The herald., 1896-02-03
|IESTERDAYAI THE CHURCHES
Some Of the Many Sermons That
Were Delivered
tTuH CHRISTIAN DEFINED
The Discourse at Uolty In the Morning
by the Pastor
What ID Col and What Interest Have We In
HIN the SubIsct for an Address 1t
the New Era


Yesterday morning. the pastor Of Unity
church Rev. J. s. Thompson, preached q ser
mon on Christ's Own Definition of q
Christian, taking for the text these words
'sWhosoever doth not bear his cross. and
ooyne after me, cannot be my disciple.'-
Luke 14:27.
It il fortunate that we have Christ's owr
deflnitIoneof Christian; and we have q
; right to claim that his definition has the
highest authority. A Christian bears his
cross and follows Christ. That is clear
and comprehensive. The cross of Chris;
dymbolizes study. prayer. conscience
work and suffering. A Christian must
sacrifice things that are dear to him for
the sake of truth in religion and morality.
II be should have creeds, opinions, beliefs,
inherited or acquired, and if they should
tend to prevent him from finding and fol-
lowing truth, he must abandon them. Some
people are so conscious ct the weakness
OF their creeds and opinions, and SO much
Afraid that light might reveal their false
hood, that they will not listen to reason.
A man should not cherish faith that
could be shaken. or that cannot give rea-
lpn for its hope. God has given us our
should be used according to the plain com.
nhAhdments of the creator; but we should
19tther abuee nor pamper our passions.
Ehrist's advice is to pluck out the eye and
to cut off the hand, which may offend. to
preserve the harmony of the members. We
are not to crafty the morbid cravings of
tour passions. Our relatives and friends,
whom we love, are not to be allowed to
weaken our loyalty to truth. Our affec-
tions Yor the dearest on earth have no right
' to usrlrp the place of God in the spirit. Our
real friends encourage US to be true
IA. our own deepest convictions. The
relatives OF Christ gave him little en-
couragement In the fulflllment Of his mis-
sion. They seemed to discourage him.
Ihey did not believe in him ut first. He
followed the commandments OF God and
/, kept his Fathers will, in spite of the unbe-
lief and sneers of his brothers, but he never
ceased to love them; and, in his sufferings
upon the cross, he requested his beloved
disciple to take his mother to his home.
He said that his true relatives were those
who heard and did the will OF God. Every
ono that covets success in any art, science,
business or calling must be willing to suffer
for it. The road to success in anything ts
narrow and hard. Christ suffered and died
for the right. He loved truth more than he
loved his earthly life. II we would follow
Christ we must be prepared to sacri-
hce our own .selfishness, and to
cruelty our morbid passions. " am
crucided with Christ" says Paul; but
some people think Christian is one that
consents to the murder of Christ. and is
willing to cruelty him for their own bsnefit.
Christ's gospel makes discord in families.
He came to bring o sword upon the earth,
tpGpt father against son, and daughter
against mother; for mans enemies will
lae bn his own house. Christ did not inn
pose upon US irrational, conventional and
ceremonial burdens. In this respect his
~yoke is easy and his burden is light; but
his religion is very hard. The demands Of
diecipleship are exacting. It is on this ac-
count that we prefer pagenism, and make
conditions OF our own and ignore those OF
Christ. It is hard to give I'D our sins and
70 suffer for them, and to live like Christ.
A great many. people attend churches
biiity, influence, and to please rela-
tives and friends. but not mainly to learn
how to cruelty the lower life and to de-
veiop the higher life. Conduct is the test
of diacipleship. We must judge the tree
by it's fruit. No matter what a man may
profess to believe, it is his life that mani
tests his real creed. Christ did not contine
his recognition of goodness within secta-
rian lines. When his disciples said to
Christ that they s'saw one casting out
devils in his name. and that he did not fol-
low them. and that they forbade him, be-
cause he did not follow them," then Christ
esid, ssForbid him not; for there is no man
that shall do miracle in my name that
can lightly speak evil of me-" We all
seem to act contrary to Christ's example
In this matter. II man does good,
but does not wear our denominational
label, we flnd it hard to acknowledge his
goodness cheerfully. A disciple of Christ
has Q right to enjoy the pleasant and beau
tiful things of life. Human nature de-
mands recreation, amusement and fun.
II we are to love truth before all other
things, and if amusement is necessity of
life. then amusement is truth, and it is
right to love it. Christ ate good food and
drank wine at the banquets TO which he
wasrinvited; and he wore fine clothes: and
be gave good reasons that his disciples
should not fast. He was no ascetic nor
faster. He was called glutton and wine-
bibber, and friend of puniicans and sin
riers, benause he enjoyed the pleasures Of
life among the people. He appreciated
al the innocent joys of this life, willis he
kept his Fathers will and suffered for the
right.