Times-promoter., 1903-01-09
saith the Lord of Hosts"
This sounds

that 1t was quite an unnecessary one
in this advanced ecclesiastical age
when some form of religion or other
is observed and practiced by nearly
every one, and when the different de.
nominations have perfected the ma.
chlnery of their church organizations
to such a high degree and have all
their varied forces so well and th,.r-
oughly equipped "Why," you ex-
claim, whenever before has God had
such chance as He has to-day?
Look at the schools, colleges and
theological seminaries equipping
young men as never before for Gods
work; look at the wealth and power
and extended influence of the church;
look at the great institutional
churches rearing themselves in every
large city; look at the great mission
ary organizations chat collect hJn-
dreds of thousands of dollars every
year and freely spend the same in
maintaining missionaries in every ma
tion and every cline; look at the
great UNCONVENTIONAL gatherings
every year, see the enthusiasm, hear
the reports, take in the scope of the
enlarged plans for the new year, and
when the mind has in some degree
grasped the magnificent range of
Christian activities of the twentieth
century, turn" you say, "and study
the enlarged and improved forces at
tU0r1r in No ;,l.
When has the pastor been so alive
to the responsibilities, or so thor
ough in his methods? Whenever be-
fore have his forces been so we'll or
ganized? The churches have been
equipped with every modern comfort
and convenience, the service has been
beautified and the standard of the
music rendered raised to meet culti-
waited and refined tastes. Surelv,"
you eXclaim, "God never before had
such an opportunity" Perhaps?
Let US see! In the light and thought
OF our text may it not be that the
very argument you have used to
prove your point that God never he
A"hS hio' S'Ii u SIldlICC lldy DIOFt "
boomerang and become an argument
against you? Is it possible for man
to do so much that he crowds God
out and renders His Spirit inopera-
tive? Is it possible that the might
and power" of the twentieth century
Christian is making him forget the
supreme need of reliance upon God |
and preventing patient waiting for
the cooperation of the Spirit of God? |
Surely the empty pews in thousands
of churches, the thinning ranks of |
theological students, the feverish
among churchmen for
new methods, modernHed Gospel, |
and popular preaching are the strong
internal evidence and admission that
is lacking. What is that
something? Is it not the Spirit of
God? for mot by might, nor by
power" but by the Spirit of God are
the purposes and plans of God to be
worked out.
Man is coming so willingly to carry
much of the burden of Christian
work in his own wisdom and own
strength, that God is withdrawing
md leaving the church to struggle
on alone. And what is needed is not
leW methods, modernized Gospel
md popular preaching, but an
humble seeking of COG and patient
vooing of the Spirit of God back to
lis rightful place in the Christian
leart, and Christian life, and church
lctivity, and a yielding to Him the
ull scope of His omnipotent re-
ources. And this is the message
choed from the sacred page in the
ars of the church and Christian peo-
lie of to-day: Give God chance"
Note in connection with our text
he vision which came to Zechariah
o illuminate and reveal its wonder
ul meaning: A golden candlestick
With bowl at the top for the oil to
eed the seven lamps through the
pipes. The humble but
1onderful mission which those pipes
performed typifies our relation to
ods work. Ours not to be the
live trees at the side of the candle
tick pouring their oil into the bowl
t the top. Ours not to be the bowl.
urs to be only the pipes through |
'hich the oil of Gods power can flow
D feed the light which we bravely
old up to shine in the darkness OF
ne world for God. Rev. DR.. Meyer,
| his comment in his DAILY Homily"
n this chapter, exclaims:
what a sermon there is in a wick! ,
it beside it, and ask how it dares
ope to be able to supply light for
ours and hours to come. will Won |
OF soon burn to an end, you wick
lamp?' No; 1 do not fear it,
nee the light does not burn me,
lough it burns on me. 1 only bear
, it the oil which saturates nv
,Xture. / am but the ladder I'm