The Princeton union., 1906-07-26

the church that now is being called.
God has long been preparing her for
the present opportunity. The secret
OF her success will lie in the fact that
she is willing to be used.
Let us not mistake our mission.
We are not appointed to fight the
Egyptians of darkness with the sword
but to lead the children of spiritual
bondage into the light. We are some
times asked why the church does not
do something practical and some
thing the world needs to have done?
This is question that comes from
many quarters, but one which it is
not difficult to answer. The church
is not called to give excathedra an
nouncements in regard to the thou
sand problems that so disturb our
complex civilization. The church once
believed herself to be called to do this
very thing. She sent forth her de-
crees from Rome and Constantinople
and emperors and kings obeyed her
mandates. But in these later days
we have received more exalted vis-
ion OF our purpose and mission. The
church has a higher, more holy bus
mess than that of making and un-
making kings. The supreme work
that has been committed to us is that
of making the human heart right.
And this is to be our work as an indi-
vidual church if we are long to remain
potent factor in this community. It
is our business to bring all our per-
suasive power to bear upon this one
object that we may bring the hearts
OF men to new birth. If we have
learned our lesson we'll we shall tes-
tify to this great truth, "that there is
but one power unto salvation" and
that, while we exert all our influence
toward the right settlement of all
economic problems, our supreme mis-
sion is to preach Jesus Christ. So
sure as we attempt to clear paths for
ourselves and refuse to follow in the
appointed way, SO sure shall we face
defeat
We stand today, as it were, on the
border land, the fires of God glow
with a fervid light. Do we turn
aside to learn what this great thing is
that God is preparing for us? Are
our ears open to receive the command,
"Go, lead forth my people into the
land have prepared for them?" If
our ears are deep to the divine COM
mand, slowly, but surely, we will be
pushed back. for the only weapon the
church can successfully use is the
"Sword of the Spirit''
Fifty years ago our forebears es-
tablished this church. They dedicated
their meeting house to the worship of
God. They associated themselves to
His service. How far have we pro-
gressed towards the consummation of
their hopes that one day this church,
the outcome of their prayers and
labOrs, would be the dominant force
in this place? Ones birthday should
be time when the thoughts should be
tior of self should be made.
We claim immediate kinship and
direct and vital lineage with that
primitive fellowship of the little room
in Jerusalem. The result of their
meeting together was Pentecost. They
were stirred themselves, and because
they were stirred something took place
in Jerusalem and men began to make
inquiry. Shall our fellowship be less
potent than theirs? Around US, too,
are the hurrying things with absorp-
tion and care written upon every face
What message has our fellowship for
them? Because of our coming here
from week to week, what impress do
we make upon their lives? What in
fuence do we carry away? Unless we
can honestly say that by our services
some lives are compelled to halt and
ponder on their ways, the light of the
burning bush has not been our vision.
and our ears have been deaf to the
voice that speaks in this church's
calm.
Let us be optomistic, but let US also
make a searching examination of self.
The road lies plain before US. The
word of authority has been given US.
Why do not we then go into the midst
of this Egyptian darkness of sin and
lead forth those whom God would re-
deem? If yours is broad outlook
upon the field and it's needs you will
find that men, alien to the church
have arrayed themselves in classes.
There are those who never think of us
at all. No light that comes from us
ever falls across their pathway. They
walk in highways remote by them
selves. The fabric of their lives is