The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1903-10-21
Selfshness in Religion.

Selhshness III Religion.
In this age Of evangeiization, when all
the signs of the times are looking toward
the widening of Christ's kingdom prepara.
tory to His coming, it is precious to read
this tender prayer OF Jesus for us John
xvii and Corinthians j. Sent down through
the ages it rings as clearly to our hearts as
if we had stood with Him beside the Sea
of Galilee or walked with Him in the gar
den ourselves. Neither pray for these
alone, but for them also which shall be-
lieve on Me-" That means US. Shall we
not listen eagerly now to this prayer which
was His longing for you and me!
"That they all may be one."
We draw back at this and look sorrow-
full. There is that woman in the same
church with us with whom we will not
speak. There is that man of our own fam
Nv with whom we have bitter contention.
Oh, yes; he is a Christian: too, but a
mighty poor one, We think. What's that?
This prayer for him also? And that dis.
agreeable girl who got your Sunday-school
class away from you and only wanted to
flirt with the boys and show her pretty
hats, and can't teach, anyway? Yes, and
that fellow member of your own commit
tee who insists on doing everything in the
wrong way so that you have given up
going to the committee meetings and are
thinking of handing in your resignation!
One. Jesus wanted You to BE- one with
every one of these, because He loved
them, too.
All! we are not doing our best to answer
that prayer, are We!
And how intensely one He wanted us to
be with all His own. Gas Thou, Father,
art in Me and 1 in Thee" The oneness
that was one even to suffering and dying.
The oneness that was SO perfect that even
the world could find no difference-the
curious, prying, sneering world.
All, yes, the world does sneer. When
church has a doctrinal quarrel, who rises
up to point it out quicker than the word,
and W hen man who bears the name of
Christian goes wrong, the world c!aps its
hands in Joy and says, The church has
fallen, the beautiful church, and her shame
is her boast and pride" And no bit of re-
ligious gossip is more eagerly snatched up
and blazone- around than the details of
church fight.
How pitifully does this show forth that
we, Christ's children, have lost sight of
the object of our being Christians in this
world, "that the world may believe that
Thou has sent Me-" And we care more
about proving that our individual opinion
or way is right, or asserting our own petty
authority somewhere, and living by the
more strict. and formal rules Of etiquette,
than for showing the world that Christ
was God-sent.
II in them, and Thou in Me-" Does it
not seem as if We might be perfect with
God-flled Christ in us? Actually in US,
living our lives for US, for that is what
Jesus will do if we let Him. Do you fancy
for one minute that Jesus, were He now
in your place, would carry that grudge or
look askance at that girl who has sighted
you, or hold bitterness toward any man?
And yet you excuse yourself for doing It,
and see not that, so long as you allow such
feelings to rule your life Christ is not one
with you.
Thank God that the denominational con.
tentions are not so bitter as they used to
be few years ago. Bishop Vincent, in q
memorable sermon at Chautauqua years
ago, described the different denominations
as vast arches of one perfect temple de.
signed by God, and more and more do they
seem to be forgetting their individual
stones and curves, which are so necessary
to their individual completion and to be
thinking of their unity with all the other
arches, and how they are meant to form
an abiding place for the living God.
We need some Paul around to-day to
casln. "Is Christ divided? Was Paul cru
CITED for you?" After all, why do you and
l care SO nightly for the opinions we
hold, and the people we like and the things
we ourselves have planned. Have any of
them ever been so much to lis as Christ
would be if we would let Him?
The thinkers of to-day are most of them
agreed that the signs of the coming of
tie Lord have been or are being fulfilled
now. The kingdom might come at any
time. What is hindering it? Can it be
klok = >,r,t in,
the churches-the heedlessness of Christ's
own, who have forgotten this His PRAYER
for them that they might be one with Him
and His Father?
It is q wonderful thought that in our
work you and may have the strong arms
of God and Christ to re.y upon when we
are hard pressed. With God for us all
things are possible. = Grace Livingston
Hill, in the New York Mail and Express