Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1907-11-28
Us. sPURcEoN, President.

nearer duty TO MS C0urc0. Bull L 90
mean to suggest that the church
that accomplishes the return of the
men from their exile will be the
church that is so moved by spirit
of devotion to the great ultimate pur-
pose of carrying forward the kingdom
to it's earthly elimination, that nom
contagion of such motive and join
ranks with the advance guard of the
soldiers of the cross.
There is recorded in Chronicles a
touch of patriotism that has always
made my blood course little quicker
when I have read it. I refer to the
gathering Of a mighty host of war
riors, veterans all of them, who came
from near and far, animated by q
comno purpose that made them one.
That purpose was to make David
king. The brief and yet thrilling
narrative is thus concluded: All
these men of war, that could keep
rank, came with a perfect heart to
Hebron, to make David king over all
Israel; and all the rest, also, of Is
rael we're of one heart to make David
king
The members of the Christian
church will one day come together
with perfect heart to make Jesus
king. And when they do, the cita-
dels of sin will topple into dust and
the royal diadem of the worlds sur
render will be put upon the brow Of
! our Lord. There is yet much to be
done. The forces are only gathering
for the final advance. If all who
can keep rank will take the field, not
for self-glory and not even for the
glory Of the special church, but for
the glory and triumph of our king,
then victory is assured. Then will we
comprehend the imperishable truth
that men do not now attend our
i. churches are needed by these same
churches, not primarily to swell the
membership and meet the current ex-
penses, but to enlarge the army of
| those who with singleness of spirit
| are moving on to make Christ king.
Let us take our inspiration and our
example from Him who made no at
tempt to found visible church, but
| who gave His very life to inaugurate
a spiritual kingdom. The church is
already organized; it now becomes
our duty to fling it into the great
cause of subduing the world to Him
who is the living head of the church.
This leads me to say that the
church that secures the return of the
men will be the church that develops
an intense enthusiasm for humanity.
It is not merely because they are men
that we want them back, but because
they are among those for whom
Christ died. / am not filled with
alarm at the prospect Of manless
church. It would still be an effective
organization committed to great
work. No, I am not so much afraid
of what will happen to the church
as | am concerned about what will
happen to the men who thus ignore
the sweetest privileges of their life.
There are some hopeful signs Of
the times. Indications favor the i'm
preston that the church is awaking
to her opportunity. If you look
closely at the record of the life of
Jesus, you will not be long in discoy-
ering that He was not satisfied with
the conditions that everywhere pre-
vailed. His whole strength was reso-
lutely set against the tide Of igno-
rance and worldliness that threat
ened to sweep men to destruction
!. He succeeded,~ as no one ever since
! has, in giving personal illustration OF
what Paul means by advising that
we Go not allow ourselves to be con-
formed to this world, but transform ed
Or transfgure by the spiritual forces
within us.
| The mission of the church is moi
: to be conforlned to the customs and
conditions of this age, but to stand
in the midst Of this age as an effective