The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-12-29
A SERMON FOR SUNDAY


AN ELOQUENT DISCOURSE ENTITLED,
"THS WORLDS INTEREST CHRIST"
The Rev. DR.. Cleland Boyd McAfee Tells
What is the Best Argument For Jesus
His Own Character With Its Striking
Symmetry is Completely Convincing.
BRooKLYN.-Dr. Cleland Boyd McAfee,
pastor-elect of the Lafayette Avenue Pres
byterian Church, preached there Sunday.
His subject was ''The Worlds Interest in
the Success of Christ" The text was from
John xii:e:. Much people of the Jews;
therefore, knew that He was there: and
they came not for Jesus sake only, but
that they might see Lazarus also, whom He
had raised from the dead Dr. MeAtee
said:
This is at least candid. There was no
magic magnetism about Jesus. He drew
men to Him in no subtle, inde6nable way.
He drew them by what they saw Him do,
by what they saw Him to be. Here was
crowd drawn to Jesus by the effect He had
had on man. That Is the sermon of the
morning in a sentence. The best argu-
ment for Jesus is the effect. He has on
men. I call it best, not as most philo-
sophieal or profound, and not as bearing
logical tests better than others. 1t Is
I best because we can all see it and feel the
force of it.
- I asked a wise man once what he count
ed the best argument in behalf of Christ.
He replied, christian" And what is the
best argument against Christ? Instantly
he replied again, christian" Broaden 1t.
What is the best argument for Christ and
lis gospel? The Christendom OF to-day.
Set Christendom over against heathenlsm
and see what Christ can do with men. Set
it over against the Christendom that
should be and see what Christ has still to
do.
y Now all that is very simple, and it is at
such simple points in our lives that Christ
comes into closest contact wsh us. The
only claim He makes to Kingship is based
on the fact that He is one who can.
He can bring things to pass. He can ac-
compish. He can achieve. You remem.
ber how constant His fame ran ahead, OF
Him in His journeying. He healed some
and they told it. He taught others and
they announced it. He fed a multitude
and they ciung to Him. am not suppos-
inp that the crowd really believed IN Jesus
for what He claimed to be, but the crowd
was drawn to Him by the effect He had
had on men. and thus was brought under
His spell. And no man will ever believe
in Jesus on the mere evidence Of lives
about Him. He must accept Him for Him.
self. But the effect He has on lives will
have its part to-day as then IN turning
men to Him. The unchanged life does not
draw. The thoroughly changed hfe Is HIS
best argument. :,
You remember I have already said that
II lo4x 70 for (NhYIc!t than
the lives of His followers-b philo.
sophically and logically. He is Himself
His best argument. Just careful, candid
study of His own character with its pc
cuiiar balance >of traits, with its striking
syrnmetry-that would be very convinc.
ing. For my part enjoy the so-called
metaphysical arguments, even some which
are not popular in the philosophical facul-
ties nowadays There are very profound
books written which men might read with
profit.
But we are just common men, and we do
very little profound thinking. almost no
abstract thinking, and we are reached
sooner and most effectively by the argu-
ment of results. There are men, OF course,
not so bright as ourselves, who would De
hard pressed just to read the books which
present these obstruse arguments. In my
reading, the other day, ran across SEN
tence from one of these profound writers
which will interest you, just by way OF
iEustraticn 1t is q definition Of religion
and runs this way: Religion is the ult!-
mate and vital apprehension by the lndl-
vidual of what is conceived to e reality IN
its fullest sense, the inner truth OF things;
whether, such reality be regarded as CO.
extensive with, as included IN, or as dis-
,tinct from the world of natural phenom-
ena, it always, however, being regarded as
IN some way related to the individual him
self: any such apprehension embracing be-
lief emotional response and the determln-
alton of conduct, in so far as conduct IS
supposed to have bearing on the con-
nection of the individual with such real.
ity.nz Now that is not a very bad way OF
stating certain facts about religion, and
vet I doubt if some of US would care to
60 far in books worded that way. Some OF
You have been under the influence OF re-
ligion good many years, but have never
worded it just that way.
There are easier ways OF wording the
profound truth of Christianity I wish it
seemed possible, for example, to get, a
wide reading for the two-year-oid book by
Principal Fairbairn of Oxford, Mansfield
College. He has called it THE Philosophy
of the Christian Religion" The book
grew out of Principal Fairbanks appoint,
ment as Haskell lecturer in India. He had
the sacred books of Hinduism and felt that
he knew how to meet its positions with
sympathetic understanding. When he
reached India. however, he found Hindu
ism very different thing in practice. That
turned him back upon candid study OF
his own faith, to see whether and wherein
it might differ in present practice from its
original form. Such study was certain
to. result profoundly. and it is profound
book. / wish all Of US Christians might
follow an argument which results in such
sentences as these: 'sThe Son of God holds
in His pierced hands the keys of all re-
Geions, explains all the factors of their
being and all the persons through whom
they have been realized" ''The Incarna-
ton is the very truth which turns nature
and man, history and religion into the
luminous dwelling place of God" | thinE
shall not forget that phrase that the In
carnation turned the world into the lun,-
inous dwelling place of God, that Jesus;
once born into manhood, has never died
cut of manhood. and shall instead draw
,raahcod into II:s own fellowship and
likeness.
w. .l.n IL ~, IN fool fho porsopa1