The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-06-14

you calf yourself a Christian outside the
church. . Christian Eio does not think IL
worth while TO identify himself with ac-
tive practical Christianity, a Christian
who does not care about taking upon HIM
self the family name and purpose You
profess 90 love God ard accept Christ.
and yet you are not condezcen5ing enough
TO do just what your Lord did, namely.
identity yourself with q body Of pfofessed
believers some of whom may turn out 10
be not at aIl what they have promised.
What Is the ehurchs classified ton OF
your A man who. though estinable in
many ways. does not think enough OF
God and His service or OF Christ and His
sacrifice. TO publicly honor the one and
commemorate the other. The church can
hardly look upon you as her friend IL
would bs dangerous to send young con-
yerts TO you 70 get an estimate OF her.
All your comeiiness Of character win not
direct your influence in favor of the
church as long as you persistently re-
main outside The higher you stand In
the estimation OF your fellows, the more
decidedly against the church viii your
influence be. as long as sou hold 10 your
present position: and she must constantly
feel the unpIeasaniness OF her situation.
But the world also has its classification
of your case. The world does not love
the church. because the church profess
edIy and for the most psNt separates her
self from the world. The church de-
nounees the world and its selashness: and
the world replies by denouncing the
church and her prudery and hypocrisy.
Every time the world can have a fling at
the church il Is only too glad to improve
It's opportunity. IL It can use you, o
Christian outside the church. to feather
Its poisoned arrow, IL will be sure to do
So In the course Of the usual small talk
az an evening your name Is mentioned
You are spoken of as good fellow. Some
Christian man casually remarks: Il
have often wondered why he has not
united with the church he attends. He
would do good work In that line" How
quickly the worlds reply Is ready: He
has too much good sense. He knows they
are not perfect In the church by any
means. He can be square enough with
out that pious cant. He is good deal
better nov than half OF them inside the
fold He Is wise In keeping out" Let US
see. How was 1T We classified you, my
brother? | am afraid your position needs
readjastment. II the church, on the one
hand, and the world. on the other, place
your influence as against the only institu-
ton founded by God for the salvation and
spiritual nurture OF men. had you not
better look sharply into your own CLASH
flcation, and see whether your life is real
ly In favor OF the right? When the church
and the world agreesin that estimate of
you. they are pretty sure to be correct
/ call again to your notice your Lords
example He stood not a moment TO de-
liberate upon the unfaithfulness of men.
He knew His place was heroicalfy with
the right. And though John admitted
His SUPERIOR character. and forbade Him
the ordinance. because Of His infinite dis
lance above and beyond all others who
had received IL, yet Jesus said: Suffer Ii
to be- so now intending that all true
manhood should follow His example.
A Word of Encouragement.
But i must also learn a lesson or two
from Johns conduct. Remember Jesus
said: Thus 1t beeometh us to fulfill all
righteousness" Johns part was his
prompt obedience to his Lords command.
though he could not see either its ne
cessity or its appropriateness. His hesi-
tation was born OF a true estimate of his
own humble position II did not seem to
him that he could stand In a place where
he would appear to those around to be
superior 10 this Holy One whose shoes
even he was not worthy TO bear. But
Jesus knew that this service was the
necessary Introduction to His marvellous
mission. and that He was dependent upon
John for it, so He said persuasively the
words of my text.
Have there not been times In your his
tory, o Christian. when you have hest
tAttu 10 dSsuft some responsibility tnflSt
has placed upon you, because of your
own apparent .unfitness and unworthi-
ness? You have thought OF the duty re-
quired OF you. and you have said in deep
sense of humility. II am not the one TO
do this work. How can / forward thus
the interests OF His kingdom Why
should I, so young. or uneducated, or
roughly hewn. or impetuous. or mercurial
a Christian. be chosen for this enterprise?
/ cannot do Il. / dare not attempt IT."
Have you not often felt like that7 What
was the result of that estimate OF your
seif7 Did Christ move away from you
and GO 10 some one with greater culture
and finer mold. and more conspicuous
talents7 Can you not now hear Him
whispering In your soul-ear these words:
suffer IL 10 be so now" That is Just
what He always says. He means IL for
an announcement as we'll as for a re-
quest. He. the grandest character I'm all
history: He. the exalted of heaven, stoops
to the level OF your abilities, and asks
YOU 10 assist Him in the worlds evan
gelization: and YOU hesitate' All. we do
net ponder enough over the honor con-
ferred on US in being asked 10 be partners
with Him.
And then another thought troubles us.
We. like John. do not see how our act Is
going to accomplish anything. We do
not see its appropriateness It's signif-
canoe. Had we not better remember that
we are not the planners or the work9 We
are the workmen. Christ Is the master
workman, and He places before US the
intricate designs. IL we do net fully un-
derstsni them at first. IL We get lost In
the maze Of them. and fail To appreciate
their general direction. let US stin have
faith. and begin az once 10 put them into
execution The way viii become plain as
We proceed. In the very act of unravelin~
tho skein the knots viii disappear In
the effort 10 follow along difficult paths
the crookednesSss xiB vanish There is
no performance no matter how slupie
but az flrst thought has some mex plfcsble
clement ia H. As We follow out the de-
sign, We not only fed new openings. hut
we ind new faculties appearing In our
selves, which never could have been de-
velopesi apart from our faithful obedience
70 Gods command. Take courage then.
ttmit. questioning soul Il is Christ who
asks your service. lie not let Him suffer
far help because Of your lack Of fagt,
And though they who watch your course
may wonder why you have undertaken 50
important = task in HIS Kingdom. be not
aisheaFtened on that account.
The Glory That shall Follow.
4 closing thought. II John had not ae-
coded 90 Jesus request he would nor
rave seen Tire descending glory and heard
the confirming voice. In our case thu
majesty u cur fsossis appearance wnl
not 50 quickly follow our performed ser
vice hg, IL ~sli follow IL wtn Snrel,,
follow. lie promised the viSiaa unto John
as be afterward bare record he has
promised f unto Ms, The scene In CsalDea
vEnishes and another far more imposing
appears Instead Of the Jordan I SEE tie
river Of Hfe. clear as crystal procaedinr
out % che throne NJ God and the Earuh
Instead Of the u1uifltuae Of r4enttenf
asa ~ traz a.