The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-08-25
TWENTIETH
CENTURY
CHURCH
Opening Sermon by New Pastor
Of Plymouth ChuTch--Fare-
we'll Of Rev. Mr.. Hous0.

began his pastorate there yesterday
morning. A good-sized congregation
turned out to welcome him to his new
| post. His sermon was upon the ''Twen-
| tieth Century Church
| He took as his text psalms xii. 81.
'They shall come and declare his right
| eousness."
| lie spoke as follows: ''The church OF the
| Goth century will be an organized spiri-
| tual force OF men and women redeemed
out OF "A world OF sin, freed from its spirit
| and life to work I'm world of sin 20
| rescue sinful men from its pollution and
| power. Sinners saved ny grace are uis-
| tees OF the gospel for the unsaved. The
| field OF the churchs work Is the world or
| humanity irrespective of differences OF
race. education. civilization and national
peculiarity.
"She Is a servant and not a master.
"She Is TO witness TO the truth as taught
| by Jesus Her righteousness is TO be
| distinguishing righteousness.
"She Is 10 be concerned with every
| phase OF human life. but must place en-
| phasis upon mans moral and spiritual
| needs
Men crave spiritual help ard uplift
| They cannot get away from the cravings
| OF the soul for the water and the bread
| OF life, because the soul was made ror
| God and can be satisfied With nothins
| else.
THE church is TO meet these cravings
| and so reveal and present God as TO
| satisfy them.
standing in this commercial age, alb
sorbed In It's material pursuits. the soul
| cries, Il perish with hunger Man can
not live by bread alone. The commercial.
the intellectual life do not satisfy him.
| God Is the felt need for man Is sp4Cit.
"All other needs are incidental and
| subordinate to his moral and spiritual
needs
| '.The church is to emphasize this truth
| and keep God In Christ before and among
men. God, as King. but the King Faith
| of US all
THE ETERNAL POWER
He is the eternal power that makes.
| now and evermere, for righteousness.
| He is the permanent life. the omnipo-
| tence OF love- the regenerative force that
10 saving the world, Is the assurance OF
| its renovation.
| bring what change II may; her mission IL
| TO save the world To that she must be
true. or fail But failure! There can be
none. Christ will not be repressed.
LAS Saviour. He is permanent until His
work as Saviour Is finished. This is the
hope of sinners This is the message OF
the Christian church. Jesus Christ can
and will save to the uttermost
THE church must be spectlist as the
cure OF souls. Her work Is distinctively
| moral, religious. spiritual-saving men TO
themselves and to God.
Her work is coextension with human
| sin.
She must not let fads OF creeds and
| doctrines and criticism turn her from
| It, She must give herself TO this one
work-the salvation Of the whole man.
Jesus bids her Bring him to Me- This
| Is her commission.
''The 10Th century church will empha-
size eternal truths and the Bible as
spiritual guide.
| Passing from an age Of criticism IL
will inaugurate constructive age and
| will be an evangelistic and ingathering
church with Pauline note and the power
of the Holy Spirit.
MEN want to hear that note and to feel
that power in our churches.
what they want they shall receive.
Personal work will be more charac-
| teristic Of the 10th century church than
| of this recent past In the recent past
| the church has worked through mass
| meetings.: IL will work through individ-
| uality--man for man.
The method win be changed and the
| results will be greater when each Chris
| tian will come and bring his neighbor
to Christ A burning passion for the
| salvation OF men, an earnest personal
seeking them-this is the need OF the
| hour
FAREWELL OF REV e. L. HOUSE.
There was a large attendance last even
Ing at the Richmond Street Congrega-
| tional church, when Rev. e. l.. House
preached his farewell sermon. He took
for his subject the life of Stephen.
| One of the brightest pictures I'm the
Testament. said the speaker. Is that OF
Stephen who was filled with the holy
ghost.
Effects always demonstrate the pres
| ence of power. Men who are possessed
| OF God will go forth to perform works
| that are effective. We do no wonders
and miracles because we have so little
faith These signs and wonders were
| done after stephen had been in the ser
vice OF God some, time. He was generat-
| ing power There are men who want 10
| be strong devoted Christians, but they
must generate power. stephen disputed
In the synagogue concerning Jesus Some
were moved and others were turned
the fact that they had cruched the Mes
siah. They cast their stones on him and ne
fell asleep.
'There is O time when hearts are soft
and moved, and again they are hard and
bring wrath In those who preach and gos-
pel OF Christ The gospel gives you life II
you receive II. but IL you put II behind
YOU Il may Kill oil the faith you have.
Truth produces two effects--it saves OF II
Kills Tho same sun that makes one tree
beautiful decays another The holy spirit
may be life or death There ara those
who like intellectual sermons. and some
like artistic sermons. and some like the
plain, simple truth. hat kind Of SER
| mons you like best may reveal the a;ti-
4 tude OF your spiritual relationship to God
Tonight recognize that you know the
truth and the truth shall come 10 you.
number went forward after the ser.
vice 10 shake hands with Mr. House and
say good-by.
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