The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-04
| He MANAGES MISSIONS
General Superintendent of a
Large Organization Here.
breaches TO BAPTISTS
Rev. N. B. Rairdau OF Omaha Occupies
the Pulpit at the Baptist Church
Line Between Spiritual
and Worldly Life.

Last evening at the Baptist church
N. B. Rairden of Omaha, Neb., who is
general superintendent of the American
Baptist Home Mission society, preached
in the place of Rev. J. A. Jenkins, the
pastor.
Having been introduced by Mr.. Jen-
kins, Mr.. Rairden, in his Introductory
remarks, described in part the work of
the society. This society is expending
over $125,000 per year in aiding more
than 500 churches and in opening new
fields.
Romans, 1879, was chosen by Mr.
Rairden as his test: And be not con-
formed to this world but be We trans
formed by the renewing of your minds,
that ye may prove what is good and ac-
ceptable and perfect will of God
He said in part: Some years ago
an unbeliever said Give me 10 years to
speak, and show the Inconsistencies of
Christianity and in that time you can
not find one intelligent person who will
declare his belief in God. He has had
his 10 years and more. and has sought
to throw reproach on the Bible, but
never before has there been so many
Cii stS to-udy. LIZ 1lpl
at these idle threats Christians of to-
day; they are but the dashings of tiny
waves against a Gibraltar of strength,
and are hurled back-lost and broken,
never to be seen again.
IF ever l tremble for the future of
a church, it is when the line of sepa-
ration between Christian lives and the
life of the world, becomes dim and is
eradicated. Then will it's power cease
to be exercised l1DOn the world
BE not conformed to this world
but be transformed, by the re-
newing of your minds First you will
notice this warning. Websters defini-
ton of Transformed is changed The
idea is that the Christian man has a
changed heart, life, nature and
thoughts. The Christian ought not to
confound his thoughts with those of the
world, for thought is embryotic action.
When / raise my arm, it is but the
outward expression of thought. Be
careful, therefore of your thoughts, for
worldly thoughts bring on worldly ac-
tions and lives. We need to feed the
mind on that which will lead to a
Christian life, You will not find this
food in the daily papers nor in trashy
literature.
THE second clause of our text is BE
we transformed What does it mean?
When the Christian experiences the
blessing of divine grace, he crosses the
line of worldliness and leaves 1t be-
hind. This does not mean be We re-
formed Reformation is not deep
enough, for Transformed means a new
life
THE third view of our text is to show
the purpose of this transformation In
the early days of Christianity, the re-
ligion was despised and scorned. How
shall the church, so weak and tremb-
ling, make Rome shake to its founda-
tions?' The truth of Christianity was
proved by the transformed lives of
Christians. This proved it to be di-
vine reality and not the fraud, as
charged by the believers. On all
sides are arguments. both written and
spoken, tending to prove the reliability
of Christianity. Yes, but the world does
not need paper arguments, but the ar
guments of changed life.
IF the lives of progressing Christians
are not changed, scoffers will say that
the religion is no good. The proof is
in the tests of life, and these will con-
vince the most unruly minds, where all
other arguments fail"