The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-11-08

to them daily those that were being
saved" The Holy Spirit was neces-
sary to the Apostles. To us He is
indispensable.
We complain of the lack Of SINGER
ity, of vitality, in the Church. This
age is heralded as an age of doubt
and of disbelief. The Church stands
almost still. Her flags flap Imply
in a breeze of progress that holds
straight out the ensigns or the min
ions of Satan. Sin confronts us on
every hand and we make but insult
ficient headway against it. We regret
that the Church does not enjoy a
revival of the blessings of God upon
her. We mourn that for one soul
born into the Kingdom of God
more than equal number are seized in
the snares of Satan. We pray for
the uplfftment Of the world and we
see the world slip from rs.
Something is wrong. God was with
the early Church. God is with the
missionary. in the farthest East.
Thousands are being brought to
Christ in India. Within our midst
the multitudes of the unchurched and
the unsaved appal US. Glance over
the records of the apostolic church.
Read the story of her growth. Is
there not something wrong with us?
What is the matter? Let us see. 1t
is not that we have not the money
to nrosecute our work We have
more than at any time since our be-
ginning. 1t is not that we have not
numbers or able leaders or that
Christ has proven false. The fault
lies with US. The Church Of Jesus
Christ is not alive to the possibilities
of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
The Church needs Christ in her
heart.
The fault lies not with God. It
lies with US. We, it is, who have been
content with but portion Of His
grace when He would have given to
us all. We, it is, who have been con-
tent to drift and almost to drown,
rather than to lay hold upon the eter-
nal saving power of the Holy Spirit.
Let the Church awake from her
lethargy; let her unite under the ban
ner of the cross and follow true; let
her live the life that she never wear
les to preach; let her show to the
world that the Christ life : practica!
life written large: let her appropriate
to herself the Holy Spirit with His
uplift toward Christ and the Father;
and then will come return OF the
miracles of the early Church, OF
which it is written. "aDd the same day
there were added unto them about
three thousand souls"
The essential requirement OF th3
Christian life is not to be able to de-
eide definitely the date Of the Flood,
or to be able to assert the exact au-
thorship of the books Of the Penta-
teuch, or to be able. more or less
intelligently, to uuihble over the min
points of ecclesiastical dogmat'sm.
Pc not deceived. to know the Htele
word for word is not to be Cnrls-
tian. Spirituality IS the great sine
qua non of the Christ life. That we
NAV he able to purify ourselves and
to lift others ND to the Christ we
need the Holy Shirt "good measure,
pressed dowr, shaken together. run
ming over in our bearts." Ere we can
experience the denth, the mower and
the worldwide inclusiveness OF Gods
love. we must be reborn of Gods
indwelling Snirit.
Omen the doors of your heart and
let the blessed sunshine Of Gods IL
Eliminating Snirit glow in upon you.
With you, by you, in you, let the
Comforter abide. In sorrow He will
sustain you. In care He will comfort
you. He will strengthen Won in life.
He will rob death of its sting.
"Let not your heart be troubled. We
believe in God, believe also in Me.
In MY Fathers house are many man
sions. I will not leave you orphans.
But I will pray the Father and He
shall give you another Comforter,
that He may abide with you forever"