Evening star., 1896-07-09


abong the tribes of the earth. inspired with
an o'ermastering desire to know more of
Christ, and be more like Christ that We
may do more for Christ. Is this our desire?
It's our need
This subject is natural to Christians for
discussion. The command of Christ to His
newborn church was 'Tarry We in Jeruss-
lem until We be endued with power" and
you remember He spent His last hours on
earth In talking with the men whom He
had chosen, taught and inspired, that they
shoulI be baptised with the Holy Ghost,
Transforming them into torch bearers Of
the truth, and enabling them to witness
and preach with such divine JUNCTION that
thousands were daily added to the follow
erS of the cross
Yes. We need this power as pastors in the
study OF the world, in the deepening of
our spiritual life, and in the proclamation
of the unsearchable riches Of Christ to a
,sin-smitten world.
The church is splendidIy equipped for
service. She has matchless scholars fault
less orators and generous supporters on
every hand. Her opportunities were never
as worldwide as they are today and yet
she is not succeeding as she ought ignor-
ance superstt ton, cruelty and sin still hold
sway over large portions of this Christ-re-
deemed world. And why? Because We as
workers. lack that power that made Elijah,
Daniel, Peter Knox, Livingston and Spur
geon irresistible for God. May the Holy
Ghost of Pentecost come upon us, to fire
our sermons, spiritualize our worship deep
en- our piety and quicken our zeal in the
service of Christ. Christs promise to the
individual is life: Christs promise to the
church Is power. under the Holy Spirit.
May this convention have both.
NO national distinctions can prevent US
from enjoying the fullness and richness
there Is in Christ. Paul, the Hebrew
Luther. the German: Duff. the Scotchman,
Father Mathew. the Irishman: Carey, the
Englisnman. and Summerfield. the Ameri-
can. all enjoyed this priceless power.
No educational distinctions need prevent
us from enjoying this baptism of power.
The religion of Christ is profound enough
to engage the thought of a Newton. yet
simple enough for little child.
A few weeks ago Gladstone, the states
man. bowed with his gardener at the same
altar, and drank of the same divine stream,
blending their voices in prayer and praise
to the glory Of Him who came and redeem
ed their souls.
No ecclesiastical distinctions can keep US
from this fellowship; Jesus Christ came,
the son of man, to the sons of men.
l am thankful fer the broad. sympathetic
spirit and cooperation of all the churches
in the last decade of this glorious century,
but am looking to our great Christian En-
deavor Society. under the direction Of Gods
holy spirit, cooperating with the other
young peoples societies of the world, to
bring about the long g-pray yed-for hour. when
there shall be, IN one spirit, one Lord, one
faith and one baptism. How is this power
secured? How Is any power secured? By
complying with the conditions that sur
round il.
We must desire this power Our Savior
said: blessed are they who do hunger
and thirst after Righteousness, for they
shall be filled" To our desire we must add
capacity to receive. and determination to
keep. this heaven-given gift.
This baptism Of power touches our facul-
ties and swings them into harmony with
God. 1t vitalizes our conscience. bringing
conviction of sin; 1t vitalizes our will,
bringing repentance for sin: il vitaliZes our
intellect. producing faith in Christ and
VttaliZes our affections. causing love, JOY
and peace to spring up in our hearts by the
Holy Ghost.
This power must be continuously used.
Oh, what unused forces and latent energies
lie dormant in the church of Christ?
Tongues that should speak are dumb. hands
that should serve are closed. hearts that
should love are cold, and lives that should
shine are dimmed.
We should use this power, and thus help
to bring the kingdoms of the world to
knowledge Of our God and of His Christ
Oh, for a baptism of this power, this
abiding. steadying, satisfying grace; Jesus
can give it, for our Captain is able to save
to the uttermost.
As Joseph was nerved in the dungeon OF
Pharaoh and Paul was strengthened in
imperial Rome, SO shall We be In our work.
for Christ and the church." If our faith he
strong in the blood, principles, plans and
promises Of Christ.
After the singing Of another hymn Rev.
William J. Harsha, DID,, of New York
city wes introduced
Dr.. Harsha'a Talk.
DR. Harsha said:
The keynote Of the convention is to be
struck tonight from forty-tour individual
harps in twenty-five different churches.
That keynote is infinitely sweet and in
spring. 1t awoke an echo in my heart at
once and wooed me to Washington. Who
a.,
blessed thought and work Of deepening
the spiritual nfe?'
The best way 1 know Of to deepen the
spiritual life is to dredge the river-bed
through which God promises to set afiow
the full and satisfying currents of His life
and His peace. There are three important
words which we should consider carefully:
II We are to dredge the river We must
get out of the way at once and for all time
any false conceptions about peace itself
which we have been entertaining. Nothing
stops the inflow OF the divine life more
effectually than false motions. These are
rocks, rooted often in our past, which must
be loosened ard cast out. Some of them
have crystalized round the word peace"
There are some young people who think
that peace means sort of Christian Mir
Vana, a state OF abstraction, absorption in
the infinite or self surrender to nothing
ness i'll general and nothing in particular.
1t means to them Quietness in all cfrcum-
stances, paSSlN1ty IN prayer meeting, and
a superior disdain for sociables.
All this is a grave mistake. We live in
a practical age, and the promises of God
apply to practical people. If the divine
peace is not for young people with much
upon their hands and hearts. Gods word
has no meaning. A great deal Of practical
business is to come before this convention
We are to discuss Christian citizenship in
all its multiform and important bearings
We are to consider the best methods of
evangelism at home and abroad, and alb
sorb inspiration for an active participation
IN it. The publication OF municipal life and
city politics. the furthering of temperance
reform and Sabbath observance are to be
presented by specialists in the several de-
partments, and We are to be surcharged
with energy to assist in all branches of the
great work. Well. then, IL peace consists
in mere self-abnoga ton and abstraction to
external forces 1t has no place in our pro-
gram. 1t is out of it's proper environment
in these stirring times. This conception of
it is clearly erroneous. Peace is consistent
and co-existent with the intensest activity
A river may run through the busiest cities
without losing it's deep steadiness and
gentle murmur. Our Lord Jesus was
called the Prince of Peace Usa, tx :6).
and yet He was the most practical of
workers.
This Is the opposite extreme into which
young people fall If they escape the error
Of supposing that peace consists in mere
contemplation, they are apt to suppose
that it may be found by running about in