Omaha daily bee., 1898-09-26
CHRIST'S LIFE AN EXAMPLE
He Had the Qualities Which Go to Make Up
Successful Man Today.
HIS SYSTEM IS THE ONLY ONE TO FOLLOW
Rev. M. G.. waddeu breaches His
Opening Sermon nt the BROAD
way Methodist Church to n
Large Congregation.
HIS SYSTEM IS THE ONLY ONE TO FOLLOW

Rev. M. G. Waddell, transferred by the
recent conference from Shenandoah to the
Broadway Methodist church OF this city,
preached his first sermon yesterday morning
to his new charge. He was greeted by a
| congregation that completely filled the large
auditorium. He took as the subject OF his
discourse. "Christlikeness." and his text
from Philippians 2, v. He said in part:
The Christ-life is ideal. 1t is not a pro-
fession but possession 1t is eternal life.
| WhOsoever has the spirit OF Christ has lin
him well of water springing up into ever
lasting life" He who has the spirit of
| Christ is truly a Christian. His was a
| spirit Of humility. What an example of hu-
mility do we find In the thirteenth chapter
Of the gospel according to st. John. He
| rose from supper, laid aside his garments
| girded himself with a towel, poured water
| into a basin and washed his disciples feet
| He lived on earth as a servant. He came
not to be mnistered unto but to minister.
Let him that would be greatest among
you be as him that serves" Our Christ
likeness may be measured by our
mility He teaches us that we
should be willing to take the humblest place
| to serve others. We need the spirit of John
tho Baptist, who, not envying the rising
popularity of another, cried out, "He must
| increase but / must decrease" This we
say, however, with special thought of the
| Christ. No matter what our ability may
| be, we ought to be humble Better not of
our own accord take the highest seats.
| To impart to Others as we ought we must be
made partakers of the Christ spirit of hui
mility.
The spirit of Christ was also one OF COM
| passion. His compassionate words and his
| loving deeds should influence our lives.
| Are your ears open to the cries OF troubled
| humanity? You say you pity them. but that
| q IN nj inc ~ nit
| ing heart should eliminate in real express
sion OF loving deeds The goods of this
! world which you may have accumulated
should be by you regarded as sacred trust,
not to be greedily boarded, lavishly squan-
dered or selnshly enjoyed, but generously
| employed. Success should always make one
| benevolent. To be good is noble, but 10 do
! coed is far nober. The paramount aim Of
| Christianity is not to prepare for heaven
| but to make this earth better, wiser, hap
| pier, holier Be not simply good but good
for something.
Again, the spirit OF Christ was one of un-
| selfshness. His life was a beautiful en-
bodiment of that love which "seeketh not
her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh
no evil, rejoiceth not in niquity, but re-
joiceth with the truth" II you should die
today could men. women and children look
upon your quiet face, lay snow white flow
ers against your hair, smooth it down with
fearful tenderness and fold your hands with
lingering caress? Could friends call to
mind with loving thought some gentle word
the frozen lips had said or some kindly
deed the icy hand had wrought? Would you
be mourned? A dry-eyed funeral Is indeed
a sad sight.
Christ's spirit was likewise forgivine
spirit. What a chaplet of forgiveness He
! twined together in the hours Of His dark
ness and agony. He left behind a legacy OF
loving patience that bushes in the presence
of our unforgiving spirits and unrelentine
| words. Can you, as Christian. on ac-
count Of some petty grievance unworthy OF
a calm thought indulge yourself In hard
words or in looks of cold estrangement
Revenge is sweet only to a little, weak and
narrow mind God is slow to write our
sins against us and as His children ought
| to manifest in our lives something Of His
forgiveness and his forbearance.
Christs was spirit Of prayer. You are
not in reality what you are in YOUR pew
1t is what YOU are when you have shut tho
door and gone into the secret place and
no man can see you Just as you are whel
you are alone with God, that you are In
reality. The spirit of Christ was one OF
holy zeal. 1t is impossible to believe tho
truths of the gospel and yet be apathetic
do not believe in religious excitement
but l do believe in excitement in religion
The cross Of Christ is the most restless ant
rcsistless of agitators and If your religion
does not excite you 1t is because you lacl
the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
The spirit of Christ was one Of devoted
ness to God. Let our Christian living
be longer secondary thing
Put Christ first. Let the worl
OF Christ be the one thing which
kindles your warmest thoughts and call.
forth your noblest service Give yourselve:
to Him and work to make this world better
Consecrate your energies to Him more fully
and labor more earnestly than you hav,
ever done. Besides all these the spirit o
Christ was also one Of resignation in death
Death is not an enemy to Gods child. i
| is the end OF all travail. the gate Of glad
, ness, the port Of paradise. 1t is going tt
see our Father, 1t is going home-hom'
with God God help the ripe Christian t.
sing, "The time of my departure is at hand
l am ready. Henceforth there is laid up fo
me a crown Of Righteousness"