Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-05-19
DR., LITTLE OPENS ASSEMBLY
Retiring Moderator Delivers Sermon
to Meeting of Presbyterians.
PAYS TRIBUTE TO GOV. WILSON
Theme of Address il Need of Con-
structive Work in the Modern
Pulpit-Says There Are
Too Many EIijahs.

ATLANTIC CITY, N. j., May lS-A high
tribute to Governor Wilson of New Jersey
was given in the sermon delivered by the
Rev DIR. Charles Little of wabash Ind,
retiring moderator. opening the one hun
dred and twenty third annual general as
sembly Of the Presbyterian church in the
United States OF America. DR.. Little said
that the governor had heard a voice bid
ding him to take the larger vision fee the
betterment of mankind and lead the com
monwealth to a nobler citizenship.
DIR. Little took for his subject, The Min
istry of Elijah and Eisha,-Thou and
Now" with the text from Kings 212 and
ii Kings 1874 After contrasting the char
acters of the ancient prophets-Elijah as
destructive. a separatist and a reformer,
and Elisha as constructive. harmonizing
and a peace maker-he asked whether
there were not today ministers who diff
fered as widely in gifts knowledge and
wisdom and yet were equally honored of
God.
''The contrast may not be so wide, and
the dividing line SO sharply defines" said
Or. Little but in modified sense, are
there not Elijahs and Elishas in the pulpit
of today? May not the glory Of kingdom
and its ultimate victory be hastened
thereby In the prophecy of Isaiah, the Al
mighty declares that spiritual architecture
Of the church Is made complete by the diff
ferent parts which unite in it's construc-
tion The glory OF Lebanon shall come
unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree and
the box together, to beautify the place of
my sanctuary; and 1 will make the place
Of my feet glorious. The fir tree, the pine
tree and the box together May not the
ministers of today by their diversified gifts
and methods bring greater honor to His
name and church? May they not be the
charlots of Israel and the horsemen? Such
An inquiry is pertinent for any age, es-
pecially SO for the church of today"
Spirit of older Prophet.
I'm many pulpits the spirit of the older
prophet OF our text reappears The min
lister is burdened with economic questions
and social reforms. Children are op-
pressed; sweatshops are numerous; tene-
ment houses need ventilation; injustice in
wages must be rebuked disease must be
arrested; sanitary laws enacted, and the
world reclaimed. Such men only should be
elected to office who will be fair r-minded,
true, with passion for righteousness
These are the conditions which constitute
the vision OF many q preacher"
DR.. Little urged close adherence to the
creed in his discussion OF "The Breadth OF
Christine Doctrine" All churches have
creeds. written or unwritten," he said.
The church which has a mission has 1t
because OF It's own Interpretation OF the
word Of God. That Interpretation should be
clear and decided. When it ceases to
possess and preserve a doctrinal identity,
it will lose it's place among the active
working forces Of the kingdom"
Church unity OF the present day was
emphasized, according to DR., Little, by
the numerous INSTRUMENTATION associa-
tions, conventions, councils, brotherhoods,
the layTen's missionary movement and the
inter-ehurch federation with it's thirty-two
Christian denominations.