Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-06-06

NV dear se.ow. T an Yor.y yoi have faI.
len down there Il vou could only &c:
out Coniucius word show vcu bow to wall
SO that Won void keen or:. Thea Brain
min seas hin anl savs. Il am sorry. hu.
there : no he for Won, "oa never can get
ous The on,v chaa5c ~ va i II III
into an eternal sep a~d 'orae' voNF rms
CIV Next comes 4 Mldanai' ~. whf
Saws. Il a'n 50 sorry 10 see rau here. bni
Allah is iust. aid vol 'aservc H. ITa j.
not nerci.al. a"@ Won VII never get ont
Last comes Christian. who saws. Il my
self have beer down there. ! tumhled dowr
there once. know Just how Won can &c
out" Ard he Gets a ronc and n"l's th'
man nut ~ The hoe anA puts MS feet nroi
a rock That * INC difference between TIN
Christ an ard the na~an religions. The
Christian religion is tho Only religion II
the wor'l that offers to help men out i"
the burden Of their sins and the corse
grences OF their miserr. But. q. the pity
of it. r-cn don't want i. Naro'con sud
"Scratc'l a Russian. rra Won will ind
Tartar" Scratch Christian anil Won VI,
find a pagan. II seems ~ nc shat hrs
tan congregations are full Of racan'sm.
receive letters e~crv wee; from men anf
women who never vet h1vc learned that
they have made b,u~der or committed
sin. and nerhaps involved others IN pert
because of their mistake. God c"'' take 60"
If ii all. and they can trust Him 70 helm
if nniv thew will turn from tho'r evil ways.
Helnsn,nr=e is The secret o. Christian :ha
llogv So il is thr secret OF olr Christian
ritual. II is at TIE heart nj a.. worship
We come 10 church. not driven by fear ..
compelled nv custom. and not by ronvic
lion Why? Not IA he entertained ny al
lmusing lecture. Then. why? ~ the hear
n Al ~ 10 fttf n
that message that God is love ard that
somehow or other. we arc 1cn"ndent os
His love and have had something from
His love, and VIC want to give Him some
thing in return. ] do not say that Is true
of all but still ii it wcrc rot ior tho sens'
Of the love OF God and the desire 10 b'
thankful the church would close it, door:
and the chimes cease TO ring. What is th'
Roman Catholic service First confession
and then absolution. Tho same tang @
the Enisconal service. and of the (ongre
gational We doa't 90 into the confession
al: we don't stard IN as priest pro
nounces ar ahso,ntion. hut ID. J.. Moody as
truly preached absolution as any Catholi.
priest or Episcopaiian rector. u you war:
10 know what me1 believe. don't GO to the
rreeds or catechism. ca 30 the hvmn
books. They express our faith ana real eX
perience: they are our creed. sung ovei
and over and over again. AID what doe.
The hymn book saw:
"Love divine. all love exciting" 'Jhank:
be to God who giveth Us the victory
Imagine. this Sabbath morning. II cit'7cr
81 Mars coming down and entering differ
mt churches. He would 80 into Catholic
.hurch and see the alta" ard the candle,
and the robed priest and the incense. arc
ae would say. "What are Won doing. here
The answer would he: I've are here e
Worship the Lamb who hath redeemed us.
In the Episcopal church he would sec nc
andies ard inc"nsc. and would again as''
he question. The answer would he: I'VE
have come to praise the Lord Christ. who
path redeemed US" In tho Congregation.
Il, Baptist or PRESBYTERIAN church he wvouio
zee no altar or candles or vested priests
What arc yom doing here:' he asks. and
.he reply is: "Wc have come here 10 sine
he praise Of the Man Of God who hath re
deemed us" And in the Quaker meeting
house he would see no choir or preacher OF
service and hear no singing, hu. they
would all be sitting still doing aoihing-ab
.olutely nothing. And their reply 10 the
,ame question would be: I've are giving our
praise to Christ. who hath redeemed US by
His blood We cannot find any uttcrance
which will express our gratitude. and we
ire simply speaking in the Silence Of our
,earts." He would go hack and say: They
we're all drawn together by sense ot
Sod's love that had given His Son for thew
redemption" II is the love OF God that
makes lis ore. and only that. | was once
n a Catholic church in Paris and ate, ate,
watching the service for time J walked
around behind the altar and found there
service Of deaf and dumb people The ser,
rice was the same at heart: the love OF God
Inspiring the thanks OF mer.
/ remember an old English divine becir.
aing his sermon: Il can do all things---
md then saying. That ! deny. But let us
- = al Uh
strengthened me- All. that is another
hing; that I can do II was quaint way
Of putting it. but it made the text stick in
nv mind. and have never forgotten 1t.
This is the secret of the power OF Christian.
ity. Yon will find men say: Thou shalt
love the Lord thy Cod with nj thy
strength" is the. summary OF Christianity.
the summary of the Jewish law. When
asked, "What is the chief end o. the jew
ish law" He said. '1ho shalt love the
Lord thy God and tiny neghhor rs
thvself." hut when He WIS ahou. to die He
eft as a legacy to His disciples this "A
new commandment give ] unto Won; tnai
&c love one another as ] have loved YOU,
How did He love US? He laid down His
lie for us That is Christianity. Judaism
s Justice; Christianity is sacrifice. What
makes Christian nation: Not creed
written in a constitution. not an estab-
lished church, an organ or music. Wnat
gill make America a Christian nation: we
have about us denendent and inferior races.
Loving our neighbor and the Filipino and
he negro and making them slen-noth,ng
Else will make us Christian natIol. And
What makes a Christian church. Not line
windows and music. hut making the world
wiser and better. What would Christ do
or your employees and servants: Helpful
aess and service is Christianity; the heart
md the centre and circumference of it.
All Christian theology is summed MP in:
God so loved the word that lie gave His
only begotten Son" and all Christian ritual
In the Psalm: Blessing and honor and
glory and power to Him tina. stitch upon
the throne and that hath redeemed us:
All Christian power is summed mn in: Il
ran do all things through Him that
strengthened me-" and all Christian duty is
summed up in the one law: Love one an
other as have loved you
Better and Better Before Us.
Gnd's host riffs AFRO aI,vavs hnf..re ~