Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-10-10
CHRISTIAN CULTURE

Following is the full text of sermon
On christian Culture" delivered by
The Rev. John Shape of Delaware
Avenue Baptist Church, last Sunday
September Goth;
land searched the Scriptures daily,
whether those things were 60 Acts,
II, IL.
The precocious piety Of the youth Of
George Eliot, Speaking of [
training of Fra Dominica, lHds and
striplinss were to have none but pure
words on their liTs; were to have a
zeal for unseen good that should put to |
shame the lukewarmness Of their e!dera, |
and we're TO know on bplea1ures save OF
an angelic sort--singirg divine praises
adm walking in white robes. y For a |
season the young people of Florence
conformed to this heavenly ideal. They
carried little red crosses and olive
wreaths wherever they went. They
sought out wicked follies only to de.
stroy them; attended great gatherings
only to be ius pired with an effusive
and emotional sentimertality searched
for their seniors only to lecture them
and caught the mistaken idea that pro.
cessionings and Conversations were OF
more value than life of practical con-
seoration to God and humanity. SavorN
narola stood it as long as he could and
then was constrained to say from his
pulpit: There is q little too much
shouting OF viva Gesu.' This con-
slant utteranoe OF sac=otf words brings
them into oontempk Let me have no
more of that, shouting till the next
FIESTA" ~
Two great conventions attended In
July. have brought home to me two
great ideas for October. One is This;
Every Young Peoples Society of every
church ought to be Young Peoples
Society Christian Endeavor, and for
| this reason: that there may be unity
| 10 the defence of the Gospel and unity
in the attack Of the enemy. The Young
Peoples Society Christian Endeavor is
the only organization on the earth to-
day that presents solid front to'the
enemy. The church does not, for it is
divided as never before into denomi-
nations and scattered organizations of
legionic name, SO that Gods work 10
done no longer in solid pbalanx and
united regiment, but in divided cont
panies. Not that | believe in eoclesi..
polity, and doctrine, and architecture,
and service Is not of half so much
value ms unity OF life. |, for one. be.
lieye that it was for this that the
Master prayed, when on that last night
before His crucifixion He prayed that
"they all might be one" Notipne in
form, but one in fact; not one in the
detail of polity, but one In the essen
tials of life mot preserving the bounds
of UNCONVENTIONAL courtesy with gush-
ing determination, but preserving the
unity OF the Spirit, in the bonds Of
peace. h" The Young Peoples Society
Christian Endeavor has In its hands
! the balance OF power Ia many COM
munityIin more ways than one. II II
would 1t could make the rum-ssller
quake and the politician take notice OF
. It at every election. II it would its
force and power could be nightly felt
! In the halls Of Congress, and in mu.
nicipal affairs. II it would, its in.
! fiuence among the lowly of earth q
, !, struggling CONS could be the cau1e oil
! rejoicing in many home and the basis
: OF eulogy in many city. speak il
: from my heart with fulHome fattery
r furtherest from my thoughts, when
/, say that Christian Endeavorers are the
mightiest factor for righteousness inside
the Christian church since Pentecost
For this reason and others ] say thai
I every Young Peoples Society in ever
! Baptist Church ought to be Younl
Peoples Society Christian Endeavor.
And the second idea that came to m,
Q in July, as a result of the two con
9 ventions was this: Every Baptist Youn,
!. Peoples Society in every church ough
4 to be SO interested 10 the one thin
9 that differentiates ii from every othe
Y society the:educational featur
Q that it will begin and diligently pur
! sue the Christian Culture courses. w
y are, as Baptist Young People, pioneer
y in this educational idea. Other societie
i of other denominations have initiate
it and In this we rejoice. For ten year
/ we have been prosecuting it with com
= mendable diligence, and gratifYin
~ success.
70 For one believe 1t Ia about time v
j. ceased marking time and get to worl
We have in all our meetings too muo
q ELUSIVE sentimentality. Emotions
- Christianity that is all emotion SAITH
" fies only for time; bed rock stabilit
= is possible only when there is bed ioc
y faith. In the kingdom of God thel
d Is no excuse for either laziness
ignorance. An ignorant man may /
~ of great service to God, but never VI /
In Is ignorant Of God. 1t is when v
Of know the truth that the truth max,
sn us free. ask you, my people, II ii
he arraignment am about to make is q,
D. true. i say We come to church ar
u prayermeeting and too often go hom
tie with only our emotions stirred, bi
be without any deep settled convictions
be to faith and intelligent duty. We
pend on experience more than stud,
g. on feeling more than faith; on sent
OF mentality rather than on the instr
n mentality of the Spirit and the Wor
re- Is this not so? II it is, is it iights |
We grow as 1t is our right and dut
he You are Obliged to answer, No. Shs
Ter we. continue ins this way, orSmake
ire honest effort to become worthy workm
el- In the field of God needing not to
pie ashamed. rightly divining the Word
d truthf And l think hear you 8
he "we'll welcome any movement that
90 have found the idea. 1t Ia to adopt t
he Q. @. o. and faithfully carry it OF
ing This mornings sermon is an explsnati
oh of the plan Of study. AH
lcn O. @. C.-What does it mean? W
the first "Cn stands for very 1
ter portant word the word Christian.
M /. Christian Many have been /
cry plans and organizations for culture
a general way, but II was reserved
py Christianity to advance the idea
lille "Chrtapoua,, moyamant nd
,ial obiect tha incuIcation of' the nr;nni,,
Of knowledge of secular thinRs, the
| vanNamaut 0f yaup0 paarla In tha ~,