The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-03-14
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J suicide<9ecause Jl.eg Cannot i.nd Il. Saa
you say that tllsis is none Of yoUr ny'si-
ness? Let each l2;.l: look afftez lil2aseif
Wouh; Il ret be sis.1:e. 5ii3sii1,..2l yo1:, that
If ever. Christian in America cid as
Jes1ls woali Go sceie1v itself. the b0si-
ness wo-ld-yes. tie ver.:- political sys-
TEN under waich OF. commercial ana
governmental activity Is carried Oh
would be so changed that halnan suttiier-
ins would be reduced to g minimum?
| .tWhat would be the result if all the
church members Of this city tried to Go
as Jesus would do? 1t is not possible to
say in detail what the effect would be,
but it is easy to say, and it is true, that
instantly the human problem would be-
gin to find an adequate answer.
s.What is the test Of Christian dlscl-
pleship? Is it not the same as IN Christ S
own lifetime9 Have our surroundings
modified or changed the test? If Jesus
were here today, would he not call ~ome
of the members of this very chI-ch to
do lust what he commanded the young
man and ask him to give up his wealth
and literally follow him9 l believe he
would do that if he felt certain that
any church member thought more Of
his possessions than Of his Saviour. The
test would be the same today as then.
l believe Jesus would demand, he does
demand now, as close following, as
much suffering. as great self denial, as
when he lived in person on the earth
and said Except man renounceth all
that he hath. he cannot be my disciple
that is. unless be is willing to do 1t
for my sake he cannot be my disciple
What would be the result if in this
city every church member should begin
to Go as jesus would DO? 1t is not easy
to 90 into details Of the result. but We
all know that certain things would be
impossible that are now practiced by
church members. What would jesus co
in the matter OF wealth? Ecv.: would
he spend it? What principle would reg
ulate his use Of nloney? WoUld be he
likely to live in great luxury and spero
ten times as muca on personal aGorl:-
ment and entertainment as lie soc'2s 10
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 disGeputa5ie
property or even from tenement prop
erty that was so Constructed ti:at The
inmates had no such thing IS home
and no such possibility as privacy o.
cleanliness
s'What would Jesus &C a5o:et Che
great army OF unemployed and des.22:-
ate who tramp the streets ard c,e.GSe
the church OF are Indifferent 10 it. lost
in the bitter struggle for the breed thas
tastes bitter when il is earned. OF &C
coant OF the desperate conflict 70 get II J:
Wocid jesus care nothing fo- them ::
Noeld he 90 his way III colii1s 1s-s':.:.-';ss ave
ease and comfort: Would he say It w&&s
uone OF his business? Mo9ld he excuse
himself from III responsibility to remove
tie causes OF sg7t.1 q condition:
'.N hat wo1.lG .Jes,1s 60 ii the center
of a civilization that hprries so last
after money that the very girls en-
ploved in great business horses>ace not
paid enough 10 kee1, soul ard body to-
gether without fearful temptations, SO
great that scores CT them fall ard are
swept over the ezeSit boiling abyss:
where the demands OF trade sacrifice
hundreds of lads in I; business that is-
nores all Christian duties toward them
in the way Of education and moral
training and personal affection? Would
Jesus if he We're here today, ;ss a part
of our age and commercial industry.
feel nothing, Go nothing. say nothing.
in the face OF these facts. which every
busine ,an znows2
s.N i would Jesus Go? Is not that
what the disciple ought to Go? Is he
not commanded to follow in his steps?
How much is TIE Christianity. CT the
age suffering for him? Is it deaying It
self at the cost of ease. comfort, l71z;;r,y.
elegance of living? What does the age
need more than personal sacrifica: Does
the church DO is duty il following
Jesus Wien it gives u lietle money to
establish missions CT relieve extreme
cases ef want. IS Il any sacrifice tol' 4
man who is worth $4,000. eco simply
to give $4,000 for some benevolent
Work? Is be not giving something that
costs him practically nothing 50 far as
any personal pain or suffering goes? 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?
ct is the personal element that
Christian discipleship needs to 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. 1t is the same path.
The call of this dying century and Of
the new one soon to be is called for a
co1l