Arizona republican., 1911-08-14
.LUKEWARM CHRISTIANS
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the self satisfaction expressed by the church of this city, everything there was in a flourishing condition. The congregation was maintaining its own, probably it was fashionable to go to church or it gave good business standing; the pastor preached ac- ceptahle sermons; there is no hint of heresy or faction; the missionary col lection was probably as usual; the Ladies' Aid Society or by whatever name is was then known was prob ably bristling with responsibility and enthusiasm. Perhaps there was even an acceptable increase in church membership-"We are rich-in need of nothing" Financially sound materially prosperous.
 But says the true witness vs- this church-"Ye are spiritually poor. l know thy words, thou art neither cold nor hot-thou art lukewarm And if you and I this morning were to analyiZc the conditions of this church as to the reason for this judgment, we would probably find the answer in the worldlincss and materialism Of it's members. And we would learn the great lesson that Love of God. the pursuit after the material things of life is as great a foe to spirit uaIity as is senSousness. How hard ly shall they that have riches enter into the Kingdom of Heaven" We should probably find that in this church responsibility, i. e, the man with the gold ring and the goodly apparel was more in evidence than humble pfety and religious fervor; we should find that talent, the ability to drive a sharp bargain, was more craved than spiritual power; that wealth and social status were things men marked and desired and recog- nized to the neglect of the growth in grace and knowledge of God; W" should find that the cross was not the object of diligent search among any large majority of the people. That is the kind of a church that is spirit ualIy wretched, miserable and poor and blind and naked.
 And a question that comes home forciblv to us at this time is, Was the church at LaOdicea always such il churCh'-and we can thankfully say no Its foundation is due probably to St. Paurs missionary zeal, when with Ephesus as headquarters, he con- tinued teaching for the space of two years in the school of Tyrannus, 50 that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord-both Jew and Greek" In Col. IT,, We have this church coupled with colossal in a warm commendation for "steadfast- arl- arrr1r rpG not a condition in which Paurs churches were apt to be found-they were either hot or cold. And more ever. it is all but certain that the Fpistle of St Paul which we know as ITO the Ephesians' was intended as well for the Laodiceans and the high praise we find in that letter re- fleets the spiritual grace and power of this church which St John now tells us is so sadly deluded and fallen
 What then is to be the remedy what is the counsel given to this de- Ceived church? It is this: Seek "" true riches Buy of me gold, tried in the fire that thou mayest be rich" 'To buy was certainly familiar enough language for these merchants and tradesmen of Laodicea. But be- ing as the witness tells us ''wretched. miserable. poor. blind and naked" how and with what were they to buy? "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a con trite heart thou wilt not despise, O God" That is the courage in Gods realm of love, and it is all one needs to give heed to this counsel. It is the old invitation of Isaiah, He everyone that thirsteth-come ye to the waters and he that hath no mon ey, come ye buy and eat, yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price" Buy gold, tried in the fire which is symbolic of faith The first counsel then is seek true riches-Buy faith with a humble and contrite heart.
 Then buy white raiment for your nakedness. Strange advice this sure ly to a community of wool-growers- for Laodicea was noted for its black wool and vestments. Buy white says the witness It is the material vs the spiritual-An entire change Is needed. from black to white. from darkness of self to lightness of spir- ituaI truth and holiness. Put on the white garments of purity and peace the true spiritual virtues. the thngS thou lackest and then buy-eye salve Here again we have a familiar figure Anyone who has been in the Orient and visited the hospitals will be inn pressed by the crowds of people who suffer because of defective vision The heat and glare of the sun com bined with their lack of cleanliness conspres to irritate the eyes and have literally seen hundreds of peo- pie waiting in line at the eye hOspi- tals for the doors to open that they might receive treatment. From tho
 physical then to the spiritual is th'
 advice-buy eye salve.- Get the ey'
 of thy spiritual vision in right work
 ing order. that thou mayest see th' wide gulf between thy preaching an'
 thy practice, between thy bOaste'
 need of nothing and actual condi'
 tions And strange things would be
 fall us today if we should ever ge
 in the habit of insisting as on'
 modern writer puts it, that our prac
 tice square with our preaching; i
 churches made this test of fellOwshil
 that men must live their doctrine
 rather than teach them that men mus
 live their beliefs rather than comics