The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-09-14

enough to understand It; but. the
gospel is not a riddle to be solved and
needing great mental gifts in order
to solve it, but a revelation to the
heart of the world. The word "babes"
in this connection means u common
humanity. to which everything that
relates 20 humanity appeals. 1t is tho
great common world interest. It Is
that to which classic literature ap-
peals. I suppose that much Of the In
terest that we have In the old world
literature is that We are reading
about the SORROWS and the joys OF
men like unto ourselves, who lived
hundreds of years ago. We speak
of Burns poetry as something that
appeals to the heart of the world. We
mean that 1t appeals to everybody,
that it touches our common human
ity. that it is something which every
one al appreciate. This is the pow
er of the universal language like
music or art. everybody Of every age,
and of every nation understands.
Now Christianity appeals to this
common humanity because it is
founded upon the great fact Of a COM
mon need. Human nature says a re-
cent writer, "moves cut toward God"
This is true, because as soon as hu-
man nature begins to wonder about
things, there is a demand for s~atisfac-
tion concerning the mysteries. AS
soon as a man begins to appreciate
the fact of G,d's existence, he begins
to know that God is good. and he be-
gins to have a sense of ST.. AS soon
as he becomes conscious c. sin he is
anxious to obtain pardon; therefore.
IT, is that Christianity which meets
the man with an answer to all his
questions about God, and with for
s'-eness for his sin and pardon for
his wrongdoing. and reconciliation to
God satisfies his Utmost being.
Christianity, then. is the perma-
nent answer to a permanent need,
that is the Saviour's estimate Of It.
BIT n asks. If that is the case, why
is it not universally accented? Jesus
Himself tells us, because 1t makes Its
appeal to | re heart, and not the INTEL
lect; which means that it appeals to
the whole personality Of our sane.
calm and serene manhood, and not
to the intellect of the emotions alone.
Jesus offered His gospel to the
Scribes and Pharisees, and 1t was re-
iected; the wise and prudent" were
offended by it. HE found His dis
ciples among men who had neither
been tempted by Wealth nor corrupt
ed by poverty, men who could pray
"Give us this day Jul daily bread
with earnestness because their daily
bread depended upon their daily toll;
men of nc great learning, but practi-
cal, commonsense. h~ari-headed men
of the world. and let Us remember
Jesus gives thanks thac it is so. He
does not accept it as one of the condi-
tions of His work and make excuses
for it, but says that it is the strength
and power of His message that It
makes its appeal to the average mar
with his average intelligence, and
average human wants." and not pri-
marily to the scholars of the day.
Let us never forget that great fact.
which is fundamental to the success
Of Christianity, that 1t is a message
and not an argument, and II a man
shall ask. How do I know the mes
sage to be from God? the answer is,
the message contains the proof Of it's
own truth. 1t proves itself to be true
when it has satisfied nv need. The
father gives bread to the child and
says take and eat. The child may
question the value of the food and
yet he has faith enough to eat, and
after he has eaten there IS no room
for argument, for his hunger is salts
fed. The Father in heaven has done
the same thing. He has seen the hum
ger of the world and He has said.
Take and eat. If the child has faith
enough to accept the bread Of the
world, there is afterward no room for
argument, for his hunger is satisfied.
and a new vigor and power have
come into his life. It is only the
wise and prudent" who refrain from
eating the bread Of lifs which Christ
offers, and because of their refusal
ere still wondering yer the great
problems Of sin and sorrow and death.
and are not satisfied because thay get
no answer.