Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1903-01-07

WI n III Aiht- Ou. tnat the message
that was blazoned upon the heart of
lerubbabel might burn itself deep into
the heart OF every Christian: "Not by
might. nor by power. but by Ny Spirit,
saith the Lord of Hosts
y Give God chance. This sounds
like rather a startling suggestion
And it might hastily be concluded
that ii was quite an unnecessary on.
In this advanced ecclesiastica age
when some form of religion or other
is observed and prac;iced by nearly
every one, and when the different de.
nominations have perfected the ma
chnery of their church organizations
to such high degree and have all
their varied forces so well and thor.
oughly equipped. why" YOU ex.
claim, whenever before has God had
such chance as lie has to-day
Look at the schools, colleges and
theological scminaries equippinc
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 i'm every
large city: look ut the great mission.
airy organizations that collect hun.
dreds of thousands of dollars every
year and freely spend the same in
maintaining missionaries in every ma.
ton and every cline; look at the
great UNCONVENTIONAL gatherings
every year, see the enthusiasm, hear
the reports, take in the scope of tie
enlarged plans for the new wear. 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
work in the individual churches.
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 well 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 cult.
waited and refined tastes. Surely"
you exclaim, God never before had
such an opportunity" Perhaps?
Let MS see! In the light and thought
OF our text may il not be that the
very argument you have used TO
prove your point that God never be.
fore had such a chance nav prove n
boomerang and become an argument
against you? Is il possible for man
To do so much that lie crowds God
out and renders His Spirit inopera.
tive? Is IL possible that the Knight
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
oil churches, the thinning ranks of
theological students. the fcverish
discussions among churchmen for
new methods. a moderniled Gospel.
ana popular preaching are the strong
internal evidence and admission that
something is lacking. What is that
something? Is il 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 80 willingly TO carry
much of the burden of Christian
work in his own wisdom and own
strength, that God is withdrawing
and leaving the church TO struggle
on alone. And what is needed is not
new methods, modernized Gospel
and popular preaching. but an
humble seeking of GOD and patient
wooing of the Spirit of God back to
His rightful place in the Christian
heart, and Christian life, and church
activity, and yielding to Him the
full SCOPE of His omnipotent re-
sources. And this is the message
echoed from the sacred page i'm the
ears of the church and Christian peo-
pie Of to-day: Give God chance"
Note in connection with our text
the vision which came TO Zechariah
to illuminate and reveal its wonder
full meaning: a golden candIestick
with bowl at the top for the oil to
feed the seven lamps through the
numerous pipes. The humble but
wonderful mission which those pines
performed typifies our relation TO
Gods work. Ours not to he the
olive trees at the side of the candle
stick pouring their oil into the bowl
ut the top. Ours not TO be the bowl.
/ Ours TO be only the pipes through
which the oil OF Gods power can flow
to feed the light which we bravcly
hold up TO shine in the darkness Of
tho world for God. Rev. Dr. Meyer.
in his comment in his DAILY Uomily"
on this chapter, eXclaims:
What sermon there is in wick!
Sit beside it. and ask how il dares
hope to be able To supply light for
hours and hours TO come. VIII YOU
not soon burn to an end. Won wick
OF lampY NO; ] do not fear it.
since the light does not burn me,
though it burns ON me. I only bear
TO IL the oil which saturates NV