Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-02-12
STORY OF THE CROSS.
EngagingIy Told at the Methodist
Church by EVangeIists
Kerr and Johns.
LARGE CONGREGATIONS ADDRESSED

1
Harper DEMONSTRATING Capacity of the
| Church Taxed at the Evening Service =
Practical and stirring Talks and Impress
sIve singing.
| A large congregation assembled al
the Methodist church Yesterday al
| 1915 TO listen to the story of the
cross as told by Evangeli>ts Kerr and
Johns. And from the breathless at
tentiOn they gave to that story as
told in sermon and in song. it was
evident that something more than
curiosity prompted the gathering.
| The evangelists rendered with
ing for the Promise.' After this
and the usual preliminary services,
which were abridged. Evangelist Kerr
plunged at once into the very center
of his great theme, The Church of PEN
tecost." He said we see frequently
the corner stone OF a church bearing
the in >cri ption the first church of --
denomination. Could we have seen
the inscription of the organization
forming at the time the apostles
started the great gospel propaganda
in Jerusalem, it would have been the
first church of Pentecost. He said
that church was a waiting church.
They waited on the Lord and for the
coming of the Lord in the eNtraordi-
nary manner promised 1t was ap-
parently loss of time for them TO so
wait, for the world was perishing.
even those they most tenderly loved.
They might have been anxious to get
at their great work at once. But they
had not vet received full instruction
and equipment for their mission.
They Await the Answer.
a person would be foolish to ring
on. up on the telephone and then
| ave before the answer came. They
could do nothing until the answer for
which they waited came. The sequel
proved the wisdom of that course
they had something to wait for. When
it came they told a story that greatly
angered the people. Peter was ar
rested. put in Jail, bound and kept
between soldiers. But the power
for which he waited brought him
out and set him about his
work. Nothing could stand before
them with this power. That for
which they waited and received we
may wait for and receive. He said
that one OF their meetings showed an
altar full OF penitcnts on a Sabbath
evening. 1t came out that an aged
man said he had been awak the
night before at midnight and prayed
the remainder Of the night. The Sab
bath evening scene was the answer. 1t
was also witnessing church. 1t was
not a church of sponges. receiving and
giving forth nothing. They had free
And il was witness OF Il right
kind. He told of an old lady who was
really godly woman, who had testi-
fed 100 times in his hearing that she
had made many crooked paths and
wanted all to pray for her that she
NJ ight be faithful. God does not want
His people to make crooked paths.
but straight ones for their feet. And
another spoke of being off and on for
% years and more of than on. What
is needed is an en- bodiment of the
gospel that will show the world that
it can do what it promises it can do.
lie called specimen witnesses from
the Holy Scriptures to show the kind
of witness the Christian should bear.
Paul being called, testified, Il know
whom / have believed, and am per-
suaded that He is able to keep that
which | have committed unto Him
against that day" Peter, asked to
take the stand. said, Whom having
not seen, we love; in Whom, though
now we see Him not, vet believing,
we rejoice with JOY unspeakable and
ftfl Of rrlnru - philfn "a nuonCral-
ist, testified, lie that belicveth on
me, as the scriptures hath said, cut
of his Utmost being shall flow
rivers of living water" James said,
Pure religion and undefiled before
God and the Father is this, to visit
the fatherless and widows IN their
affection, and TO keep himself I'M
spotted from the world" John, the
apostle of love, said, Beloved. now
are we the sons of God, and it doth
not vet appear what we shall be; bat
we know that when He shall appear
we shall be like Him; for we shall see
Him as He is These are model
testimonies for all the followers OF
God. \ little boy wanted to he an
artist and vet made such poor pro-
gress in drawing that he had to write
under his picture, this is a horse. ="
What a sorry out one makes who
must say 10 the community in which
he lives. Il am Christian. =
4 Ei'Ied Church.
The third element in the church of
pentecost WAS it was filled church.
Not filled with pride, or unbelief, or
worldiiness. or criticism, but with the
Holy Spirit, and so with all the life,
and JOY and power inhering in that
spirit. And then came the practical
No one could have pen
tecostal goods short of pentecostal
prices. God would not give His di-
vine all TO us unless We give our hui
man all to Him. No one would think