The Tupelo journal., 1903-01-16
like rather . startling suggestion

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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
chinery of their church organizations
to such a high degree and have all
their varied forces so well and thor
oughly equipped. "Why," you ex-
claim, whenever before has God had
such a chance as He has to-dayi
Look at the schools, colleges and
theological Summaries 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
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 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, land 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-
, Gore have his forces been so well or
gained? The churches have been
equipped with every modern comfort
n convenience, the service has been
beautifed 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 us see! In the light and thought
OF u text may it not be that the
very argument you have used to
prove your point that God never be-
fore had such a chance may prove a
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
n 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
discussions among churchmen for
new methods, a modernized Gospel,
and popular preaching are the strong
internal evidence and admission that
something is lacking. What is that
something? Is it not the Spirit of
God? for "not 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
and leaving the church to struggle
on alone. And what is needed is not
new methods, a modernized Gospel
and popular preaching, but an
humble seeking of COG and a patient
wooing of the Spirit of God back to
His rightful place in the Christian
heart, and Christian life, and church
activity, and a yielding to Him the
full scope of His omnipotent re-
sources. And this is the message
echoed from the sacred page in the
ears of the church and Christian peo-
pie of to-day: Give God a chance"
Note in connection with our text
the vision which came to Zechariah
full meaning: A golden candlestick
with bowl at the top for the oil to
feed the seven lamps through the
numerous pipes. The humble but
wonderful mission which those pipes
performed typifies our relation to
Gods work. Ours not to be the
olive trees at the side of the candle.
stick pouring their oil into the bowl
at the top. Ours not to be the bowl.
Ours to be only the pipes through
which the oil of Gods power a flow
to feed the light which we bravely
hold up to shine in the darkness of
the world for God. Rev. DR.. Never,
in his comment in his DAILY Homily"
on this chapter, exclaims:
"What sermon there is in a wick!
Sit beside it, and ask how it dares
hope to be able to supply light for
hours and hours to come. will you
not soon burn to an end, you wick
of a lamp?' No; I do not fear it.
since the light does not burn me,
though it burns on me. I only bear
to it the oil which saturates nv
texture. I am but the ladder up
which it climbs. 1t is not I. but the
oil that is in me, that furnishes the
light But how necessary it is that
nothing interrupt the flow of oil;
that there be no uncleanliness per-
mitted to clog and obstruct the mar
row bore of the golden spout of
faith. 1t cannot be too often
repeated, that it is not what we do
for Him, but what He does through
us, which really blesses men. Be
satisfied then to be only a wick un-
seen amid the glory of the light that
rowns it, and willing to be con-
sumed by the daily removal of the
charred fringe. Delivered to death
for Jesus sake, that the life of Jesus
may be manifest in your mortal
flesh"
Oh, Christian, give God a chance