The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-12-16
LEARNING CHRISTIANITY"
Essssslist Smilsy Makes PLATA What
Il Is TO BE q ChriStiSa.
A CHRISTIAN Is list A LEARNER
Meest~ss Held Yesterday ny Rev. r,
n smiley at shc ftrst rrrsby-
terrain Church-rhc sermon.

Tne object Of Rev. F. f. Smiley in the
series OF meetings now being held every
afternoon and evening st the First Presby-
,oriaa church, is TO simplify those thee.
logical and philosophical facts connected
with spiritual experience. Yesterday after
ncca re spoke on the condition of an Gu
tr&oec into the kingdom OF heaven. basing
MS exposition on the first ihreN Ncetituies
IN the evening he defined what 1t is TO be
CHRISTIAN drawing his definition from
l-use's historical statement in Acts XII. 3D.
rae disciples were called Christians first
az Antioch"
He said in brief; The study NJ orieins rs
always Interesting. The word Christian has
found its place in all vocapuianc4 a..d ~
enjoy looking hack TO the first use OF the
word But this verse is Interesting from
another standpoint 1t affords us a d,ini-
tion. From 1t we find out what it is &c
be a Christian.
some People have very queer ideas upon
the subject They imagine that to live In
CAristlan land Is sufficient; or to help
support the church. or TO allow their wives
10 60 to meeting Our own attendance upor
divine service is not enough Merely 10 try
20 live moral life does not constitute I;
Christian. You may even practice the
Christian virtues and Yet not be Chris
iisn. You may Vet lack one thing. Yui
may simply be following the dictates Of
ordinary common sense. without the recog-
niti'n e any spiritual, higher claim upon
you.
\ Christian is a disclnle OF Christ 4
disciple is a learner--a believer. The early
disciples were SC conversAnt with and actu-
at,i nv the teachings OF Chtist that men
took knowledge Of them that they had
been with Jesus" And II yon really de-
sire 20 be- q Christian all YOU have to do
be-
So simple that you have been overlooking
the real truth. Yo'i have been trying tc
make 1t complicated and difficult. beg
OF YOU 10 keep IN mind that the way to be-
come Christian is' so s',unlc that even
little child can understand il; And each
enc who would become n Christian must
&c hack 20 nrst principles must be even MS
new born babe Christ desires 20 teach
Fau from the very first as a mother teaches
f'r child The child is learner has every
thing to learn. The Christian Is a learner
has everything to learn. Even the wise
Nicofcrlus must be born again and begin
as a babe
AND all that YOU have to do Is to take
he frs step with childhood farm. me
growth and knowledge win come aflerwsra
some children make IN school more rar.l
progress than do others but they all have
10 commence with their A, b. C's moth
er and ner child cutter the Christian If.
together They must both commence y,
little children. the mother just as surely
as the daughter The one may learn faster
fI-n tho Other but neither can n frs. 49,
ter anything but the lowest grades. The
child does not know what stretches on
shead Neither do YOU.
what W. neel To do is Just 10 trust Chris
for the present instant. DO not begin &c
say that you viii be- Unable 10 wit!.r'ri
g hr tom -.rrfto- that NAV come to YOU to-