The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-02-26
THE AUTHORITY
 OF DUR RELIGION Interesting Discourse at St. Johns Methodist Church CONSERVATIVES CHARTER
The Rev. W. R. Hendrix Takes the Text of His Sermon from Mat thew xxvlii., 18-christ's Mes
 sage to Disciples.

ject, '.The Authority of the Christian Religion" The discourse was particular ly interesting and was heard by large congregation.
 His text was, "All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore and make disciples of all the nations" Matthew 2S:1S.
 In part, he said
 Many men ignorant of the genesis of our great republic, are nevertheless enjoying measure of the blessings offered each citizen; but he has a higher appreciation of American citizenship who has acquaint- ed himself with the Declaration of 1nde- pendence" and breathed the atmosphere of Fanenil Hall
 So there are multitudes of nominal Christians in christendom who accept the immunities of the Christian common wealth with no true appreciation of their exalted privilege, and no stronger reason for being Christians, than that 1t seems like it is a good thing, and many do be- leve in 1t.
 For nearly nineteen hundred years Christianity has been operating under this simple, yet comprehensive charter. A charter so simple and brief that it may be read in a breath; so comprehensive and perfect that nineteen centuries of de- velopment and expansion have given no occasion for It's amendment.
 l The once cruicified, but now risen Lord placed this immortal character in the hands of the eleven disciples, on a noun tain in Gallilee; probably in the same place where He had delivered what Is called the Sermon on the Mount" 1 It is impossible for us to realize the 1 perplexity ard confusion of the disciples during that period which extended from the arrest of their Master In the garden of Gethsemane, and His meeting with them on the mountain in Gallilee.
 Disciples Lost Hope. l Until the crucifxion, however imperfect 1 ly they understood the nature of the king l dom of heaven, they were daily looking forward to the setting up of this king dom But they buried their hopes of the kingdom with their Lord in the new made grave of Joseph of Arimathea.
 His unexpected resurrection from the dead, had perplexed them even more. While sitting in the blackness of despair, hope's high noon broke suddenly upon them, shedding such effulgence of light that they were dazzled and overpowered
 The past seemed such an inexplicable | contradiction of their hopes that they knew not what to expect in the future Like ship without rudder or ancnor | they could neither go nor rest. nn OP ha raGt1rracfinn Jesus planned for this meeting and sent Mary to the disciples bearing an invita- tion to meet Him in Galllee. When we consider that the purpose of this meet ing was to give the disciples new and adequate vision of the kingdom, we are not surprised it was held among the scenes that would recall their early discipleship. Many who have lost them selves in "the maddening crowds ignoble strife" have returned to the scenes of their childhood and youth that they might come to themselves again.
 Wonderful changes had swept over these men in the few months since they had become disciples of Christ. From | the position of servants they had be- come the friends of Jesus.
 They had heard His teachings, wit messed His miracles and heard the heavenly voice testifying the Fathers good pleasure in His beloved Son. These things had powerfully influenced their lives. "Locksley Hall Sixty Years After" | Is really MT. Tennyson sixty years after; and yet the latter poem could hardly 1 have been produced anywhere else than | in Locksley hall.
 A great epoch in the life of their Lord had been accomplished and He called | them together to announce to them the | new relationship which He sustained to | the universe, and the sphere of their fu- ture activity While the shadows were l hanging as funeral pail about Jeru- | salem, and Joseph and Nicodemus were | laying the body to rest, high in the l heavenly courts Jesus was being exalted to universal Lordship
 "Though from the beginning he had the divine nature. yet he did not look | upon equality with God as something to be clung to, but impoverished himself | by taking the nature of servant and | becoming like other men. He still fur ther humbled himself by submitting even to death-the death on the cross. And this is why God raised him to the very highest place. that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend in heayen on earth, and under the earth"
 Consciousness of Lordship.
 It was out of the consciousness of 1 supreme Lordshp that Jesus came to speak to the disciples on this occasion. "Au authority hath been given unto me l in heaven and on earth" The lower world has done its worst for me- and l have overcome" the Master might have said: "rhe heavenly worlds have yield ed themselves gladly to minister to them l that are heirs of salvation, and in the Fathers my followers shall find their final home The prospect is one surpass- | ing inspiration. ] am alive forevermore; | the Fathers house is open to you when ! vou quit the walks of men; have triumphed over death and the rage of wicked men," "Go ye therefore and make | disciples of all nations" he said "The world is my parish. Many of my lost sheep are crying in the night. Go plant | the gospel light in the shadowy valleys. | Tiff if up on the bleak mountain sides. l Girdle the globe with the glad udings | of full and free salvation.
 | With this charter in their hands the eleven went forth preaching everywhere | inc gospel of Christ And despite the 1 oonobined efforts of civil and ecclesas- | tical courts, they filled Jerusalem with 1 their doctrine; while the hand of the | Lord was upon them leading them to i glorious victory.
 oey spread abroad the news of the l resurrection and swept forward in the | conquest of the nations for Christ. Their | success encouraged them, but their fall | ures could not make them desist. They | believed in the Lordship of their Master, | a .bo,, I,naU he had commanded them.