The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-03-03

err, power, for the sake of men. This
power He refers to in the preamble
of the constitution He gave her. We
nav be certain that Christ having
merited all power in heaven and IN
earth for the sake of men, was not
going to deny it to that church He
established to save. them. The pres
ence Of that power in the church 1s
shown by her victories of 1000 years.
Now Christ is true God ard true
man. He became man when He
came to save us. So thoroughly like
one of ourselves did He become that
some are tempted to believe that He
was man only. 1t was as man that
power was given Him, for as God He
had 1t from eternity. We should
then expect to see Him dispense that
power through a society. This Is
what we actually see. Christ, being
the best and most prudent Of all mel
would naturally do things, In order.
This power Is to be used for the sake
of men of good will. 1t would not be
reasonable to expect that it should be
used for the sake Of people who
would refuse it. That 1t Is only mel
of good will that will avail them
selves of the church's benefits needs
no proof. -,
Let US see now the way in which
the church uses her power. Certain
" it was given that it might be used.
She uses it In baptism according to
the command: "Baptizing them in
the name Of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost" Com
sidering that we are so very weak,
we have the misfortune to
fall into sin after baptism, what
then? All. Christ's heart was too big.
1t was Christ that said: Whose sins
you shall forgive they are forgiven
them" It was Christ also that said:
Unless you eat My flesh and drink
My blood. you shall not have life IN
you" If the substance Of the Vir.
gins body became the body and blood
of Christ why should it be hard Tor
Him to whom all power in heaven
and in earth was given to change the
substance of bread and wine into His
body and blood? Would it not rath.
er be a legitimate use of that al.
mighty power that He received?
Moreover He received it to use 1t.
And is not Christ present with His
church to-day, active though inVisi-
BILE?
The church has W sacraments.,
She has a special sacrament for every
important juncture Of our lives. Pen.
ance and the Eucharist may be re.
ceived frequently. Therefore, power
which should be a prominent charac-
teristic of the church is most gener-
ously applied to US. The church also
uses her power in her many blessings.
The church, in her labors for the
salvation of souls, comforts the poor,
who must always be the many, with
the promise of riches in heaven. She
tells them that they do not sufier
their poverty in vain. The rich she
exhorts to charity under the promise
of a reward. The powerful she re-
strains from depressing the weak by
telling them that they will have to
give an account. The poor and the
weak are her special care, as they
were the special care OF Christ when
He said: 1.-THE poor have the gospel
preached to them" Therefore, they
above all, should fill our churches.
It would be hard to tell the many
consultations the church has brought
to the poor. To use the words OF
Isaias, through the church: Every
valley shall be exalted, and every
mountain and hill shall be made low:
and the crooked shall become straight
and the rough ways plain. And the
glory Of the Lord shall be revealed
and all flesh together shall see that
the mouth of the Lord hath spoken"