Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-10-14

pensable But the solitary require
ment for reaching the people is in the
last analysis a spirit filled church
membership initiating the example of
| Christ.
In line with this teaching let US in
quire how THIS shall be accomplished?
What is Christ's message to the COM
mon people? What is his care for the
social ills OF our time? In the first
place Christ put new value upon men.
History is our witness that the ancient
empires of the East were wanting in
reverence for humanity and the sacred
ness of human life. The Egyptians
and Babylonians despised the COM
mon people, reduced them to con-
dition of slavery, deprived them of
| the profits of their labor and threw
away their lives as though they had
no personal worth. The Hindoo moth
err sacrificed her infants and Thoughts
she did an act Of worship. The an
cient Greeks exposed their unpromis-
ing babes upon the mountain tops and
left them to perish of starvation and
cold. The Roman mobiles threw slaves
into the Jaws of a pet crocodile for
| amusement. But a greast change took
plact at
The Coming of Christ
,Inen our Lord appeared among the
diversified peoples Of Palestine, he re-
fused the titles the state would confer
, upon him; he passed by the wealth
men held out in prospect before him;
he spurned the social position to which
the aristocracy invited him. He pro-
claimed hemself the son OF man, the
friend of sinners. and taught that God
cares for all men. and that all men
Lave an equal right to eternal life
through faith in Him This teaching
gave a new value to men. 1t wrought
revolution.
Why does China see a thousand peo-
pie perish with less concern than We
would see a score? Why was life
squandered in India before the English
invasion, as though it were worth
less thing? Why do we raise famine
fund; a flood fund; a cyclone fund?
Why do we sacrifice our citizens for
oppressed Cubans and half civilized
tilipinos? Why do we SO value man
that we aim to secure to every one
the reward of his labor? Because
Christ taught that man is an immortal
soul. destined to eternal life, and is
worth saving.
Now the church must reaffirm this
truth to-day. A few years ago a con-
verified gambler, in London, was telling
the story of his conversion in revival
meeting. Some one asked him, what
led him to reform. He replied, "One
day Lord SALISBURY took me by the
hand and said" Jack there is hope
for you yet In these days of inven-
ton, and combinations, and social pre-
ferment, it is the imperative duty of
the church to make the common man
feel that "a mans man for all that
created in the image of God, joint heir
with Christ. to an inheritance that is
incompatible, course of life that
fadeth not away.
Then again
Christ IdentiRed Himself
with the lot and life of man in a way
that makes him akin to all men.
There are mighty forces at work in
the world which cause division of So
ciety. They are caste rank, blood
wealth culture,-a thousand forces,
that make men of the same race. the
same language, and the same religion
feel as if they were divided into null
ttude of cliques, classes. and sects.
Especially is this true of the religious
of the East. The most powerful char
acteristic of the religions of India.
China, and Japan is their system of
caste. They draw impossible lines be-
tween people of the same race, living
under the same law.
Now the religion of Christ is the only
religion that has succeeded in oblitera-
ting the lines of distinction that sepa-
rate class from class. Jesus not only
came into human flesh, he Unidentified
himself with the lot and life of man.
kind. in way that changed mans,
| thought of himself, his God, and his
fellowmen. He ate with publicans and
sinners. He was a guest in the house
OF Zaccheus, the despised tax-gatherer.
The poor touched him with their pow
erty, the leper with his disease, the sin
ner with his sins. The effect of his
actions changed man from within
Christ made man feel that they were
akin to him. and hence akin to their
felowmen. He was a thorough going
iconoclast. The distinctions of race
persisted before him. He spoke and
humanity stood forth as one brother
hood.
The Message of Christ
to the world and consequently the mes
sage of the church which is Christs
representative in personal contact