, in infinite benefactions
over all the spaces OF human imagination
and human service.
ssBut especially do I want to speak of
the lines of influence that radiate out from
the Christian Church.. II is a common
ching in these days TO depreciate Christian
churches. TO look upon them as possessing
the services of which is altogether a mat
ter of Indifference. We do not consider the
priceless value and imnleasureaoie lnnu-
ence of these churches. as we seldom do
that of any other great and widespread
blessing. When blessings degenerate into
the commonplace their glory Is hidden
from us. Atmosphere and sunshine and
water are so common that in naming over
the blessings OF the past week we would
probably omit them altogether. so IL Is
with the Christian churches. III no sun
shine the solar system would be enveloped
in a vast night OF terror: IL no atmosphere
we should die; IL no water. at best we
should have but a universe Of ashes. So II
the Christian churches were swept away,
human life would be like a summer with
out the smell of flowers or the song OF
birds, or like a night without a star and
followed by no morning; nothing but cold
ness. darkness and death. Consider the
social advantages incident to association
with Gods people. This consideration de-
serves far more thought than is usually
given teIit. Let any one OF us glance Dack
over his l.fe and he will be impressed with
the fact that among the forces which nave
shaped his life most powerfully, whether
for good or for evil, rave been his social
relations. Some part OF our life is always
own selves only when We find these other
men. Each man is a fraction by him
self, and only in addition finds unity and
completeness. Tennyson was right when
he said. Eve are a part of all we have
met" and to-day each one or us Is very
largely the sum total of those influences
which have been brought TO bear upon us
world. There is then a proper ambition
In regard TO our social relations, and no
man. especially no young man, can. AFFORD
10 despise these relations. III possible, be
in the society of those who are
wiser and better and more cultured than
Yourself. and remember that by the best
society I do not refer to the foam and gilt
social CLIQUE, but To the best society IN
the hest sense of the term. the society
that has the promise OF the world that now
is. and of that which Is 10 come. L do not
saw that all who attend the church of
God are OF this high order. but l do say