The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-05-06

II dates from Bethlehem and develops from
the Pentecostal baptism Of tonguea--
Christianity discovers individuals. 1t SIM
giles us out OF the crowd and regards us %
units. II docs not deal with humanity In
mobs and masses and races and nations. lts
clecting love terminates upon indivldualixed
men and women whom II knows by name.
II finds us, 1t respects our personal ldcn-
THY. II sees man. II pays no attention
whatever to barriers Of place or station.
1t Is supremely oblivious OF National and
racial differences. 1t despises caste and
spurns the color line. II never asks: is
this man black? Is hc red? Is he Yellow
ls he white? Who were his ancestors n II
Ia no prouder OF him for coming over In
the Mayflower than for finding stcerage
passage In an IMMIGRANT ship. Christianity (
looks clean through all these externals.
and declaring that God is no rcspectcr OF
persons. secs something infinitely moro
precious and princely than your clothes and
lineage and business. He sees the man.
Now this Ia a fundamental characteristic
OF Christianity. and a popularity which
diferentiates II from Judaism. The Old
and New Testament saints have very dlf-
fcrcnt view points. In the Old. 1t is TIA
nation. and the prophets were first and
foremost Christian patriots. They were
familiar with the current events OF national
history. They knew the geography OF their
land perfectly. Its traditions had been dis
solved into their blood Their text book
was the LEGAL code OF the nation and their
most stirring speeches were impassioned
pleas calling on lsraclites to be jealous for
the glory of tho nation. II was national
waywardncss which they reprehended. II
was national decay that they lamented. II
was national restoration for which they
,oiled and PRAYED, They were fond OF CALI
Ing themselves "watchmen," and they be-
lievod that God had placed them on the
rp, ri pf n tpfpnNcs
His chosen people
Thus the Old Testament closes and few
silent centuries fall between. and the New
Testament onens. and behold. the view
point has wholly changed II is no longer
the nation but the individual. The prophets
have become apostles: the patriots
have become preachers. Gods servants arc
anxious for the redemption Of persons, They
begin to hunt for mcn. Jesus finds An
drew, and Andrew nnds Simon, Tho Lords
servants are NO longer "watchmen" mere
ly. guarding the ramparts Of national glory.
but they arc evanEelists and apostles, cent
down into the living world OF lost humanity
TO discover individuals and bring them to
| Jesus. Tho kingdom of God IN no longer
| a thcocratic nation composed OF aome nil
| lions of good had and indifferent Jews, but
| tho kingdom of God is within you II Ia
| compressed within and confined TO the en-
| pirc Of the individual life.
Christianity Is broader MS We pass from
| the Old into the New Testament. for tho
| gospel is passing from the Jews TO the
world and vet u IL more narrow also. for
| The Kingdom is passing from the nation TO
the individual This difference Is funda-
mental 1t Ia characteristics. and tho longer
we study the subject, the palmer does THIS
| fact appear 4 large number OF the prom
| ises of the old diapcnsatlon were to Israel
| ms n nation and endure for us not 40 much
| In their letter as In tho spirit THIS is
| strlkingly apparent In many of the prom
| ,ses concerned with temporal blessing ana
| prcspority hut when we step beneath tina
| aNy that bends above the dispcnsh'ion OF
! the HOLY Ghost the chimes OF whose
| overs' begin to ring and everything ~ IN
| tcnsclv ncrSonal
| Redemption is personal. Jesus Christ
| tasted death for every man.
Opportunity is personal. Him that COM
eth unto Me | win In no wise cast out"
| Responsibility IN personal None of us
live,h to himself. and no man dioth TO
himself"
Accountability 10 personal. Every ono
of ma shall give account OF himself 10
God"
In the Gospel OF Christ God and the sim
| ner look euch other straight in the face.
| There can be no evasion. There can be no
| longer any yaguonesS or uncertainty, we
can not hide. No white front OF pharasaic
| Formally can conceal us. We are dis-
|
the palduuud sinner look each other
| straight in tho face. There can be no mis-
taking, He IL our Father. and we are His
| children. We can not be lost. The crowds
can never be SO great but His ego VIII sim
| gle us out. Tho clouds can never he 80
heavy but His hand Will find us and His
| voice viii say; lie not afraid. am here"
There is no longer any vagucness, any dim
| foreboding All la real. all Is secure. am
| found.
This fact is tho awful terror, and Mt the
same time tho sweet consolation OF tho
Gospel Of Jesus Christ. II does not deal
with assemblies and congregations. Chris
tianity discovers iHllvduals
2. In tho next place let mo say that
Christianity discovers the possibilities OF
individuals. AS Jesus looked al Matthew
he saw TWO men. He saw the man us ne
was and then He saw the same man as
| rcdecming 1--we might make him. He saw
Matthew. the publican ana tax gatherer
| first. and q little further on Matthew. the
great apostle and evangelist. He saw tho
possibilities of the man. He believed in
that He believed that the lost could be
found lie believed that covetousposs and
RIGHTEOUSNESS could he dethr0ncd. and The
man cDnoblcd with better purposes and
thrilled with higher aspirations could DO
transformed Into Christ Jesus man. And
20 He told him to quit collecting taxes and
| come nway to an apostleshlp. Jesus' faitn
WIS NOT disappointed, anu Tue man VINO ielL
his tax gatbercrs chair that day became
Chrlst's historian and has given us the
first book In tho New Testament canon
Christianity discovers the possibilities Of
individuals, II sees tho lost man, and lust
beyond. tho vision OF that same man re-
deemed IL visits tho very lowest and VII
est OF us with n sublime hone. Amid the
lists aud passions. the doflcments and
degradhtions Of wrecked and fallen man
hood II finds the possibility Of better
self. and to that It says. Follow me-" 1t
secs through all the rubbish and waste.
that pearl of great price. a redeemed life.
| and with undismayed faith II goes TO work
on us. No man evr got 20 low down In
sin. so covered with tho shame and dis
grnce OF sin that Jesus gave him up ~
hopeless.
The gospel Ii dvinely daring In Its faith
| for individuals, and that too. for the very
| worst and most abandoned individuals.
| Jesus asks us 10 have faith In Him. an0
We think great deal OF what IN required
of us, but we rarely give thought OF
what In required OF Him. He must have