The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1911-01-19
Christ in
Office of King
By Rev. Robert MeHugh Morris
Pastor Of First Presbyterian Church
Evanston, Ill.

plleu unto you hn entrance INTO lne 'ltI-
nal kingdom OF our Lord and Savior
Jesus Chrst.-II Peter /. II.
The risen Savior executes three Of
fees He is our prophet revealing to
us by his word and spirit the will OF
God for our salvation. He Is our
priest, offering up of himself sacri-
flee to satisfy divine justice and
reconcile us to God, and I'm making
continual intercession for US. He is
our king In his kingly Office he sub
dues us to himself; he rules and de-
fends us; he restraints and conquers
all his and our enemies
That we may search ourselves and
see first II we are citizens Of his king.
dom, and second, how loyal we are to
that kingdom, let us note what are the
conditions Of citizenship. We shall
find these conditions by references
which originate I'm the king as he
stands in his relation to us, and in this
manner be able TO show what is our
religion toward him
The first phrase which we are
taught as setting forth the manner
Of Christ's execution OF the Office OF
kingship toward us is that he subdues
us to himself We talk much OF Christ
subduing the world We pray, some
times halfheartedly and sometimes
with great meaning, that his kingdom
may come, that his will may be done
IN earth as It is I'm heaven. We con.
jure before our minds eye the law
breakers, the fagrant sinners Of the
world. We draw melodramatic pic
lures of the thief. the drunkard, the
roue, the murderer being subdued to
the will Of Christ
There is something about the mid
night mission which appeals to our
dramatic sense. We love TO dwell
upon the rescuing OF the perishing;
we love to sing about throwing out
the lifeline; we love to talk about the
gospel being preached in all foreign
lands. We swell with pride when we
hear how Korea is coming to Christ
how China and Japan are being en-.
lightened by his light We are ready
to shout and say, that is good. fine
let 1t go on. The time will soon come
when the earth is as full of the knowl.
edge of the Lord as waters cover the
seas"
Now friends, that's all objective and
external It's all good; but the first
thing anyone should see to when he
prays that Gods will be done in
earth as It is done in heaven is that
he himself be subdued to Christ,
There are church members who will
work for others and give money to
missions land both these things they
should do but who unfortunately stop
just at that point and do not permit
themselves to be subdued.
The first question for you and me
TO say Is, Has Christ subdued us un.
to HIMSELF" Do you know there was
and is profound psychological and
spiritual reason or meaning behind
the "mourners bench" OF our Metho
dist brethren We like the phrase
"mourners' bench" There may be
better ones Perhaps the idea would
be better expressed If we said, the
self-abnegating bench the place
where men are willing to say, q sur
render myself" Not Il surrender five
hours a week to the work OF the
church," not Il surrender one hun.
dred dollars year to carry on his
work. not 81 surrender nominal al
legiance TO the kingdom, and am glad
that the kingdom Is spreading" not
that | surrender my name to the roll
Of some church and condeIcend to let
my greatness reflect credit and glory
upon the church of Christ. But that
surrender myself, that I surrender
my will which is the same as saying
that | am subdued.
Brethren, the first condition Of en-.
trance into this kingdom Is not regis
tering our names on the church rolls,
oy on the charity lists, or on the work
ers' tablets, good though these things
may be- but the first element is being
subdued to the king.
The second thing is that when we
are. subdued he rules and defends us.
Now the rulership Of Christ is not a
hard rule He is not a despicable and
unieellng tyrant MY yoke" he said,
is easy and my burden Is light" II
is necessary for us to bear the burden,
the yoke must needs be worn. But |
the burden cannot crush us and the |
yoke does not gall when we are sub. |
dued to his will.
If we are subdued his ruling will |
seems mild and gentle. 1t will not be |
arbitrary; II will not be merely that
he might crush us beyond all hope of |
insurrection. He does not restrain |
from traitorous acts so much by |
threats of dire punishment as by show
ing us the pain 1t will cause his heart
We all want the defense of the gov.
ernment We walk these streets at
night with feeling of greater or less
security, because we feel that the gov.
Of the city, through its po.
lice, is defending u.s.
So It is in this kingdom of Christ,
It is only while we are under the rul.
ership of the king that he can defend |
rs.
Now the third and last thing involv.
I'd in this execution of the office of
llngship is that Christ restralns and
'onquers all his enemies, who are our
enemies as well. Notice how this
zones merging quietly out of our last
hought For to revert to our illus.
ration: While we are loyal citizens
If the city, the lawbreakers are the