Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-02-17
THE CRUC|F|X|0N
OF PHILIP STRONG.
By REV CHARLES M. SHELDON,
Author of "In "Maom Kirk "Robt
Hardy's Days." Etc

not be any better until many. many OF
the protesting Christians In this town
and In Calvary church are willing to
leave. actually to leave their beautiful
homes and spend the money they now
spend in luxuries for the good Of the
weak and poor and sinful"
"Do you think Christ would preach
that if he were in Milton?"
81 do. 1t has been burned into me
that he would. believe he would say
to the members Of Calvary church: If
any man love houses and money and
society and power and position more
than me. he cannot be my disciple. If
any man renounceth not all that he
hath. he cannot be my disciple And
then he would test the entire church
by it's willingness to renounce all these
physical things. And If he found the
members willing. If he found that they
loved him more than the money or the
power. he might not demand a literal
giving up. But he would say to them,
Take my money and my power, for 1t
Is all mine. and use them for the build
ing up of my kingdom He would not
then perhaps command them to leave
literally their beautiful surroundings.
But. then. In some cases l believe he
would. Oh. yes! Sacrifice, sacrifice!
What does the church in America in
this age of the world know about 1t?
How much do church members give Of
themselves nowadays to the Master?
That is what we need-self. the souls
of men and women. the living sacri-
fees for these lost children down yon-
der! D God. to think Of what Christ
gave up! And then to think Of how
little his church is doing to obey his
last command to 60 and disciple the
nationsw
Philip vert back through the av-
enue on which the churches stood.
When he reached Calvary church, he
went up on the steps. and, obeying an
instant impulse. he kneeled down on
the upper step and prayed. Great
sobs shook him. They were sobs with
out tears-sobs that were articulate
here and there with groans Of anguish
and desire. He prayed for his loved
church. for the wretched beings in the
hell Of torment. without God and with
out hope in the world. for the spirit
Christ to come again into the heart q
the church and teach it the meanin:
and extent Of sacrifice.
When the eventful Sunday came Ii
faced the usual immense concourSc
He did not come out of the little room
until the last moment. When he final
ly appeared. his face bore marks Of
tears. At last they had flowed as re-
lief to his burden. and he gave the peo-
pie his message with courage and q
peace and love born of direct COM
munion with the Spirit of Truth.
AS he went on people began to listen
in amaZcment. He had begun by Civ
ing them i statement Of facts concern
ing the sinful. needy. desperate con-
dition Of life in the place. He then
rapidly S!;ctchcd the contrast between
the surroundings Of the Christian and
mont Christian people. between the
worknguIrn and the church members.
"DiScipleS of Jesus" he exclaimed,
1.-THE time has come when or Master
demands of us some token of our dis
cipleShip greater than the giving Of
little money or the giving Of Il little
work and time to the solution Of the
great problem of modern society and
Of our own city. The time has come
when we must give ourselves. The
time has come when we must re.
nouncc. if it is best. if Christ asks 1t.
the things we have so long counted
dear-the money. the luxury. the
houscs-and go down into the tenc.
ment district. to live there and work
there with the people. | do not wish
to be misunderstood here. do not be-
lieve our modern civilization is an alb
surdity. 1 do not believe Christ if he
were here today would demand Of us
foolish things. But this | do believe
he would reQuire-ourselves. We must
give ourselves in some way that Will
mean real. genuine. downright and de-
cided self sacrifice. If Christ were
lere he would say to some of you, as
le said to the young man, Sell all you
have and give to the poor, and come.
follow me- And if you were unwill-
ing to do it he would say you could not
be his disciples. The test of disciple
ship is the same now as then; the price
is no less on account Of the lapse Of
1000 years. Eternal life is something
which has only one price, and that is
the same always. Members Of Calvary
church, | solcmnly believe the time
has come when it is our duty to 90 into
the tenement district and redeem it by
the power Of personal sacrifice and
personal presence. Nothing less will
answer To accomplish this great task,
to bring back to God this great part Of
his kingdom, l believe we ought to
spend our time, our money, ourselves.
1t is sin for us 10 live at our pleasant
ease, in enjoyment Of all good things,
while men and women and children by
the thousand are dying, body and soul,
before our very eyes in need Of the