The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-31
THE INTERCHANGEABLE.


glad and sad, 1t makes it seem all the
moro wonderful 10 contemplate the
one great fact that remains unchang.
cd as time goes on. "Jesus Christ the
same yesterday, to-day and forever"
More than eighteen hundred years
ago st. Paul wrote tho Corinthians
Inc fashion OF this world passeth
away" And so it Is to-day. Change
and decay are the order of human life
such periods came in tho fourth CEN
tury of the Christian era, or when the
crusaders burst the bonds of Europe
ana swarmed Into Asia Minor; such q
period was when the Reformation
shook the foundations of the Roman
Church, and such period seems to be
developing now before our eyes. So we
are disposed to Inquire what 1t is in
the midst Of the things that are passing
away to which we may with security
cling and upon which We may with
proper confidence rest. The one abid-
Ing factor In the over changing econ
omy of our human life Is the persona,
dominion of Christ over the hearts
and consclences and over the lives of
men.
His first disciple walked by faith in
Him; to-day His disciples see all
around them the tangible evidence OF
His power, in our political institutions,
our literature. our art our philan-
thropy. Other religions there are
older than Christianity and with more
followers, but the influence Of those
religions is not tie personal influence
OF their founders. Take away Moham-
med and Islam remains. and the same
is true OF Buddhism or Confucian;sm.
But take away Christ and Christianity
Is gone.
1t Is the form of the personal Christ
that has commanded the attention and
ehclted the homage and love that
make the Christian religion what it
is.
What is this force? We see what
Jesus Christ has been in history. We
can also see what He is. The ph,loso-
phers tell us that We cannot compre-
heha the real meaning of such terms
as perfect. absolute. omnipotent, !nhn
lite and eternal But looking at the
life Of Christ, for US at least. tho
Absolute was born at bethlehem the
Perfect died on Calvary, the Omntpo-
tent rose at Easter, the Infinite as
cehded from Bethany and the Eternal
came down at Pentecost." Here. then,
Is the fact and here is the Significance
OF 1t. the kingdom of Jesus Christ is
perpetual kingdom, 1t does not pass
away. and the kingdom of Jesus
Christ is tho kingdom of God.
Here Is the explanation of the won
derful story of this world and its his.
tory. The defeats. the victories. the
rise and fall of nations, were all pre-
pairing the way for the coming of that
Kingdom which came In Jesus Christ.
In the continuance OF this kingdom We
ind the true unity OF the past and also
the true hope OF the future.
The contamination OF this age in
which we are living will never BIO
achieved until all forms of human pur-
suit acknowledge Him, all departments
OF human knowledge pay their tri-
butte to Him. all aspirations of the hui
man heart lind their end in Him. ana
cNclaim at last with peace and low:
"Behold. the Lamb OF God"
Finally, in the perpetuty OF the
kingdom OF Jesus Christ we find NOT
only the true unity of the past ana
the true hope of the future but. also
"hat Is the true duty of the present
hour And Complementary stated,
what is that but TO make all human
society, at home. abroad. everywhere.
feel and respond TO the supremacy OF
the Lord and Master? This is tho in.
spiration that brings the consciousness
that we arc co-workcrs with God In
the iuliilment of His purposes which
run throughout all human history? To
the final contamination OF that purpose
the whole world travaileth together nm
I'll now. and will travail until tb,. ,n.,,
purposes OF God have come to full
fruition. We stand to day at the he
ginning of new year the twelve
months behind MS have passed as q
watch in the night the future lies be-
fore us unknown and unknowable Yer
III the midst Of things that are pass
ms away is the one abiding factor In
human life to which VIC can with Sc
curly cling and upon which we may
with perfect confidence rest. For de-
spite all the changes that have taken
place In the past, that are taking place
in the present. or will take place in
the future. stands. and will forever
stand, the kingdom OF Jesus Christ.
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