The record-union., 1897-11-28


hcnors, is the plain Gospel of comfort
and rest and spiritual instruction and
edification. Preachers commit griev-
Gus blunder who discuss from the pulpit
on Sunday topics that occupy the read
ing and thoughts of the people during
the secular week, who introduce the
sensational in the hope of attracting
multitude. The subjects of sermons an
ncunced in the newspapers as the Sab
bath Day approaches are sometimes Of
fensive, and lead one to exclaim What
a perversion OF a sacred trust, the most
sacred that can be committed to mortal
mani The Lord Jesus said, i, if be
lifted uo from the earth, will draw all
men unto Me- He alluded to his cruci-
fixon. He was lifted up upon the cross,
where He shed His blood for the re-
mission of sin. This is the Gospel He
commanded to be preached in all the
world at witness unto all nations; ana
men everywhere, in all lands, even from
the ends of the earth. are being drawn
unto Him. The most magnetic power IN
the world to-day is the Cross OF CHRIST
And ministers are called of God, ana
commissioned by His church to exhibit
the cross with the crucihed Christ sus-
pended upon it as the worlds only
hope
Undoubtedly the spirit of this age
makes persuasion an easier and often
a more enduring task than conpulsion,
says the STANDARD" Baptist) of Chi
cago People cannot be driven as they
once could The Christian minister cam
not preach such sermons as Edwards
preached. The weapon that is needed
to-day is one that VIII penetrate be-
yond that mere fear OF the future at
which the prophets of the past directed
their blows, to the conscience that lies
deepest of all. and is no less sensitive
now than before. 1t seems to be felt
by some most thoughtful Christian
workers that in preaching exclusively a
gospel of love and Of gentle persuasion
we may be neslecting duty to man
kind. Sin is hateful to God. Tt is c2n-
demned in His Word in very plain Ian
guage. According to priests and apos-
ties there is to be an attack upon it
wherever found, fight to the death.
If our preachers to-day appealed more
often and more directly to our con-
sciences. instead of TO intellect and
emotions, perhaps we should not be so
highly entertained, but we might be
better servants of the Most High
Speaking of the semi-centennial cele-
bration Of Plymouth Church, the Out
look remarks: The Puritan stood pre-
eminently for the sovereignty of the in
dividual conscience: he interpreted lit
orally the declaration that we are
kings and priests unto God; he not
only ruled his own spirit. but he proph-
esied according to his own vision 1t
was this sense of direct responsibility
to God and power flowing from God
which made the Protestant, whether in
England, Scotland or France, the foe
of tyrants and the organizer of free
institutions. The Puritan's Individual
ism was often developed in excess of
his social sense, and at the expense Of
it, but it was essentially a declaration
Of the independence of spiritual man.
hood from all false conventions, ties,
and laws. 1t was an attempt to sub
stitute the law of God for the law of
man; not always wise, not always sue
cessful, but sincere. courageous, and
in the main, eminently helpful to So
ciety. For these ideas Plymouth
Church has now stood half century.
expressing it's loyalty to God by its SER
vice to humanity and striving to trans
late theology into the speech of living
men. and to make the teachings of
Christ the law of industry, society ana
government"