Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1904-12-29
INTEREST IN CHRIST"
An Eloquent Sunday Sermon By Rev.
DR.. G. B. MCAfee.
Jesus Own Character With Its Striking Sym
metry Is Completely Convincing.

His subject was "The Worlds Interest in
the Success of Christ" The text was from
John xu:9; Much people of the Jews,
therefore, knew that He was there and
they came not for Jesus sa ke only, but
that they might see Lazarus also, whom lie
had raised from the dead" DR.. McAfee
said:
This is at least candid There was no
magic magnetism about Jesus. lie drew
men to Him in no subtle, indetnable 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
ment for Jesus is the effect He has on
men. | call it best, not as most rhilo'
sophcal or profound, and not as bearing
logical tests better than others, 1t ls
best because we can all see it and feel the
force of it,
asked a wise man once what he count
ed the best argument in behalf of Christ
He replied, "Christ'an.' And what is the
best argument against Christ? instantly
he replied again, 'Christian." Broaden it
What is the best argument for Christ and
His gospel? The Christendom of oday
Set Chrlstendom over against hcathenlSm
and see what Christ can do with men. Set
it over against the Christendom that
should be and see what Christ has still tc
do.
Now all that is very simple, and it IS at
such simple points III our lives that Christ
comes into closest contact with US. The
only claim He makes TO klngship is based
on the fact that He is one who can
He can bring things to pass. tie can ac
complish, He can achieve You remem..
Der how constant His fame ran ahead OF
Him in His journeying. Tie healed some
and they told it. He taught others and
they announced 1t. He fed multitude
aud they chung to Him. | am not suppos
ing 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 belleVe
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 life is His
best argument,
You remember ] have already said that
there are better arguments for Christ than
the lives of His folowers--be better phllo.
sophically and logically. He Is Himself
His best argument. Just a careful, candid
study of His own character with its pc
culiar balance of traits, with its striking
symmetryo-that would be very convlnc.
1
metaphysical arguments. even some which
are not popular IN the philosophical tacul.
ties nowadays. There are very profound
books written which men might read with
profit
But we are lust 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,
|. Ii hp 40
hard pressed lust to read the books which
present these ohstruse arguments In my
reading. the other day. ] ran across sen
fence from ono of these profound writers
which will interest you. Just by way OF
illustration 1t is a definition of religion
and runs this way; Religion is the ulti;
mate and vital apprehension by the indi'
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 rs dis
tinct from the world of natural phenom
ena, it always. however being regarded rs
in some way related to the individual hlm
self. any such apprehension embracing be
lief, emotional response and the detcrmln
alton of conduct. IN 50 far as conduct Is
supposed to have a bearing on the con
nectin of the individual with such real
itv" Now that is not a very bad way OF
yet doubt If some of us would care 10
go far IN books worded that way, Some Of
you have been under the influence OF re.
hgiOn a good many years, but have never
worded 1t lust that way,
There are easier ways Of wording The
profound truth Of Christianity. | wish it
seemed possible, for example, to get
wide reading for the two Yolr,old book by
Principal Fa,rbairn of Oxford Mansfield
Ill l., IL ,b,t
OF the Christian Religion Tho book
grew out of Principal Fairhairn's 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
eympathetic understanding. When he
reached India, however. he found Hindu.
ism very different thing in practice. That
turned him back upon a candid study of
his own faith to sec whether and wherein
1t might differ III present practice from its
original form. Such a study was certain
to result profoundly, and it is a profound
book. wish all Of us Christians might
follow an argument which results in such
sentences as these; The Son of God holds
in His pierced hands the keys Of all re-
.igjous, explains all the factors OF their
beng and all the persons through whom
they have been realized. The Incarnn-
ton Is the very truth which turns nature
luminous dwelling place of God" think
| shall not forget that phrase that the In
rarnatlon turned the world into the lum.
nous dwelling place of God that Jesus.
once born into manhood, has never died
put Of manhood. and shall instead draw
Tanhood into His own fellowship and
likeness.
meaning Of all this when we stop to name
nt bp ,rh parl- hn
CHANGED life. 1t Is a lie of faith-of quiet
confidence IN God. There Is no ideness
nor lazy trusting that things will come
put right by some mysterious method. 1T
IS tho life Of belief that we are IN Fa-
ther's world, making our way to Fa-
hers house. That faith stands over
against the doubt and fear and anxiety of
faith IN God 1t accompllShes faithfulness
TO men and our duties And this is what
the world sees II cannot sec faith in God.
II can sec only the falthfulness IN the life
sc live. From gross dishonesty on up to
lnrehabiiltv, at whatever stage it appears
1ntalthtulness prevents an argument for
Christ
This is the argument of the changed
life. And 7 cannot mistake that it Is
such argument which Christ Himself most
prizes and which the world most needs
needs not III these larger ways and places
alone. there so much as in the men with
whom it must deal most closely. NY
brethren, it is the argument of ur own
changed, Christianized lives that is most
seeded. The books arc strong-and UNI
read. The uncommon, marked ca4es are
maryland unobservcd Our lives are
daily before our fellows, closely read, con
stantly observed These are the worlds
arguments. And what is sought is not
some impossible perfection. Many of our
fellows are not unreasonable No. but
there Is wanted an alignment between our
professions and our actions that shall lndi
cate that something higher and better has
actually taken hold of us We clam to be
servants OF the best Master. we are not
faultless servants. we do not claim to