Omaha daily bee., 1911-06-24
Gky LTTTLE SERMON FOR THE WEEK ENDS

win 20 into the city and possess the land.
The apostles understood the Importance Of
the city and its evangelzation. They did
not begin their work in the country, or
villages. but by the command Of Jesus and
under the direction Of the holy spirit they
began IN the city OF Jerusalem. and the
future record OF their acts is a history of
city evangelization. They established
churches in the great centers OF CONNER
ciai and intellectual influences. whence the
truth would radiate to the villages and
country beyond.
Take a map and follow Paul in his mis-
sionary tours, and you have the cities OF
Jerusalem, Antioch, Ephesus, Corinth
Athens and Rome; and from these cities
have gene out the influences that are &C.
torminng the destinies of the world. Yet
there are those who question the need and
advisability Of this work. Nevertheless 1t
lie Gods plan, and therein lies our only
hope. No less an authority than Mr.. Theo-
dore Roosevelt has said that reformation
by law Is futile, and that the average
grade OF city politician is a er-ous menace
to good government" And the Hon. w.
NJ Evarts, as chairman Of committee re-
porting on the debt Of New York CITY,
said; I'm truth, the larger part of the city
debt represents a vast aggr egate Of moneys
wasted, embezzled or misapplied." Ger
tAinly It would pay to have honest men in
office. and 1t is a mistaken idea that the
way 10 bring about good times is to put
the toughs and the lawless into the saddle
Of administration and run a "wide-opea
| city," The thing does not work that way.
| Stop licensing crime and stop putting q
1 premium on unrighteousness and we will
have better times and our taxes will be
iessened
A woman member of one Of our down
town churches expressed the opinion the
other day that a church member ought not
to be expected to go into the low lands
and do the work Of the Salvation Army.
And, judging from our insction, there are
many who share the same opinion. But
| did not Christ come to this fallen world
and live among wicked men that he might
save them? And If you are a true disciple
! Of Christ is not this the very work you
ought to do and must do? The whole
need not the physician but the sick" The
boys and the girls. the men and the women
| III these abandoned localities are the ones
who need our help and our sympathies.
Said a Judge of the supreme court a few
! years ago: There Is a large class-I was
| about to say a majority-of the population
of New York and Brooklyn who Just live
| and to whom the rearing of two or more
! children means the brothell" Who has
| foreordained that these helpless children
| should live in reservation or that they
should be surrounded with an atmosphere
| of vice and crime that can but bring death
and destruction. AS long as there are
children, and men and women thus sit.
uated, justice and humanity will demand
| that Christian men and women do their
| duty, or the very stones Of the street will
cry out against them.
To solve the city problem we need 9
fearless and aggressive ministry. The
| hearty support OF the public press, NOR,
religious literature in the Christian home,
and a united and dynamic church But
there is no agency that will take the place
OF the consecrated Christian worker. wha
we need is more personal work. There /,
great lack in the church today OF men
| workers. In the city competition is 8.
sharp and the demands of business are
so pressing that the one thing men find
hardest to give is time. They must hav,
| time for relaxation. / believe, however
that this could be had in the Lords bust.
ness, and, If faithfully tried. this church
work would be found pleasurable, and
above all, delightfully."- restful. We need
men to evangelize men! With a REDEEMED
manhood, there will come the redeemed
city.