The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-10-29
THE MISSION OF JESUS.
ELOQUENT SERMON BY REV,
 CHARLES c. SMITH.

Reviews Prison Reforms-Slums Should
 be Cleaned Up---CoIonixing and Over-
 crowding in Our Large Cities Should
 be Forbidden by Lnw--Every Honest
 Man Should be Able to Command Living wegcs,
 ''The Mission of Jesus" was the topic of an interesting and practical sermon preached at the Grand Avenue Baptist church yesterday morning by the pas- tor, Rev. Charles G. Smith. A portion of the sermon referred to prisoners, as 1t was prison Sunday. The text; He hath annointed me to preach deliver ance to the captives"
 These beautiful and deathless words are taken from the inaugural sermon of Jesus at the beginning of His earthly ministry" said the preacher" They form a key to His mission; they are an index to His soul and recall to us some- thing of that great passionate love which like a fire burned on the altar of His heart.
 His mission was to lead men heav- onward and lay them upon the heart of the eternal Father, to bestow love and lllo anu llBHI lO men III lile udTKneSS of sin and superstition and ignorance. How uniquely and with what unqusnch- able zeal and success He fulfilled that mission, and is fulfilling it, through all the ages, thoughtful men of every name and nation gratefully acknowledge. His mission is not parochial, but cosmo- politan; wherever there are poor there is His gospel; into every broken heart He comes with healing on His wings; to the worst captive in our prison house He proclaims deliverance. This Is the beneficent mission of Jesus and Is to be equally the mission of His true discl- pies everywhere and at all times.
 "To-day has been set apart by the Prison Reform association as fitting time to say a word as to the better ment of our prisons and the prevention or crime, With deep sympathy would we speak for those who are incarcerat- sd behind stone walls and iron bars bound in letters and irons-whilse we re]olce In the liberty and blessedness of tnls Christian Sabbath. To the end ol time men will continue to sin and suf- Ter Tor their crime, and all about us we see illustrated the stern, ancient truth The way or the transgressor is hard. Is there any hope for the fallen-any permanent deliverance for the captive, Yes, there is hope and deliverance tC the uttermost for all who come unto God in Jesus Christ, and in no othel NoS' <AAl U ue pTlSOH TSluI III IeCUBAlHSt and embraces this truth. It was be. cause John Howard was filled with thu Christ passion that he lit the torch oi reform amid Englands dungeons ant towers-a torch which has never gone out and IS responsible for the enlight ened methods of reform to be found 1T every Christian country to-day. Blu there are grave reforms still needed ant the Christian church is charged witt the duty Of leading the way in all thest matters. In the adjudication of crlmi nal responsibility we need to lean nor to equity anl justice than to law an, statute. Motive, heredity, tendency, en vironment, should weigh in the bal ances of Justice. There should be on law for the rich and the poor; none. and position should not give one iota O preference before the bar of this state Sums should be cleaned up, colonizint and oyreorowding in our cities should be forbidden, and every honest mal should be able to command a Twin! wage. So shall we make 1t easy to d, right and hard to do wrong-