The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-01-16
The Church for the World.

January s-.Ths Beginning q the Christian
Chutch-" Acts n-zE7.
The magazines are featuring religion
lately. because the editors have dlscoy-
cred that Il IS the deepest and most
widespread human interest The church
Is one OF the big concerns Of the world
the welfare Of the latter is inextrioably
bound up with the efficiency Of the for
mer- The increasing recognition OF this
truth is in many ways evidenced; and
II is significant that the conception Of
Christianity's mission is gravely chang
ing in our times The old notion was
that the world existed for the church;
that L somehow vas the divine right
OF the church TO possess the world. and
10 be served by Il Now, everybody sd-
mits that the business Of the church Is
10 serve the world A social conception
Of religion has taken hold Of the leaders
OF our day. We now perceive that Chris
tianity best fulflls its mission when il
does the most service for mankind, in all
its aspects.
The magnificent EUdacity OF the church
IN her beginning is thrilling No sooner
did she receive her credentials than she
threw out q daring challenge and invita-
ton 10 the world Immediately she be-
gan 10 have business with humanity. Not
only was the early church q sOcialized
church, but she Vas also a world-serving
church
A NAN MADE OVER
AL the books that have ever been writ
ten against Christianity cannot explain
or overcome the miracle OF q transformed
life I look ar my friend, a clear-eyed,
prosperous, respected member Of the CON-
munity, and a devout and efficient elder
IN the church; recall that few years
ago he was a tough" low-dOwn,
drunken corner Ioafer, more familiar with
the police courts than with the church.
And know that he is an obstacle which
Voltaire and Paine and Renan and Inger-
soil cannot get over
So at this dramatic scene on the Day
Of Pentecost, the outstanding personality
was transformed man, Peter the
preacher, who a few days before had been
as timorOus as a creeping muskrat Peter.
who at the time Of ChTist's arrest was
scared BY a servant-girrs word, is now
pointing his finger al this multitude and
calling them mUrderersl Before We can
explain away this birthday OF the church.
We must explain away Peter, a man
made over in the new. The final argu-
meRt for Christianity IS a regenerated
man.
Here al the beginning OF the story We
ind the characteristic which may be
traced throughout the pages OF the mar
rative, the Book OF Acts is the book
OF holiness 4 pursuit OF that word
throughout this history OF Luke's VIII
make an interesting Bible study for an
individual, a Sunday school class or a
prayer meeting All the old fear which
had hitherto haunted the disciples, be
came as a discarded garment at Peute-
cost Thenceforth. with free utterance
End sublime fearleSsless the church bore
witness 10 her Lord and against his enc
niles. So 10 this day the church, which
IS not brave church. is not worth the
oalt7 necessary 10 pTeseTva II. A truck
Ing. ooot-licking, ttme-seTving church
or ministry has lost all the SAVIOR OF
Pentecost and the apostolic type.
WHEN TIE PREACHERS SHAKE THINGS.
The newspapers told the other day how
the government OF New York City had
closed Up more than five hundred moving
picture shows because a committee of
elergymen had represented many Of them
10 be immoral and unsafe. That incident
IS being repeated, In some degree in
many Of the principal cities Of the con-
tinent- There IS no power TO equal that
Of the preacher when he speaks sanelv
and truly upon vital themes CT life and
conduct Peters preaching on the Dav
Of Pentecost shook the multitude even
as they had not been shaken By the
mighty, rushing wind
Close 70 life was Peters mighty sermon.
but i Il to be remembered by ali who Try
70 get their message. as well a. their
illustrations and applications out OF the
newspapers. that this was en- exposftory
sermon II told what the Bibis said.
Searching the Scriptures for the truth
that would 1T the occasion. the preacher
pressed Il hard and close upon the minds
or his hearers There is no substitute
Tor working mastery OF the Bible No !
SUNDAY school teacher can prepare" a /
lesson By skimming over q few helps
tneTe must De reservoir Of knowledge
OF what the Bible teaches. Then the l
word in season" may be spoken.
The editor OF q nationality famous /
newspaper remarked the other day. The
reason I don't go to church. and other
men don't 90 TO church. Is that the
average preacher has nothing 70 say
worth hearing But take man Ike Dr.. /
never has any trouble about getting a |
congregation" That statement was TOO l
sweeping. yet II serves to stress the truth |
that the Apostolic Church was a church |
with clear and unmistakable message.
aimed directly az the lives of men. II
was a fresh message. too, adapted 10 the /
times and the eternal contemporaneous- /
ness Of the Gospel makes this always /
possible.
CHuRCH's TREASURE
What makes sermon different from . /
speech2 Why Is an ethical culture meet |
ing not ike church service? What has
the church better to offer than the
lyceum the debating society. the social
club? The answer Is found IN this epoch I
al sermon Of Peters at Pentecost. He
presented not abstract virtues, but a per
sonal, living, supernatural Christ. The
Apostolic Church did not have any such 4
edihces or appliances as We boast today. /
but she possessed-and tremendously I
realized-a Christ who could save the /
world The theOiogians would call Peters /
discourse & Christocentric sermon. Il !