The Bryan eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1880-1913, 1911-11-02
Of FIRST
/; : METHODIST CHURCH
.arge Congregation, Good Music and Powful
Sermon by Bishop Gambler

world was sick and the doctors were
charlatans who knew practically moth
ing OF the science or the art OF heal
ing. Jesus healed all who appealed r.
him, but this was not his mission
The wonderful development or medical
science and improvement of sanitary
conditions Is another of the achieve
ments OF Christianity
The Jews in the time of Jesus were
ground under the heel Of Roman tyr
amy, but il was not this that 50
wrung the heart OF the Savior. The
despotism of the Roman pro-consuls
and OF the renegade Herods, the most
dastardly and depraved rulers the
world has ever known, were strongly
delineated. When Jesus came the
heart OF the nation thrilled with hope
because they thought he had come to
deliver them from this physical bond
age and re-establish the glorious en-
pire of David and Solomon. When
they learned that this was not his mis-
sion they rejected him. The mistake
people make now is in expecting a
change of parties or OF officers to
bring good government.
Your house is left unto you desc
late" What house? 1t was the temple
in Jerusalem, from which the she
kinah, the glow in the holy of holies
which manifested the presence Of God,
had departed. Here followed a very
strongly drawn sketch OF the call
of Abraham and OF the latter's i'm
plicit obedience, OF Jacobs failures un-
til, reduced to the last extremity, he
surrendered Internationally to the will
OF God: of the rescue from Egypt and
the forty years wandering in the will
derness-ail OF which we're necessary
to teach the chosen pople their conf
plete dependence on God. The temple
was the center of the Jews religious
life; II was the place where God met
his people when they came on their
annual pilgrimage 10 Jerusalem. When
Jeroboam set up another house OF
worship on Mount Gerazim God re-
fused TO meet the rebellions Israelites
there and the result was they were
carried away into captivity and what
became OF them is one OF the greatest
problems in history. The primitive
Methodlsts called their places OF wor-
ship meeting houses" 1t was dear
old name and very appropriate, for
there God met with and blessed them.
The temple was a symbol OF the In.
carnation; Jesus had spoken OF his
body as the temple which would be
destroyed and he would raise 1t up
in three days. The temple was conse-
Grated to the worship of Jehovah, but
the degenerate Jews had desecrated it
by using 1t as 4 place for extortion.
Jesus said they had made 1t den OF
thieves. 1t was covetousness which
led them into the practice Of the vices
that excited the wrath of Jsus, and
the same cause often causes Chris
tians to become dishonest. If nouns
could be compared like adjectives, one
might use the formula: Positive, Gov
etousness; comparative, gambling
stealing. When Jehovah
deserted the temple Jesus no longer
called 1t My Fathers House" but In
striking contrast he said, Your house
Is left unto you desolate."
The greatest calamity that can be-
fall any nation Is to lose God, and
his is the danger that threatens our
national and religious life. Men need
Sod at all times and under all circum-
stances. How often, alas! the worship
,f God degenerates into a yeneration
'or symbols The Jews worshipped
he brazen serpent until God destroyed
t. Where God is not, there Is DESC
alton. There is a subtle atheism in
he church today: not many openly
leny the existence of God, but they
.ct as though he we're dead, and in
heir hearts many who profess to be
Christians would be glad II he were
lead.
The old Jerusalem was Of the earth,
earthly: the New Jerusalem comes
lown from heaven-God with men is
he elimination of all things. The
,hurch is the bride of Christ and must
,e without spot or wrinkle-a glorious
hurch.
After the sermon the officers of the
hurch advanced to the altar rail and
olemnly presented the church build
ne for conservation and the bishop
read the dedication [
,rayer.
Bishop Gambler preached again at
he evening service, his sermon not I