Los Angeles herald., 1906-02-05

Z Rev. Dr. Stephen A. Northrop Z
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agine sometimes that noise is sub
stance; that the most valor lies where
the loudest shouting is heard? The
baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire at
Pentecost were the silent forces after
all that made Peters preaching the
po,5er of God unto the salvation OF 5000
souls.
Let me not be misunderstood at the
| beginning of my pastorate. / am not
entering protest against the free play
of fine animal spirits No; let us not
| barricade the gateway of speech in a
religion that is to save our cities. Let
us not draw down our faces in melan-
choly expression, and flatten our voices
down into a minor key, and take a
pessimistic view of the great battle be-
fore us, and go about Gods service as
| if training for n funeral procession. Put
your business in black and white and
on cash basis with long faced
noisy Christian every time.
| But II Is senSeleSS noise that / raise
my protest against in church and out
1t is religion with n mere chatter that
| goes no deeper than the throat. If there
be actually a Niagara of power in you
| for Christ and the church, let us have
1
clear and distinct. Let us do our work
then shout.
Shout of Triumph
"That great army under wise leader
ship had great faith. They had kept
their mouths shut through faith; they
| had for six days tramped around that
great city through faith; they had
obeXed the command Of their captain
| through faith. When on the seventh
| day the order came to shout, they did
not doubt there was something to shout
for, and the lifted UP their lusty voices
with q mighty will till they echoed
from valley to mountain peak. There
was a power at work that no walls
could withstand. and now they were
| tottering to their fall. Without en-
gines, without artillery that encircling
host of God were sapping the founda-
lions Of bastion and tower and wall.
That shout went through the rocky
fort like the iron hail of mighty
broadside. And as that cry swept like
a volley of thunder charged with light
ming over that doomed city and rolled
| over the plain, behold the wall fell
down flat and one little moment, the
twinkling of an eye showed to Joshua's
host the reward of seven days of labor
and fatigue.
What was the secret of the victory?
|
of their fathers, steady obedience to
the divine command, unique methods in
marching about the city; not merely
| the shouts that died away on the hill
Sides but it was also united, persistent,
\ hearty enthusiasm when the time came
to strike the blow for Israel as well
as a perfect confidence in the captain
of the Lords hosts.
81 stand here in this sacred presence
this hour and make strong bid for
this holy and lofty passion-C Christian
enthusiasm. 1t is divine life in mo-
ton. 1t is pure love on fire. 1t is
faith inspired. Christian enthusiasm
for a Godgiven purpose and to meet
Cod given responsibilities, is the need
of the hour in the initial service of a
new pastoral relation.
Beloved flock, we, too, must encom-
pass this great city. Commercial forces
center and radiate from the metropoli-
tan center; educational and social in
terests more and more are centering in
the city. Growing metropolitan CEN
| tiers requires great restraint profound
processes of education, moral upheavals
and revival cyclones If the world is
| taken for Christ the cities must be cap
tured. 1t is only an evangelical, pente-
costal Christianity that can save Los
Angeles"
A welcome service was held in the
| dlleTIlOOll DIT WHlCn lOCdl ByiDCll VI
various denominations participated. AT
the morning service twenty-one per-
sons united with the church.
Rev. Mr.. Burdettes Address
you will observe that your pulpit is
not very high. 1t is built close down to
the pews, so that pastor and people
need never be very far away from each
other. You will be so close together
that you can look into each others
eyes; and If you will look little more
earnestly you can see down into each
others hearts. Don't look for imper-
fections. They are there, plenty of
them, but you will take harm to your
self IL you look for them. There are
spots on the sun, but if you look for
them with the naked eye the light that
hides the spots will blind you. In
spite Of it's spots the sun is the best
and brightest luminary we have. Every
body praises the sun, except the mole.
Don't criticSe. Preachers make the
poorest critics on earth. Criticism is
out of their line. Jesus openly rebuked,
He sternly' reproved, in holy indigna-
ton He denounced. But He never
found fault So don't expect perfec-
ton among us. We are none of us
ready for that yet.
IT fear that any preacher In Los An
geles would feel somewhat abashed
and unprepared If coming into his pull
pit some Sunday morning he should
behold congregation of calm and sin
less angels waiting for the text. And
if an angel from heaven should descend
some Sunday morning and stand in the
pulpit and open the Book 1 fear the
congregation would be gone before the
angelic minister could find his text
In behalf OF the Baptists of this city, /
bid you a welcome, tender as our love,
deep as our hearts wide as our faith
and high as our hope. Welcome, in the
name of Christians who want you!
Welcome in the name of sinners who
need you! Welcome in the name of
your Master. who sent YOU