The Washington herald., 1909-06-12


from his pen. A great life lived IN the
name and the power Of Jesus is the un-
answerable Christian argument.
A ONCE FAMOUS. NOW sMETTEN. cITT.
The cables have been burdened with
heart-breaking messages from this same
city OK Antioch OF which the Sunday
schools have been learning through these
recent lessons. For Antioch has been
drenched with the blood of those who
still bear the name OF Christian, which
was first applied 10 the disciples OF Jesus
IN that ancient city So also Tarsus. the
birthplace of Paul, has resounded with
the shrieks OF the dying and prosecuted
Christians as they fell before the rifles
and swords Of the Moslem fanatics. From
many points OF Asia and Asia Minor the
same tale is repeated Why does not the
time unity? Ancient Antioch heard the
plea OF suffering Jerusalem. Should not
Christian Europe and Christian America
hear the plea Of Antioch?
Our various religious declarations are
getting together to stress their ortho-
doxy or their Hberality, but where are
they getting together 10 make CLAIMANT
the voice OF an outraged and sympathetic
twentieth century Christendom? The cry
OF the East should be met by a return
ing hail OF brotherhood and Of succor.
May II not be true that Christianity after
twenty centuries is less Christian than II
was when Antioch sent Of its choicest
and best 10 the service OF the world and
poured out lavishly OF it's substance for
the succor OF the needy mother church?
THE CHURCH THAT swARMED.
This Antioch Christian church possessed
the real genius OF Jesus. It was quick
cared TO hear the Spirits monitions. II
was restless and not confined within II
self. Night and day its thought went out
10 the worlds needy ones In vision,
sympathy. and IN effort Antioch out
reached 10 the environing heather world.
Up in Antioch they knew that Chris
tianity was at once at war with the forces
of evil-note the episode OF Simon the
Sorcerer-and at work for the elevation
Of spiritual destitutlon. In other words.
religion then meant business. Wherever
the Gospel touched life II brought about
results. DiscipIeshsp meant the practice
Of Righteousness. Surely. not in Antioch
could have been written such an editorial
as appeared In the Boston Herald. with
a truthfulness which no one denies. but
which has caused the utterance to be
widely quoted In the religious press. The
churches may be filed. the revival halls
may be stormed by crowds. 70 whom the
formal churches make no appeal: the
name Of Christ may rise from close
packed masses whose chOruses shake the
walls; memories OF mother and the old
home may bring men 10 their knees IN
tears; a splendid ardor 70 take I'D the
cross and follow Him may seize upon
multitudes, as IL has seized upon their
predecessors at intervals. through hun
dreds OF bygone years, and vet our cities
remain the most conspicuous Inockeries
OF self-government that the world can
show"
THE UPS AND DOWNS OF PIONEERS.
Sheldon Jackson died few weeks ago.
After long life Of hard hghting he has
gone home. covered with scars. 10 a sol
dier's reward. It had been planned by
his denomination to do him signal honor
at Its general assembly last month. for
ne was the home mission pioneer. who.
with Pauline vision, helped win half
continent for Christian civilization The
ups and downs Of his active, stormy life
remind US that such preaching as the
Apostle Paul did was not a comfortable
career OF pleasant piousness. II meant
real war. These studies have shown Paul
preaching with mighty power. and then
driven out with stonings because of the
Jealousy OF the Jews. A few days later
ne was hailed as a god-and then straight
away stoned again Yet ne declared that
none OF these things moved him. A man
VINO has such profound ambition as
dominated his life dwells too dseply TO
be rufied by adverse or favorable circuu-
stances.
REAL PpTr rc,roN ..~.rD --v-,
TRINES
The extension OF the early Church !
created problems. So long as the believ-
ers were all of the Jewish faith. their life
and practice were simpIifed. The bring
ing in OF the Gentiles created complexi- !
Ties, and II was necessary 10 cali the first
council Of the Christian church at Jeru- |
salem to decide whether the Jewish rites /
were still incumbent upon Gentle con-
VertS- The vote was hearty and lovingly 1
IN favor Of liberalism Those men held 4
convictions for which thew
would ole; yet they granted liberty in all /
nonessentials to their brethren. That
meets the mood Of our own day. which
likes the motto. In essentials unity ,n /
nonessentials liberty; in all things char
ity"
The pastor Of the Fifth Avenue Bantist
Church, IN New York City. recentIv de-
elared publicly that the practice OF i'm
mersiOn. while he believes II to he Scrfn-
tural, is not a sufficient reason To var 4
rant the existence OF q separate denonf- I
nation What a storm OF agitation would 4
nave been created by such an utterance /
a generation ago! Yet to-day II seems
scarcely TO have caused a ripple. Men
are more concerned nowadays about fnd- I
ing ground on which they may stand in I
common. They want 10 hold fast TO the
vital, central truths. And IL a man is in /
touch with God through Christ he NAV
diner from hts neighbor as much as he
pieases in rites and forms and IN ohser1r-
anees, and Christianity may stin present
a united front 10 the world.
When Tx; r xaT