The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1899-11-02

to go into details If the result, but we
y all know that certain things would be
impossible that are now practiced by.
church members What would Jesus do
in the matter of Wealth. How would
he spend it, What principle would reg
ulate his use of money? Would he be
likely to live in great luxury and spend
ten times as, much on personal adorn-
ment and entertainment as he spent to
relieve the needs Of suffering humanity :?
.How would Jesus be governed in the
making of money? Would he take rent
ais from saloon and other disreputable
property or even from tenement prop
erty that was so constructed that the
inmates had no such thing as home
and no such possibility as privacy or
cleanliness? =
, ~'What would Jesus dc about the
great army Of unemployed and desper-
ate who tramp the streets and curse
the church or are Indifferent to it, lost
rim the bitter struggle for the bread that
tastes bitter when it is earned, on &C.
count Of the desperate conflict to get it Z
Would Jesus care nothing for them :?
Would he go his way in comparative
ease and comfort? Would he say it was
none OF his business? Would he excuse
himself from all responsibility to remove
the causes Of such a condition.
"What would Jesus do in the center
of a civilization that hurries so fast
after money that the very girls en-
ployed in great business houses are not
>paid enough to keep soul and body to-
gether without fearful temptations, SO
great that scores of them fall and are
swept over the great, boiling abyss
where the demands of trade sacrifice
hundreds of lads in business that ig-
nores all Christian duties toward them
in the way Of education and moral
training and personal affection2 Would
Jesus If he were here today, as a part
Of our age and commercial industry,
feel nothing, do nothing, say nothing,
'in the face Of these facts. which every
business man knows?
"What would Jesus do? Is not that
what the disciple ought to do2 Is he
y not commanded to follow in his steps
How much is the Christianity of the
age suffering for him2 Is it denying it.
self at the cost of ease, comfort, luxury,
elegance Of living? What does the age
need more than personal sacrifice? Does
the church do its duty in following
Jesus when it gives a little money to
establish missions or relieve extreme
cases of want? Is it any sacrifice for a
man who is worth SO, 900, 900 simply
to give $40, 900 for some benevolent
work? Is he not giving something that
costs him practically nothing, so far as
any personal pain or suffering goes2 Is
it true that the Christian disciples to-
day in most of our churches are living
soft, easy, selfish lives. very far from
any sacrifice that can be called sacrifice
What would Jesus do?
"It is the personal element that
Christian discipleship needs te, empha-
size. The gift without the giver is
bare. The Christianity that attempts
to suffer by proxy is not the Christian
ity of Christ. Each Individual Chris
tian, business man, citizen needs to
follow in his steps along the path of
personal sacrifice for him. There is not
different path today from that of
Jesus own times. It is the same path.
The call of this dying century and OF
the new one soon to be is called for a
new discipleship, new fellowship OF
Jesus, more like the early, simple apos.
tolic Christianity when the disciples
left all and literally followed the Mas.
ter. Nothing but discipleship Of this
rSr,l eoo z>1G L
of the age with any hope of overcoming
it. There is great quantity Of nom
inal Christianity today. There is need
) of more Of the real kind We need q
revival Of the Christianity of Christ.
We have, unccnsciously, lazily, selfish.
~, formally, grown into discipleshiI
that Jesus himself would not acknowl
edge. He would say to many of IL
when we cry, Lord, Lord, Il never
knew you Are we ready to take W
the cross? Is it possible for this church
to sing with exact truth:
''Jesus, my cross have TAKEN
All to leave and follow thee?
IF we can sing that truly, then W,
may claim discipleship, but if our DAT
AAtAOA VI DCAAS q OA4 A0U1CbA 4S S44up4y u
>enjoy the privileges of worship, be gen
erous at no expense to ourselves, hav
good, easy time, surrounded by pleas
ant friends and by comfortable things
live respectfully and at the same tim
avoid the world great stress of sin ant
trouble because it is too much pain t.
bear tiff this is our definition o
Christianity, surely we are long wa.
from following the steps Of him VIII
trod the way with groans and tears an,
sobs of anguish for lost humanity
who sweat, as it were, great drops O
blood; who cried out on the upreare
cross, MY God, my God, why hast tho,
forsaken me2'
care we ready to make and live
new discipleship? Are we ready to re
consider our definition Of a Christian
What is it to be Christian? It is t
initiate Jesus. It is to do as he woul
do. It is to walk in his steps,
When Henry Maxwell finished hi
sermon, he paused and looked at III