Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1906-05-25

means tnat you are utterly devoid of
the Christ power. This belief In Christ
is the very foundation Of the gospel.
What would you think OF an architect
who takes you down to the seashore
and shows you beautiful temple
which he has ectod upon the sands?
Oh, il IS exquisite in design. The lights
come shining through the most expen-
! sive of glass windows. The affairs are
rich with gold and beautiful tapestries.
The floors are exquisite mosaics. The
dome is perfect heaven OF blue What
would you think IL that architect after
he had taken you through that building
would reply to you when you asked:
How are the foundations OF this beau
tiful structure? Are they strong and
true?' ''Oh. did not put much work
on the foundations. Instead OF digging
them deep and strong. where all the
work would be hidden from the eyes
of man, | simply builded these walls
upon the surface. I expended all my
energies upon the superstructure.'
What would you think OF ship de-
signer who did not lay the keei.of his
ship straight and true? Why. on the
day OF the launching Of that boat the
hull would turn turtle or I'm the
first great storm at sea that boat would
go to pieces or sink with. MI on board.
Now. it Is not sufficient I'm the Chris
tan life for q manSto say. "I am all
right because have visited the sick
and fed-the hungry and was eyes to the
blind.'=It Is not sufficient for the archi-
tect TO say, II am al. right because 1
have worked hard and buiided my SUI
perstructure we'll" 1t is not rational
for the ship designer to talk about set
| ting his masts before be has laid bis
Reel well. The questions of the Clivin-
| ity of Christ and the divine power OF
| Christ are the most vital questions In
the gospel life. 1t is n foundation ques-
ton. This question precedes all other
questions. Whom say We that l am p
Jesus asked the disciples of old. Peter
answered. Thou art the Christ, the son
OF the living God" Do you answer
thus? Do YOU believe thus? Do you be-
lieve in the supernatural power OF
Jesus as the disciples did when they
gathered in Jerusalem to be entlued
with power from on high?
These disciples believed that Christ
could rive his supernatural power to
l
more. They believed that Christ would
! give to them. as individuals. this super
natural power. If they were only obedi-
eat . his divine commands and tar
ried still in Jerusalem until they were
eadued with power from on high.
Now. it is one fact to feel that Christ
can give to others his power il he
would or that he will give to me indi-
vidually his higher power IL am will
ing TO obey his commands and do as
he wishes me TO do. Let me explain
this demarcation.
Realizing Possibilities.
All American boys are born free and
| equal. All have n possibility OF some
! day being elected president OF the
! United States If they live. We were
all taught this theory from the cradle
The story OF Lincoln, the rail splitter,
and OF James a. Garfield. following the
towpath, have been repeated again and
again In almost every nursery But
though the poor boy, the boy OF the
humble home. may yet be elected presi-
dent of the United States. do we In the
highest lights OF our Imagination sup
pose that our own boys will ever. he
We know Ii is possible, but do we feel
that there is any probability OF this
possibility coming true? Furthermore,
when we were young. In the widest
flights of our imagination did we ever
have the assurance OF the successful
outcome OF our own powers, as did
the little boy, Edward Dickinson Ba-
ker, the son of the poor English emf
grant, who had crossed the seas and
settled on Illinois prairies? One day
the lad of twelve was found weeping
by II school friend. What Is the mat
ter. Eddie?" he asked. "Oh," said Ed
die. II have just been reading ny
American history and I find out that
by the American constitution no for
elgn born child can ever be elected
president OF the United States. Ever
since / could think and plan I sayc
been planning what should do WHEN
became president OF the .Sy-..is ed
States"
IT'S true this unknown lad became
senator from Oregon, and he was the
man who left the United States seua-
torial halls clad in soldiers uniform
to lay down his lie at Balls. Blufr.
with these words upon his lips: "a
senator OF the United. States. should
never retreat" But withSa his intel
ieetuaiity and mental ability do YOU
not consider that 1t was presumptuous
for the boy, Edward Dickinson Baker.
10 feel that he would yet have ability
enough to be elected president of the
United States? 1t Is possible for any
boy to be elected chief executive of
this nation, but Is it probable that your
son or mine should ever grace the
White House? We believe In the the
DRY, but TO very few is it an actual
possibility. 1t is so with the concep-
ton of this divine power with which
Christ is ready to eudue u.s. We know
he can give 1t. ard We Lnow there are
some TO whom be Goes give it, but we
think it is not 70, us. These disciples
OF Pentecost first believed that Christ
could give this supernatural power TO
his disciples If he would, because he
was divine; second, that he would give
it 10 them as individuals If they would
only obey Gods commands and tarry
in Jerusalem until they were endued |
with power from ON high. Are we !
ready to believe that Christ will give |
us this higher power If we obey his
commands?
A Crucial Test.
On. that Is crucial test OF faith! II |
Is not difficult for me to understand !
how God could give the higher power
to Moody or Finney or Wesley OF
Peter or James or John or
Mary on the day of Pentecost. but that
he viii give to me this higher power IL |