The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-30
An Excellent Impression Made Upon
the Congregation at the First
Service.
SERVICES AT OTHER CHURCHES
REV. WORTH II. TIPPN AT THE
BROADWAY METHODIST.
He Succeeds Rev. Charles w. TinsIey
der at MadIsOn-Ayenue Church.

u ~ ttN
Church. was greeted by an exceptionally
large congregation yesterday morning, the
| occasion of his first sermon in this city.
The quartet choir of the church., augment
ed by a large chorus. rendered an admir-
able musical programme and ably assisted
the congregations singing.
Mr.. Stansield is a young man, devoid Of
striking personal characteristics, but he
had not proceeded far with his discourse
until it became evident that he possesses
many of the gifts of oratory. His polished
diction and unusual mode of expression
compel attention and arouse keen interest.
The morning sermon yesterday was based
on two texts, Revelation xiii, s: And
all that dwell upon the earth shall worship
him. whose names are not written in the
book of life of the Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world" and / Peter L.,
20: who verify was foreordained before
the foundation of the world, but was mani
fest in these last times for you Mr..
Stansfield spoke in part as follows, using
no manuscript:
There are two subjects upon a proper
understanding and appreciation of which.
no matter what grace and gifts a man
may have, depend his being called into
iilinlStiy III lilt CHuICH Dul Whatever Qudl-
ifcations a person may have, if he did not
have a personal knowledge of these sub
jects we think no church is justified in call
ing him into the ministry of the Word.
These two subjects are Christology and
humanology-a knowledge of Jesus Christ
the Son of God and a knowledge of human
nature. Many men have failed in the
ministry because they did not know men,
,-I +H~o 80 -, - 4~,o f. A.
ministry without there shall be a knowledge
of human nature. That paradoxical, most
paradoxical of things in all Iife-there are
persons who have failed because they have
not known Christ, and let me say in pass
ing that no man can understand human
nature except in the light of the perfect
man, the Goldman, Jesus. If it be true,
as already stated, that Jesus is the God
man, the perfect man, then in the knowl-
edge of Christ we get the truest knowledge
of human nature. 1t is sometimes said
and much emphasis has been placed on this
in the church, that Jesus Christ came to
reveal the Father. | do not think that too
much emphasis can be placed on that, but
i do believe that the church has not nearly
emphasized as she ought to have done that
Jesus Christ came to reveal the Son or the
sons OF the Father.
GLORY OF REVELATION.
cit is the glory of the revelation by
| Jesus Christ that He showed the dignity
II VI AaAAAa AAoNaAS 80 AO III ~ 49,"
| We nave a knowledge of the sinfulness of
man from his structure, and 1 presume it
was necessary that that truth should be
emphasized as it is in the Word of God.
but 1 think the glory of the divine revela-
ton is that it has not alone pointed out
the exceeding si~nfulness of man, what the
Word speaks of as the fall of human ma
| ture, not alone that. but the glory of reve-
lation is that it has pointed out the pos
sibilities OF human nature, the dignity of
man, the grandeur of the human family
So near is brightness to our dust, so near
Is God to man!
you can never understand Jesus Christ
by looking at Him from the highest moral
eminence. You can only understand Him
fully by looking at Him from the depths
of human need. 1t is only when the soul is
conscious OF its failure, Notwithstanding
its ambitions. its hope and aims, ii is only
when the soul Is conscious of its own
weakness and littleness that it begins to
appreciate the fact that there is come from
the Divine a person that comes so near to
Him that He is a part of Him. He came not
TO cali the righteous. There is a sense i'm
which there are people in the world that
Jesus Christ can have no mission to. He
came to call sinners, and His great, grand,
glorious divine life is only TO be appre-
ciated and understood when men who have
had high thoughts and worthy aspirations
and noble ambitions and grand desires
have felt themselves somehow down again
in the dirt and dust and way beneath
L lit CHI UU0HISIdHU
the coming of the Goldman.
1T ought to be understood. brothers. that
sin was no surprise to God. The redemp-
ton Of the world from sin was no after
thought brought in by mans apostacy and
shame. but rather. "a the text af4rms. this
redemption of the sinner was an eternal
provision. the Lamb slain from the foun-
datiOn of the world 1t is like this: God.
having made man the very best that infinite
wisdom and love and power could produce.
made also eternal provision for the failure
of that grand, noble human nature. Ii is
this: zoe love Is mightier than mans
mistake and sin; Gods mercy and purpose
are not to be baffied by the downfall or the
failure OF this man or of this race. The
purpose of God holdeth true. and in this
sense also we may say the Lord knoweth
them that are His and the great Eternal
One is more than providence. more than
creator, more than ruler. more than king
He is the Father of our spirits. and, al
though there may have been sin and fail
ure and loss and shame. Gods purpose for
His child holds true. and because of that
eternal purpose Coo made eternal provi-
sion and the Lamb was no afterthought.
but a grand eternal provision for This
worlds need. SO that the Lamb was slain
from the foundation of the world. q = "
THE ORGANIZED CHURCH.
Il am not disposed for one moment 10
question the right of the organized church
to symbolic the forgiveness of sins in her
grand ordinances instituted by Jesus
| Christ: certainly not. but, my dear broth
i efS, III Is a Shame IL we Sndll allow any rit-
ualistic teaching or any erroneous views to
rob us OF the great, grand, central truth
that Jesus brings before us. What He
says is this-that il is possible for men 10
forgive sins. il is possible for men TO retain
sins, il is possible for men to have judg-
ment committed 10 them and to Judge wise
~ and rightly. How L. IL that that Young
woman who went to stay in yon commun-
ity some years ago has never got back
into respectable life? You retained her
sins and they were retained unto her II
ans most unrelenting Nemesis. Is her own
sister. but IL is true.
How was il that that young man who
went astray ard was known to have gone
astray did not get back To you and went
further down. DOWN. How is il? II was
easy down there. easier than back here. n
ought not 10 be. IL is not i'm the power OF
man To forgive sins. Il is not in the power
/ of man TO deal graCiously. no. no. We
of things. but Jesus Christ 'breathes upon
them. DO you hear Him saying. Be 10
perfect as your Father I'm heaven is Der-
feCt2 Your Father sends His rain and SIM
shine upon the just and upon the unjust
He is kind and considerable and attentive 10
all. BE We perfect as your Father i'm heaven
Is perfect Is IL IMPOSSIBLE / believe it
down there-but il * not impossible on the
Christ platform. il is not impossible in the
said. Receive ye the Holy Ghost And
speaking this same matter on another oc-
casiOn. and emphasizing this truth. lie
said. We shall receive power after the Holy
| Ghost has come upon you.
Brothers. that which is impossible To