The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-11-09
CITY COLLEGE TOWN
FOUR STATES SEND YOUNG MEN
AND WOMEN HERE TO PRE-
PARE FOR ACTIVE LIFE.
interesting Sermon Delivered by Rev.
Albert Dale Gantz Yesterday
Morning.

NtOSFC Odtc 1dfll[ SSNSi
Morning.
Rev. Albert Dale Gantz, pastor OF
the First Presbyterian church, Blrch
and First streets, preached yesterday
morning on a theme entitled: The
Importance of Accepting Christ.
His discourse follows. He said:
Walla Walla is a college town, an
educational center. Young men and
young women from four states come
here to prepare themselves for the ac-
tive business of life. Perhaps there
is no place, therefore, where the value
of preparation and equipment is more
deeply felt than here. We are looking
back on a century of progress, ana
looking forward on one of surprising
promise. The tools and the methods
of a hundred years ago are out of date,
and the kind of artisan that employed
them has gone with them. New i'm
plements and new methods have come
into vogue, and these call for new men
and new women to employ them.
While new and complex problems of
civilization confront us today, which
for their solution demand the high
est prepare ton and equipment. 1t is
the realization of these highest re-
quirementS and the confident pur-
pose to meet them which makes Walla
Walla bend her energies in mighty
preparation.
And now, friends, since we believe
SO strongly in preparation, and insist
so StrenuOusly on equipment. If the
great state of Washington refuses to
send her sons and daughters forth to
the conflict of life without furnishing
them with trained eye, a skilled
hand and a disciplined brain. What
shall we say of that highest nature of
all which. they pOSSeSS-the nature
spiritual and moral. Shall we send
these sons and daughters into the
world, shall we go into it ourselves, or
remain in it with this side of our hui
man life uneQuipped?
We pick up our daily papers which
give us, l believe, a very fair account
of what has taken place in tn world
every twenty-four hours, and we find
beside the births and deaths and mar
ria eS column after column of frauds
and crimes and riots at home. and
wars and iDSurractiOOS and atrocities
abroad. We say to ourselves, that de-
spite the good there is in the world
there is a vast amount of evil. and
that besides the industrial world and
the intellectual world there is a great
moral World-a world Of right or
children must live. Ought there not
to be some adequate equipment for
success in such world, as we'll as in the
world of brain and Drawn? l think
We all agree that there ought. Yes.
This opens up, then, the large ques
ton, What training, what equipment
shall be given? Who shall give it?
And how and when? Many answers
are forthcoming. such as the home,
the school, the church, etc. We can
not discuss them all this morning. 1
shall speak briefly of an answer which
the church gives, and why.
The answer which the church gives
as to what equipment we shall have
for the spiritual life, is, accept Jesus
Christ, or in the language of Scripture,
Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and
thou shalt be saved Saved from
failure, disaster and defeat in the
moral realm of our being. This is so
because Christ takes away sin out of
our lives Behold, the Lamb of God
which taketh away the sin of the
world" Christ was manifested to
take away sins" These statements
cover Christs taking away the guilt
and punishment of our first sin, thus
us, reconciled, into God the
Fathers presence; and these state
rnents cover Christ's taking us away
from future sins. This, then, is a rea-
son why we offer Christ for the equip
ment of the spiritual life and why We
urge the Importance of accepting him.
Another reason why we advocate
accepting Christ for both young and
old is that He gives life. After taking
sin away, He puts life in us. Il have
come that We might have life, and have
it more abundantly." Very often, /
think. the pulpit is criticized because
it does not make more mention of the
social duties and industrial virtues,
that it does not speak enough Of good
morals and good manners and refined
conduct. 1t ought to be criticized if ii
does not, but it ought to be criticized
more severely still if it does not show
that the virtues and graces which
should adorn character are the fruit
Of saved lives. We accept Christ. He
gives US life. And then we bear fruits
the fruits of love, temperance, kind
ness, gentleness, patience, goodness,
10y, faith, peace, meekness and others
To preach good morals and good be-
havior to one who has not the life
Of Christ is like tying apples and
oranges and nuts on Christmas tree. |