Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1905-07-13
THE JOYOUS LIFE
DIR REGULAR SUNDAY SERMON.
A Powerful Appeal For the Higher and
Better Life We All Should Lead.

Brooklyn. N. Yin Memorial Pres
byterian Church Sunday morning the
nastor. the Rev. Z. Calvin McClelland.
PhD.. preached on What Is Chris
tauity?" The text was from Acts xix:
o. And the same time there occurred
no small stir about that way" DR..
McClelIand said:
The name Christianity is not in the
Bible. Before the religion Of Jesus
was nodded into creed or or rganized
into church it was called simply the
Way. That was the name given it BY
its friends and its foes. After Jesus
died the young men who had been His
students were asked and they asked
themselves what had Jesus given
them? He had given them wonder
full words, but He had done some
thing more than set them to learn
ing precepts to be repeated par
rot-like. He had formed them into
a circle, but the gift He had left
them was not a society. He had
given them-not something to believe
nor something to join, not creed nor
church. but just way OF living.
And SO they called Christianity the
Way.
In a little book called the Acts of
the Apostles we have pen pictures of
the lives Of these first Christians, and
these pictures show likeness in their
Way of living. and tnat Way they had
is marked by four characteristics:
First. The first Christians lived as
servants OF Jesus.
NpcOOG ThOcn fipct (Nhricfi0nc 1ixvnd
by the strength of God.
Third. Those first Christians lived
In devotion to the common duties.
Fourth. Those first Christians lived
with men as brothers.
Let us study these four points.
The first Christians had a way Of liv-
ing as servants of Jesus. That is, they
took Jesus word as law. They called
themselves His "slaves;" their favor
lite name for Jesus was "Lord;;" that
means simply, master, director, chief.
II was their passion for Jesus which
won Tor them their first nickname. The
neathen called them "Christians,' that
is, the party controlled by Christ. This
was not the name they gave them
serves. Their common name for them
serves was ''The Brothers." But more
than their love for one another, their
subJection to Christ impressed their
pagan neighbors, and so they came to
De called Christians.
why did they call Jesus? They had
M no theojogy of His person. You hunt
,ne Acts of the Apostles froIa begin
mug 10 end without finding any specu-
iallon Id about the second person Of the
trinity, or the deity of Jesus. These
speculau0ns came years after. At first
Jesus was an absolute Master, and He
was Master, because though He had
peen crucified, He had risen from the
uead: Jesus had passed through death
;nto lie; they had not expected it, and
AZ AZ thelr eXuberance over it what was
e1eie 10 do but to make themselves
saves OF the man who had given them
LUIS brand new reality? HE delivered
alell, who, through fear Of death were
al tnelr lifetime subject to bondage"
ana SO they made that empty grave
:. lnrone and the risen Lord sat upon
~ ~, 30 the first characteristic Of the
4Hnrlsuan way was-it lived in subjec
uon to Jesus.
ce lne second characteristic Of the frs
liz, way VI llFlIlS Was, lltcy NE
n lleleo they lived by the strength Of
o" oou' They talked about Themselves
tb s oelhs possessed of the spirit Of God
t4e SOU of God. The Holy Spirit, th'
wy Wy Soul, spake through their lips
hO,u hhlo.eu IN their hands, dwelt in thei
so;a CO., Is Ih1s was remarkable con
o.'Iuusness, %. this consciousness of Coz
bo; oelhS concerned iE every detail O
so;d oetns and doing. The birth OF this con
sSsalousness, Sa the descent Of this Hol,
stoa, tHui, Is placed in the opening of th
etoiy eby as the most memora ole thin;
tho toout the way. Every individual, evel
foe e common people, who took Jesu
noaeir ~, ,neir Lord, felt that their life an
mou ;nn We're all of one piece. The work
49, S5 oI this soul of God. this Hol
ana, sprlt was felt everywhere and il
nreaythlng. nrea BY His power the
tnbbeaened, tbe;U taught, healed and ordere
tbia tal outward and inward life Every
mau n,ns the first Christians said or di
Father God. - - - -
rhn! rnne third characteristic Of the frs
laid lislslans' way of living was, the
Tba ru emphasis on the common dutie
linH ne immediate followers Of Christ b,
eo mat their first business was 1