Evening journal., 1907-02-25
DIR. MURRAY HOPES
FOR CHRIST-LIKE CITY
Jesus Would Bring Greatest
Opportunities For De-
VeIOpment
CHRISTLESS CITY
ISA PANDEMONIUM

evening. Ii was in continuation of the
series on Christ" and like the previous
sermons was inspiring and masterful
DR.. Murray's text was from Matthew
., /: Christ came into His own city"
DR. Murray said:
The Importance Of the city is not
fully appreciated. Josiah Strong says
1T is the nerve center OF our civiliza-
ton: 1t is also the storm centre" It's
lperils and possibilities amaze us. Its
perils, dwelt upon. make men pessi-
mists; it's possibilities for good make
men optimists A Christless city is
a pandemonium. A Christ-lilSe city is
the New Jerusalem come down from
heaven. When Christ left Nazareth he
adopted Capernaum as His own city.
Beautiful for location on the west Of
the Sea of Galilee, IL was for natural
beauty a veritable paradise. The fin
est trees. palms, oranges. figs, all
monds, flowers and birds delighted all
Ibeholders. The roller bird with wings
Of blue fitted among the green leaves
and beautiful bloom of the oleander.
The kinghsher and the pelican fed
themselves and their young from the
ilimpid lake-"an opal set ia emoralds."
ICapernaum was at that time the focus
OF business. Industrial plants fur
lnished the people employment and
merchandise. A fleet OF four thousand
boats plowed the water front.
In many respects It was the New
York of PALESTINE place Of central
ity and populous activity. II encom-
passed many peoples. It was the way
to the sea. 1t was on the way from
Egypt to Damascus. Arabs. Phoenl-
lcians. Syrians Romans and Greeks
could be seen in the streets. Because
these were here Christ did not do like
the churches in New York. In a few
years forty. Protestant churches, mans
OF our Mothodists among them, hav,
moved out Of the district below Twen-
tieth street, and 100000 people. mostly
foreigners. have moved IN. Christ
moved into Capernaum. for he was tC
be a light to the Gentiles as well as
the Messiah 10 the Jews. Christ begar
a world wide movement alongside o
the worlds trade and traffic. Oui
Atlas takes the city upon his shoulders
] that he may lift it out Of wrong and
j save it from ruin.
It was in this city that He fount
His way to the greatest synagogue
known to Judaism. A Centurion hat
loved the Jewish nation and built 4
e synagogue. It's foundations covered
more ground than the temple Of Sol
{ omon. Its creamy white stones wer
b in beautiful contrast with the walls o
= black rock composing the people
, lhomes and business houses.
D Here He Who spoke as never mai
p spake taught the people on the Sab
= bath day. Here the Son Of Man wen
about doing good. Some who hav
p great talents find great opportunities
Z A Spurgeon finds London, Beecher
{ New York; Christ Capernaum. In tha
- day every body almost lived In tn
o city. Farmers went forth to sow ant
b returned for safety. The city teemel
! with life. Christ not on'y preached 4
the people but made His home amonl
/ them. Nor did He confine His preach
D ing TO the synagogue, but preachei
from Peters boat, talked on the shore
\ taught the people from house to house
stood on the hillside spoke to burden
y ed humanity by the wayside changes
PHILOSOPHERS and fables and built tn
truth with common things.
p If the cities of our day are TO b
saved we need the churches and al
they can do. We must have all an
use every method to save the great un
Z lohurched masses. The classes hav
not too much but the masses mus
have more "city mission work in tn
u mixed wheel of American churches.
! lChrist did mighty works In Caper
n lnaum. Here His miracles manifesto
His sympathy and power. Demon!
u diseases. and death could not stan
; before Him. The whole city brough
u its sick that He might heal them. II
leads the way for all possible attentio
to be given to the suffering. We fin
no hospitals where there is no Chris
and no gospel but wherever the Chris
e Is made known the sick are provide
g for, not with metaphysics, but wit
medicines. nurses and physicians. ]
: the city Christ chose His disciples
II Simon and Andrew James and John
YEA, also Matthew, who sat at the plac
lof toll in Capernaum when Christ cal
= ed him to be His follower and Will
> Peter became primus inter pare
II Matthew put his ability to write to
n good purpose when he became Christ
q first biographer. In the city Chris
u showed that wrong was destructive
il fright constructive. Nothing so com
i mon as the power TO destroy. a foe
s can tear down. 1t takes a wise ma
e to build up. A florist may spend hi
thought and money TO produce the ros
but an insect can destroy It. IL pay
to do right 1t is worse than waste
do wrong. Christ in the city furnishe
the greatest opportunities for ever
20 possible development All the saloon
lname'ess houses. Shylocks and mora
= poisons Of every kind are In the cit,
Yea. verify, but the church, the school
l. house. the Y. NJ. c. A., the social SET
n tlement. the lecture bureau, the free j
Ibrary and a thousand things that an
l. good. wholesome and pure. are her
D. also. There is among the flowers bot
poison and honey. The spider FIND
n the poison, the bee hunts the honey.
In No Plans Have Been Received.
IT, SO far the committee in charge