The Atlanta constitution., 1900-08-27

= -------AF 1NAANA- august
Jenkins. preached an impressive dis
course on THE Chief Mission Of the
Church" Everyone who heard the ser
mon was dseHly impressed with both its
clOGuence and logic. Said he:
Il bring you this morning a sermon out
OF my usual line. dare not hope TO in
/, tercst YOU IN the subject as 1 am inter
ested in It, Indeed I fear 1 shaE bore
many Of yOu before l am through. But
Wn1t l give you has been studied care
fully and long. IL II does not succeed in
interesting you. especially this morning,
hope the line OF thought will continue 10
work out In our church life and work.
and thus benefit where it fails 10 inter-
est NIy text Il:
Even so Il iS not the will OF your Fa-
ther. which = IN heaven. that one OF these
little ones should perish" Matthew xviii.
Il
This text in its most obvious meaning
and most evident application. speaks A
stirring message 10 the church Of today.
! shall not take time 70 discuss any other
meaning or Application This one is alto
Eeth"r too large for the limits II ser
mon.
We are here told that 4 Is not the viii
Of God that a single child Of the human
race should fail of his highest possible
destiny II such a calamity should take
place; = one child should so through
evil ways TO ruin. Il is contrary 10 the
vii ~ CiuI and the reason must b. sought
lsewhere than in Ills mind and heart.
Eut We are compelled to know that
MANY a little one has failed Of his high
est destiny anI gone through wicked
WIS ius1 Wrctcleintss- l am not now
trying u scale the heights OF eschatolo-
Ey o. declare what shall be IN the hercat-
tsr- I aIa speaking this morning Of ruIa
th1t Is evident and final. 50 FAR you
ard I cLu see
We see children born in the slums. liv-
ing in the sums aud DYING IN blighied
manhood ami woruauhoud in the same
flth auI moral derredatiOn. They have
never hccn conscious ~ purity or felt an
aspiration after holiness They were al
v4ys lu-t. because M one ever found
chem. Yet Cod was not willing that one
~ theru should perish.
We see children born In the homes Of
asi-u.nee. with tire brightest possibilities
L.flre them. living their years IN moral
rfrury. th-ir oil age u wretchesiness and
tlklur tleir final ieap into eternity with
out "a si-u n having either Cod or hope
Y.- CsrI vas not willing that one OF them
st .uI perish
". sae children II the church. even
tr-- frtr the fami 'es ~ church members.
.---rTr- loose fu their middle teens from
church ami Sunday school. living worldly
rv.= of an Grades. from moral respecta-
lv--v t1 Fas- fvel immortality. and end
f-- -rti- lives on no higher "A plane and
vrf.h nl apparent higher desire Yet God
WAS un- willing that one y them should
perish.
r.l has made provision IN the gospel
or thr salvation of all He has given
Frs- SON o. lie FOR NJ: lis spirit - he
-.-r giving force for az. Ills invitation
r~F promises for all In fact He boldly
.-.,-..ur.s the world to show what more
rs could have Joue. that every vine In
--f- SON O. dc for al. Ills spirit % be
-.--e-r sweetest. eompletest fruitage-
Yer many. many perish before the eyes
r rFfr commissioned church
Wherever ICES the fault. I would not for
q -7-rsr.t suggest that the church Of
Crl has feen a failure Modern civil
t-,-t~, ts too vast. too mighty. too Won
Fs-frI AMI too evidently the product OF
the gospel through the work OF the
church f1r me 20 speak ~ failure. But
ver rs not SIS vastuess vastcr. its might
-r-fa-. its wouLerfulnsss more won
-a--gr f-z Success more complete. Why
has -.at tha church won the whole world
rs r.-f-tian civilization in its nineteen
r.---rt.s of activity Why does not the
L-.u....a. ~ the Lord M he earth today
as tra waters cover tho seasE
Tr. FsuIr IS rot IN tile viii OF God, nor
vl--rr that any should perish Ine
tr--- must lie in the agents 10 whom HIS
r.r--.-.- and rcwer are committed
rr. method uf the Gospel IS made very
r-r.- 'r tie New Testament. when Goa
would r.v. VS. complete savior. the
Infinite word. because fiesh anu blooi
r1a.- among US The love and the
tr ot God. found gheir channel
--.-1h "a perfect specimen Of humanity
-H-..-h Jesus Cf IialIl-e. II him We
tl the heltlng heart q wonderful
f--1 M the might of Goo
Ia every heart when God would give
us H.s Book holy men - God spaEe rs
re.v were moved by the Holy oilt-A-
Ir--ls All divine thus passed in'o hu-
E.-.u l-.u.lAEs lEl'l were measures ~ 49,
u.au urIe-staudlng-
a-G when cod would carry on H's
ua-E iu the world. lie did not summon
d band OF angels and commission theHi
-r .s 10 the earth and preach the f.ad
--.--s of saIvation with ma!chiess e-'-
H. chose humble fishermen and exait-
ID --..-- minds and souls for noble
-r-- Ve chose the proud Pharise.
.r Trr--- and e1.sfuti his pride uutil
l.. --lat mind and rugged soul took N
che implicitly 10 the Worl4-WiNe s''P-l-
E.- Eas chosen meu and women "- every
r.a-a+srr aud sent His II ssage tAroush
tre gone through human soul On Us
-- -r another human soul The E9~-
r r-.s ur- fau from Heaven thr0l-h
r .1- into the hearts of sinners. Inc
r-..- spirit does not drop through space
q. r .m "a soul for Gods own The Cos
r-r .ss through a human life 20 save
a-r.isr human life. aud the Holy SpiTl'
r- with 90 by the same route
-trl -urh1ritv hath been given unto
-. iu heaven and on earth Go ye there
FH-- and make disciples of all the nations
sand Io. 7 am with YOU alway-
Ttr- fs the commission not to angels.
hu. -1 mon. You Christians Of the church
rr God must make every disciple that
shall ever walk the earth or enter the
service % Col here "All authority can
MT weaken. and the promise 10 b. always
with Won clunot fail Failure or fauit
u-s- d. tn tie commissioned agent. II at
au
70 o. not my purpose this morning TO
discuss AL the phA scs Of the great COM
n .sten ~ the church. hut what consider
ftr chief phase In this commission y the
divine command 10 the church 10 siNe
o.. children ~ our race The chufch
must never rsst until Il IS filed with pow
r- -l f1 g. ans has found effectuai rieth-
o.f- % apply that power Tor the Hesilei
rre-1-t
suffer the little children u come uh-
O. me and forbid them not has come
rir-ius down the centuries from the Aps
.r f-r-.-. Is .ezauea Xas in the Diu