The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-08
PRAYER FOR THE ORIENT.
The Rev. Wallace RadcItffe Asks Di-
vine Blessing on tbtua.

| vine blessing on China.
! Rev. Wallace Radcliffe, pastor of the
| New York Avenue Presbyterian Church.
in his opening prayer at yesterday morn
ing's services. touched on present condi-
| tons in the Far East. He asked divine
blessing on China, and said: "Give the
open door to the word of the Lord, and
to that land speedily bring the glory CT
thy name and the power of thy love"
| DR.. Radcliffe took the text for his sermon
from the twelfth verse of the fourteenth
chapter of the Book of Ecclesiasties,
which says: "a threefold cord is not
quickly broken
In the course of his sermon and DWELL
ing on the Significance of the number 8,
DR.. Radcliffe said: THE Jews of old re-
garded the number 3 as a mysterious num-
be-. In the early ages the Christians re-
garded it as a sacred number. And now,
regarding the elements, we speak of air.
water, and land; the sun, the moon, and
the stars, and looking upon ourselves, we
speak of body, soul, and spirit; infancy,
youth, and age; We stimulate our patriot
ism by the red, white. and blue, and en-
tering into the highest mystery of our
religion, the number has its representa-
ton in the divine trinity, in the Father,
tHe Son, ana the Holy Spirit.
Speaking of our duties toward the
church, DR.. Radcliffe said: The frst Sab
bath in October is used as yearly sum
mons to watchfulness and prayer" and
again recurring to the mystic number,
continued: In our church life we reeog-
nize the trinity-home, school, and church.
Inc home is school, the school is a
nome, and both are essential in The foun-
dalton of the church. 1t is an unintelli-
gibIe Christianity which loses sight of
this important factor in our church The
foundation of the church is not t. be found
in the New Testament, as many religious
bodies teach. 1t is founded in the Abra-
manic covenant. There is the beginning
OF the church. This truth is almost en-
tireiy lost sight OF. There are churches
today that have built themselves up on
the individual There are great churches
recognizing only the individual, individ-
ual authority and guidance, which is not
according to the Abrahamic covenant
whose teachings are founded on the fami-
~ system. The pew idea is en- idea from
the Abrahamic covenant. The family pew
mas its rightful existence, founded on ira
dition, and its significance is obvious II
is for the household, for the family to
come together and worship together in
the family pew. On this systematic idea
OF family units the church is built The
synagogue was a bible school and Abra-
ham was the first Sunday School teacher"
Speaking of the education of children
of Presbyterian parents, Dr. Radcliffe
said: 1T is something that your child is
at school, it is more that your child goes
TO school of your own religious belief
we PresbyterfanS are accused of denoIni-
natlonalism; that we do not care to dis
cuss even matters pertaining to the re-
hgious education of our children, and now
We are reaping the reward. II we have
any right of existence, let us preserve the
right; If we have no right, let us dissolve
therefore, we summon you to bring up
your children in your own faith; let US es-
tabiish schools and paper and promul-
gate and .each our ideas and religious
conviction. In the church there is a
three-fold cord that cannot be broken
and We will call the strands of it, pains,
push, and prayers. In these days of riv-
airy, energy tells; have pains to do the
right; push ahead In the right path, and
pray not to swerYe from it. Our tendency
is to lassitude. The principles of the
church's business, If carried into daily
life, would often mean bankruptcy. II we
would attend to our private affairs as we
attend TO the affairs of the Lords house
the sheriff would soon put US out on the
sidewalk, with no roof to sleep under"
Further referring to the church. DR..
Radcliffe said its three-fold cord is faith,
hope. and charity. He said: The Chris
tian life is eminentiy q life of faith. II
the church has a right TO exist, it exists
because We have faith in God. We are
Gods word We are seeking
to bring to the world the power and beau
ty of Gods works. Faith. not only in
God, but also in man. Our age is criti-
cal. We think We know our fellow-men.
We teach ourselves skepticism. After all.
it is only one side of him we know. At
ter all, man is the best creature of God.
After all. this man, proud as he may be.
most lowly or debased as he may be, has 1
in him the possibilities of divine intel
lect. Faith in man that can work with
him in his weakness; that can preach to
him in his possibilities. Faith in God. in
man, and in ourselves. Sometimes people
are too humble It would be good thing
for many man If he had good opinion
OF himself