The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-05-28

It would not be possible to intelll-
gently read the Book Of Romans with
out noticing that this text occupies a
peculiar position. 1t is the outcome
of all that goes before lit is the theme
of all that follows. The preceding
eleven chapters of the Book of Ro-
mans are doctrinal /; all the rest of
the Book, beginning with this text,
is practical. And so I say that it
would not be possible to intelligently
read the Book OF Romans without no.
ticing that this text occupies a pecu-
liar, unique, pivotal position.
The first eleven chapters are doc
trinal. l would gather from this the
need of Theology. [ know very we'll
that people don't like theology. They
say. "Give US practica! Christianity !;
give us the IL ortalities of the Gospels /;
and leave your dry theology to the
impractical recluse: to the pillar
saint; to the monk 10 his coll /: to the
Schoolmen of the Middle Ages; to
the dried-up Professor of theology in
the modern seminary leave your dry
theology to those. and give US the
ethics of the Holy Nazerene. some
thing that we can fit into our lives.
and that will enable us to bear llfe's
fret. strain, and stress.
I know that all this is said, and
very gliply said. too. But yet the
fact remains that we can't get along
without theology. Every man must
have a creed. It may not always be
expressed in words, but he must have
a creed.
l have in my minds eye the pic
ture of a tree: large trunk. wide.
spreading branches, covered with TO
liage, and heavily laden with fruit.
To produce all that foliage and fruit
fulness the tree must do something
more than fling its branches up into
the sunlight, and open itself to the
refreshing dews of the night. the gen.
ial summer showers, and the gentle
breezes of the spring and summer
days: it must strike it's roots deep
down into the soil. 1t isn't neces-
sary for me to say that that tree is
the tree of Christian Character. And
to produce the beauty of a Christlike
life, and the fruitfulness of Christ
like deeds it must strike It's roots
deep into the soil of Gods Eternal
Truth. The first eleven chapters OF
this Book are doctrinal.
All the rest of the Bouk is practi.
cal. l would gather from this that
theology in snd of itself is not enough.
The creed must mold the life. Accu.
racy of theological thinking must be
followed by cultivation of character.
Our mastery of theology will do us
no eternal good unless it eyentuates
in a holy life and Christlike deeds.
The first eleven chapters are doctrin-
al, and then. as if emphasizing the
need Of a dedication of ourselves to
the service of Almighty God. the
Apostle bursts forth IN the words OF
our text: 81 beseech you therefore.
brethren. by the mercies of God, that
We present your bodies a living sacri
flee. holy, acceptable unto God, which
is your reasonable service"
The first thing we have to do is to
| QVntQIn tho nlo,co ltg~uo-x
bodies.' What does the Apostle
Paul mean by tbs term-"bodies?''
| used to think years ago that be
meant my hands, my feet. my tongue.
my brain = all that makes up this
physical body. He does mean that,
but it is only a very small part of his
meaning. His term. that we have
translated t'bpdies." he used to de-
signate mans entire personality. So
that | am to give my hands. my feet,
my tongue, my brain not that only,
but my conscience. my reason, my
judgment, my imagination. my will.
everything that l have and everything
1902 ALL IL Che1AO RC46Oud1lUys duU
dedicate it all to the service of AL
mighty God. That's what he means
by that clause.
The next thing we have to do is to
take the last clause in the text (which
is you reasonable service" We
must take this now because these two
clauses are mutually explanatory.
What does the Apostle mean by the
clause (which ls your reasonable ser.
vicef" l used to think that be meant
that because God has done so much
for me that therefore It is only Iea-
sonable that I should do all / can for
Him In return. he doesn't mean that
at all. The clause hae reference
rather to the character Of the service