The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1908-07-29

Bemidji Bible conference opened
very auspiciously last evening with
the largest congregation which has
assembled at the beginning of any
of these meetings. ~
Rev. F. J. Barac kman, president
of the conference, presided and the
song service was led by Prof. M.
C.. Martin and was most de-
lightful introduction to the exercises
of the evening. Prof. Martin will
be remembered as the leader of
last year who charmed the people
with his beautiful voice. n. =
The conference was formally
opened with prayer by Rev. C. E.
Bradt. All addresses of welcome
and responses were omitted and
the first formal address of the
conference was delivered by Rev. A.
T. Fowler, of the Calvary Baptist
church of Minneapolis. his theme
being THE Goal of Christianity"
and his text, Rev. 81.
Condensed his address was prac-
tically as follows: ~
Character is what we are, as God
sees us; reputation is what we seem
to be, what man thinks of US. The
difference between the religious
learnings of the Lord and the Lord
himself was due largely to differ
ence of definition of character.
Jesus adopted the definition which
included something more than out
ward forms and the observance of
ceremony, while the Jews defined
character as that which was out
ward and visible.
Johns visions were not overdrawn
or grotesque. He not merely por-
trays beautiful home of the people
of God in this text, but the develop
ment of the soul of man, the central
thought being harmony and sym.
metry, unity and equality. We can
only enjoy in heaven those things
made ideal here below by our aspira.
tons, thoughts and longings.
Religion is not an ultimate end.
It is for the formation of character
and thought for service, as embody.
ing more nearly the purposes of our
Master in our lives.
The goal of Christianity is har.
mony. The purpose of Jesus is to
to bring harmony of life to man.
In the figure presented in the
text, our thought is first directed to
length. This, in our judgment,
stands for noble purpose as essen.
tial to life. There are multitudes OF
purposeless lives about us. No aim
or object in view. Purpose is to
US as the rails is to locomotive to
guide and lead US somewhere.
Christianity puts purpose into: our
lives.
When the Savior comes to us he
dominates our lives and gives them
definition. The Christian is one
who makes something of himself.
Christian lives take on proportion
as guided by noble purposes. II
we have Christ in our lives we
develop higher purpose; we also
develop a higher purpose in other
lives.
The second dimension noticed in
the text is breadth, which we take to
to mean brotherhood, in which men
are equal to each other. A new
awakening is coming to the church
through brotherhood in Jesus.
Jesus loved humanity as brothers. 4.
The Christian church is the
strong arm of God to lift up human
ity to nobler things. The Good
Samaritan act is the best of our
religious enterprise. This is the
fundamental principal of Christian
service. The spirit of Christ ami
mates US as he gave this parable.
The overwhelming passion Of
Paul's life for the saving of souls
was inspired by Christ. We some
times see tall pines left, their com.
panions having been cut down, and
we ask ourselves what made them SO
tall. They were made so by others,
They could not grow outward and
had to grow upward. We want
spiritual power. AS we grow like