Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1907-08-05
REV. D. r. HOWE AGAIN
IN WESTLAKE PULPIT
breaches for First Time Since His
Return from Extended Trip
Through the
East

Rev. D. F. Howe, pastor of the West
lake Methodist church, preached his first
sermon yesterday morning since his ex-
tended eastern trip. A large congrega-
ton greeted the popular pastor on his
return.
DR.. Howe took for his topic Adjoining
the Gospel" He said In part:
"A command to adorn the gospel seems
astonishing. We cannot adorn the lily
or gild the gold. When God does his best
in a sunset no artist could improve on 1t,
yet the gospel is Gods most beautiful
work, and still he asks us to adorn It.
We are asked to do this by our conduct,
by giving it expression in our lives just
as we adorn lily by giving the lily a
good chance to grow and express what
is in 1t.
'"The adornment then of Christianity is
not great church structures or splendid
ritual, but just. honest and right conduct
toward all men, as Paul advises in his
text. 1t is not doing some great religious
work, but just doing the everyday things
religiously.
1.-THE people whom Paul asks to adorn
the gospel were not great artists but
were slaves. 1t Is not the pictures Of
Dore or other great masters that adorn
the gospel, but the conduct of those who
profess that gospel. 1t may be a grand
thing to paint the gospel as some have,
but it is far grander and more important
to the world just to adorn it by our right
living.
ut Is the so-called little things we do
that best show what we are Unkindness
at home and lack of consideration Of
others even in common things is kind
of conduct that does not adorn the gospel
we profess. 1t Is one thing to talk loudly
from platforms and make great profess
sons; 1t is another thing to carry the
courteous, kindly spirit Of Jesus into
everyday life. The. very gist of Christian
ity is not in doing great things, but IN
doing little things in a great way.
Showed Tissot's Pictures
1.-THE world can see the beauty OF
Christianity when presented in conduct
The ministers of Denver recently showed
on screen Tissot's pictures of the Christ
life. A great crowd In the streets beheld
them. This was a good thing to do, but
1t is even far better for ministers and
every other Christian to show the Christ
life in their own conduct all the time.
The crowd in the streets know whether
we do or not. I am weary and Disguised
with a type of Christianity today that
makes it consist of subscription to some
belief or the passing through of some ex-
perience while the conduct is left I'M
touched.
Paul wanted these slaves to adorn It..
1t was not what Jesus said alone that
makes his gospel so beautiful, but it
was the conduct of Jesus that adorned it.
The real test of any religion is the effect
1t has upon the people who come in con-
tact with it. If it does not benefit child
hood, womanhood and men 1t Is a fraud,
no matter how splendid its temples. how
hoary Its history, how glittering or abb
struse its philosophy.
1.-THE religion of Jesus must stand this
test; it must make us kinder more honest,
more considerate of others, more unset.
fish In this way we adorn it in the eyes
of the world. A man may be a sinner
and yet appreciate the gospel in the con-
duct of those who profess it,