The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-09-20
A THOUSAND PEOPLE.
HEAR SERMON
WHAT THINK We Or CHRISTI.
is SUBJECT OF DR.. II. o.
eREEDEN AT HARNols.

Last evenings service at the
Harnois theater market the end of the
first week Of the revival services now
being held under the auspices of the
Christian church. That these services
are meeting with success is evinced by
the fact that one thousand people
listened to DR.. III. o. Breeder last
evening. Three great services marked
yesterday: The sermon delivered at
the church in the morning was of sur
passing beauty and tenderness: that
in the afternoon, Il talk to meE, was
heart searching; the night service was
the days climax. The trend of the
evangelists Chiefest sermon of the
day was as follows:
What think We of Christ? Whose
son is He? The twofold question of
this text is ting crucial, vital, tran
scendent question OF the Christion re-
ligion. 1t is definite and personal
What think you of Christ? Not what
does your mother, your pastor, the
philosopher or the scientist think of
Him. Strauss may declare that He
remains the highest model of religion
within the reach of our thought and
is the purest among the mighty and
the mightiest among the pure and
Napoleon may cxclaim / know men
and | tell you that Jesus Christ was
not man. Everything I'm him aston
ished me and his viii confounds me-
And Renan may aver that Whatever
the surprises of the future. Jesus viii
never be surpassed. Reposc now In thy
glory, Noble Founder. Thy work is
finished. Thy divinity Is established
Ii helps not nor does 1t hinder, what
others have thought of Jesus. Only
the verdict is interesting. Every
thing depends on what we think of
Him, both here and hereafter; for
what We thing of Him largely de-
termine character, and character de-
termines destiny. Ii is significant
that Jesus addressed his supreme
question to the thought of the Phari-
sees. He provokes thought, the deep
est and highest. the hottest and most
profound. He challenges the reason.
He is the reason of the universe. The
universe abounds in lofty themes of
thought fitted to exalt the mind, en-
large the comprehension, quicken the
sympathies and direct the heart out to
man and up to God. Measured by
this quickening, enlarging. transform
ing power, Jesus Is the worlds MASTER
theme of thought. Thee question en-
thrones person, not system, a phil
oaophy, an institution. A person who
was and Is the supreme fact of life,
the dominant force OF the world.
But who IL Jesus Christ? Whose
son is he? We know what He Is. He
Is a force in the world greater than
any other. But where shail we go for
Information concerning Him? Where
shall We ascertain His origin. his
tory and character? We are directed
to the New Test1ment-to four short
records called the gospels. We are
asked now to believe nothing con-
corning the inspiration Of these his
tories or the aphers-oniy that
they were faithful historians, writing
down what they saw. heard and ex-
perienced and what they received from
credible witnesses who spoke at first
hand They were faithful witnesses,
sealing their testimony with their
blood They were honest historians
with exceptional opportunities and ia
ciltties for knowing the truth of the
things of which they wrote.
Jesus sustained His claim of deity
by three infalible credentials: by
what he said first Never man spake
as this, man. This was the testimony
of enemies. Yet lie wrote no book. in
vented no tool. discovered no remedy
for physical ills. contributed nothing
to the sciences. He simply talked.
Once He wrote in the sand, but the
writing was obliterated by the first
gust Of wind. He never tried tn pre-
serve His wisdom. nor did lie ask
others 10 do So: but there Is no speech
like II. 1t stands alone. We are not
left tn report concerning His wisdom.
They very words at which men mar
veled when He uttered them are hero
in the four gospels, and men read
them now and marvel still.
His SECOND infalible credential WAS
His superhuman power, He was mas
ter of earth. sea. and sky. The winds
and waves obeyed His call. II we
read the simple, artiess narrative of
the evangelists we see Him in the
sweet greatness of His humanity and
the world-ruling majesty of His di
yinity. The Imam and divine are
blended like two stars In conjunction.
He Is the meeting place of two worlds.
The essence of all being eenters in
Him, In Him godhod and manhood
are forever united.
THE third credential of Jesus was
the life He lived. He MAS absolute
IL sinless. Sin is SD Charaeteristicai-
ly human that sinlessness must be
divine. Pollution touched the hem Ut
His garment but left no stain. Which
of You convicteth Me og sin, was His
challenge"
The meetings win continue each
evening I'm the Christian church. \
great theme will be discussed to-
night