The Washington times., 1902-05-19
MAY PROFESSIONS
HELD BY CHILDREN

CARRYING out combinations of capital and
labor which by their very vastness para
lyze all rivalry and destroy all compet-
! ton But make no mistake about their
motive. 1t is not philanthropic or COM
mercial or patriotic or monetary. They
are urged on by the love Of power. Power.
That is what all the world wants.
Nor is there anything strange or un-
natural here. Long ago the Almighty
Father planted this love of power in the
hearts of his children, and bade them
use it. BE fruitful and multiply and
replenish the earth and subdue 1t and
have dominion over the fish of the sea
and over the fowl of the air and over
been diligently trying to act UP to the
divine commission, and in accordance
with this he has bridged rivers, flung
stone walls against the inroads of the
sea, plowed that sea with his ships of
enormous dimensions and marvellous
speed; he has flashed his word across
continents and speaks in the ears of his
friend 1000 miles away; with his breath
he has brcathed on wax. and when he is
dead that word and accent will still
speak; he has harnessed the lightning to
his chariot. and it takes him whittier he
would. He reads the mysteries of the
stars and pierces the depths of the earth.
Truly. in all this, man has been full
filling the Magma Charta of humanity.
Special Kind of Power.
But this is not the power referred to
in the text. That was of a special kind
and given for a special purpose. 1t was
power from on high-that which was to
come upon men from the throne of God
as Gods one peculiar and personal gift
TO them. The meH spoken to needed this
power in all its fullness. They were on
the threshold of a mighty work, work
which would tax all their strength and try
their faith and patience beyond the limits
of human endurance. And so Christ going
away from them bids them wait for power
from on high.
"Christ's words had reference to the
twofold aspects of power:
Active. They were to do in a moral
world what man had for centuries been
doing in a physical. They were to pierce
mountains of unbeAef and fill up valleys
of sinful failure. Their sound was to go
into all the Garth, and their word into
the ends of the world; for this they would
need the courage of men who storm
citadels in the hail of lead
ut IA
antagonize devils and men. The time
would come when many of them would
lie in prison cell or on rack of torture.
There would come more than ever the de-
mGnd for power. Men have gone to GER
tain death on battlefelds who could not
lie in a dungeon without breaking down.
Thus in all the fullness of their need
comes the glorious promise of power.
How grandly the promise vas fulfilled we
all know There was never a failure
among them afterward. Sufferings and
death were the light affiiation of a mo-
ment.
Called Upon to *.
For US. too. the words of mingled COM
mand and promise are uttered. We are
called upon to work. The brotherhood
stands for that idea. eminently. too.
for the work of laymen. This day is a
day of the laity. Within a generation we
have seen a new conception arise in the
church. The passing of the priest has
been followed by the leadership OF
brother. Once the priest hurled his
thunderbolts on evil-doers. Then his IA
vorite text was. Whatsoever thou shalt
bind on earth shall he bound in heaven
Now sacred station Lo longer terrifes. |
1t lies before us like a spent cannon ball. |
But q new ideal has come.
THE effectiveness of the clergy Is Judged |
by the deserts they make to blossom as |
a rose. by the poor. the sick, the ignor- |
ant. the sinful. they help and reclaim. |
By thei- fruits men know them. So an
other text appears: 4 was sick and ye |
visited me- In this work of helpfulness |
and rescue the clergy are leaders. But |
a leader must have followers, and here, |
as in war. the men of the command are |
the real winners of the fght. o. men of |
the brotherhood. I congratulate you on |
the change.
"The mantle has fallen upon you. SOL
diers Of Christ arise and put your armor
on. Splendid are the victories before you.
More than tongue can describe are the
glories which shall be yours. Fight well.
Endure patiently. The one must go with
the other. Brave fighting with patient
thuui dHte. TIT lHe poWeT WHICH SnaI
ft you for this tarry in the city of Jerusa-
lem. Jerusalem is not far from every one
Of us. II is the shrine of every heart.
Sink upon your knees.
Hear the word of Christ: see the Wis
on of the most high come forth clothed
with power. A powerless Christian is
spent bullet. We need power. The church
needs II. Aye, and there is power there
atent in ourselves and latent in our
hurch. for it has been outpoured but often
eft unused May God grant that. rising
n this strength of God, we may go forth
and to couGuer"