Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-22
POWER NEEDED BY THE CHURCH
Fire of True Christianity, Says Rev.
ID. X. TindaII.

In his sermon of last evening Rev. D. K
Tindall of Trinity Methodist Episcopal
church preached from Acts /, s, the text
being: "Ye shall receive power; after
that the Holy Ghost is come upon you"
He said: The greatest need of the church
is not numbers. Half the worlds inhab-
itants are nominally Christians, and more
than one-fourth are members of the Chris
tian church 1t can no longer be said,
Fear not, little flock It is quality more
than quantity that is required to capture
the world for Christ. Gideon, with 300
men and the sword Of the Lord was more
than a match for the hosts of Midianites
Abraham, with 31S picked men, was too
much for all the kings Of the valley of
Sodom. 1t is not the power of social in
fuence. The real aristocrats and the elite
of the world are Christians. It is no longer
q disgrace to be called a Christian. Chris
tian nations are at the front; not heather
China or infdel Turkey but Christian Eng
land and America lead the world today.
Most Of the great rulers and statesmen
OF the world are church members or be-
levers in the Christian religion. There
are few Pilates, Herods or Caesars today
with which Christ has to contend. 1t is not
the power of wealth The wealth of the
world is chiefly in the hands Of or is con-
trolled by Christians. China is poor, Tur-
key Is virtually bankrupt, and those ma
tions which are only nominally Christians,
or which have not the power of vital Chris
tlanity, as Italy, Greece and Spain, are
having a financial struggle to exist, while
Christian America and England and other
thoroughly Christian nations abound in
wealth. Vanderbilts. Goulds, Rockefellers,
Studebakers and other multi mill lionaires
Dre numerous in the Christian church OF to-
day. Nor Is 1t political power. The
branches OF the Christian church which
have dabbled most in partisan politics
have been Of late making the least prog
Iess. Christianity in politics is quite nee
essary, but the less Of partisan politics in
Christianity the better. 1t is not the power
of learning. The Christian church has al
ways stood for colleges, scholarship and
culture. as witness the church fathers and
Paul, Luke, Luther, Wesley, Calvin and
thousands Of other bright lights in church
history. It's colleges are numbered by the
hundreds and it's pulpits and pews abound
in learning. 1t is not the power of ora
tory, for l doubt not that the church has
been cursed with much Of the studied and
formal oratory of the schools. What cared
a Wesley OF Moody or Myer for oratory?
THE power the church needs is that OF
the Holy Spirit; this has always been its
power. cannon may be great and
perfect, and the powder and ball properly
and carefully placed, but without a spark
OF fire, all is powerless to do execution;
but once a spark OF fire touches the powder
instantly that powder is fash Of light
ming and that ball thunderbolt, in whose
path are destruction and death. The
church may be large and perfectly organ
iEed and equipped, but without Holy Ghost
fire IL Is powerless to destroy the wicked
mass Of the world; but on fire with the
Holy Ghost. the powers of darkness can
not long Withstand its blazing and tri-
umphant march. One hundred and twenty
spirit-hlled Christians on the day Of Pen
tecost won 5000 stubborn souls to Christ
The early church. with this same power
conquered the Roman empire in less thar
three centuries. Let us wait in prayer
for this power; expect It, receive It, and
take the world for Christ"