The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-24
IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY.


The topic of the morning sermon of the
Rev. II. w. Kellogg, of Central-avenue NJ.
Z. Church, was Blessed Is He that Cometh
in the Name of the Lord He said: THE
nineteenth century was the elimination of
the preparatory work upon which the
church and the Christian world had en-
tered to subdue the nations and all peoples
TO Christ. Each of the centuries prior to
that had the special work Of it's day for this
end. 1t was now clearly seen what have
been the four chief forces in this prepara-
tory work. The first was the spiritual
force which broods over men and nations,
leading them along the lines of the broth
erhOOd of man under the fatherhOOd of
God in the preparatory work of uplifting.
This led and guided the missionary into the
dark places of the world. But II was found
that the idolatrOus world would not ac-
cept a religion antagonistic to their own.
And so another work was essential in the
dissemination of the gospel and religion
of Christ. Educational power was then
seized upon as a supplement in the mission
airy field. Japan resisted the work of the
spiritual forces because it antagonized it's
own religion, but II accepted the intro
ductiOn of the educational force, and in
velous in the spread Of the religion of
Christ. There are many other examples
of this in other nations, but II was most
marked in Japan. 1t was this educational
force experimenting the spiritual force in
China that alarmed idolatrous China lest
their own religion should be overthrown,
that caused recent Boxer uprisings. But
now the Christian nations had become so
profoundly impressed with the value of the
missionary work that they united and
STAYED the Boxer rebellion and for the first
time the great nations of the earth seemed
permeated with the missionary and edu-
cational spirit for better things.
Under the uplifting influences of mis-
sionary teachings a South African asked
for a calico shirt. and then pair of duck
trousers. These begat another demand and
he called for a three-legged STOOL for he
had before sat in the dirt, but now he
needed protection for his apparel. That
was the effect of educational work, and
here we have the beginning of the CONNER
cial factor in uplifting, and this is the third
step i'm the work. And so the commercial
force is another one of the great uplifting
factors in the Christian civilization. 1t
is doing and is destined TO do a wonderful
work in carrying the gospel of Christ to the
dark places OF the world. The introduction
of medical science in the missionary field
may justly be called the fourth factor in
this uplifting. The heather see how it
heals the body and saves the lives of their
own people. and this opens the way anew
TO the missionary. The field is now equipped
with the Holy Spirit through the gospel
of Christ with facilities for removing dark
ness and ignorance in the use of the educa-
tional forces, which brOadens charac ter and
begets demands of civilization; this opens
up the commerce Of the world. which more
and more make all nations akin, and medi-
cal science quickly supplemented, heals
and saves life, treasures and opens wider
scope to the work. This nation is taking a
very large interest in all this work though
il is misunderstood by some people, and
some decaying nations. Some years ago
Spain sent a commission 20 this country
10 learn and report the secret of our won
derful progress and prosperity. They went
to Chicago to study these questions and
soon made the kind of report the Spanish
people and nation wanted The commits
sion said the secret was the getting, of gold
that the purely commercial idea was the
heart and center of the United States In
these later years how sadly the Spanish
people learned that il was the love of hui
manity which dominated America and led
her to sacrifice the blood of her sons and
to pour out millions of her treasury and
not the commercial spirit. which is but an
incident naturally following the open way
made BY her love of humanity And now
the same beneficent work is proceeding
under these four forces 10 uplift the Phil
ippine people. and this great and benefi-
cent Nation has projected the educational
work at public expense formerly left to
the missionary and free contributions TO
support IT, The twentieth century is to wit
ness an acceleration OF this work of the
love of man for his fellow that few have
dreamed of even, and il Is all TO eliminate
in bringing the world closer and closer TO
Christ.