The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-04-17
Theme: A Christian. Why?


and the highest and most efficient
moral law.
We are Christians, because in tho
kingdom Of God as unfolded to us
in Jesus Christ we are assured of,
and have entered into, the certainty
of a sensible communion with a
higher power which, as an imminent,
infinite, humanity understandable,
loving personality, is revealed OBJ
jectively to US in the person Of the
Master. And this personality, whom
we call God, strengthens, s%ustains,
comforts, consoles, inspires US, and
is constantly, both effectively and
spiritually, revealing Himself to us.
We are Christians because in Christ
and His Gospel we find the fullness
| of divine truth unfolded in language
and revealed in convincing power in
a human life. Human wisdom can
not comprehend larger principles of
righteousness and loftier spiritual
conceptions than are delivered to us
in the messages of Jesus, nor a
grander application of the sufflciency
of those truths for the molding Of
| character and the influencing of hui
man life than is to be perceived in
Christ.
We are Christians because within
| that faith is to be found an escape
from the dominion of sin which is far
more efficient and far more sure than
! any to be found elsewhere. Jesus
is indeed the answer of the universal
hope and of the worldwide need. In
| Him the soul of the individual, and
of society, finds final release from
the power Of the adversary. His sal
walton is free; it is universal in its
appeal; it is simple as to its condi-
tons; it requires no education Of the
schools in order to be understood; it
is potent in this life and it reaches
out into eternity, granting to the
sin-sick, weary, burdened hearts OF
men the precious promise of not only
final but also lasting deliverance
from the prince Of the powers of
darkness.
We are Christians because the
faith that finds it's name and its in
spiration in Jesus Christ is the re-
ceptacle of the highest moral law.
Within the treasury OF Christian
truth is to be found the last thing in
the application of the principles If
the eternal dominion of Jehovah TO
the affairs of humanity in their null
tifarious relationships. In all the
world there is no gospel which is so
far-reaching and sc mandatory, so
inclusive and so searching, as it con-
Germs itself with human conduct, as
is the Gospel of the Savior, when it is
rightly accepted and properly under
stood. Emanating as it does from
God and theocentric as it is in spirit,
it satisfies our hearts and keeps us
firm in the Christian faith. In it we
recognize the handiwork of God. We
find in it the final solution, the pa
nacea for the dissolution of all hu-
man ills. Uncompromising with evil
and declaring constantly for the pure,
the righteous and the good, it in
spires our devotion.
Greatest and best of all, we are
Christians because all that we have
received, all that we accept, all that
makes us strong and steadfast, is,
when we test it in our individual
experience, found to be fa%ultless.
The Gospel whereby we are saved,
the Christ who is our Redeemer, the
promises which daily are mediated
to US by our Lord: all these may be.
taken not without Investigation, or
upon hearsay evidence. We may try
the revelations of God for ourselves.
We have tried them. We are, there.
fore, Christians.