Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-06-04
BY BISHOP W. A. GAMBLER.
CHRISTIANITY puts great value on

upon man as man, apart from any ae-
cidents Of poverty wealth, prominence
or obscurity, learning or ignorance. 1t
grounds the doctrine of Gods providence the es-
,sntial value of the humblest human nature BE
,old the birds Of the air; for they SOW not neither
10 they reap nor gather into barns; yet your heav-
.nly Father feedeth them. Are not We of much more
ralue than theyT'-CMatt- vi:26) 1t enforces the
affiliations Of mercy to the needy by declaring
mans value is above the lower animals: How
much better is man than sheepT'-(Matt. Killed
il warns men against the destructive life OF sin oy
asserting the superior worth Of the soul in compari
son with the whole world: For what is man prof
tied If he shall gain the whole world and lose his
Swn soul"?-CMstt. xvi:26).
II was inevitable that wherever this gospel OF
Christianity was proclaimed and accepted the value
If all men and every would be recognized. BY
consequence we see in christendom democratic
spirit not found elsewhere in the earth Personal
liberty ministries Of mercy, and the acknowledg-
neut of the rights the individual abound as they
do not prevail in heather lands. Such must be the
results of christianity wherever it goes.
But may not these excellencies run to an exces-
sive indivduasm? They certainly will, If the bal
ancing truth of christian fellowship be not strongly
asserted and generally accepted. Under christianity
the individual is much. but also is his fellow
christian and no man lives TO himself who lives the
christian life. Such is the teaching Of that great
massage about the body and its members in St PauIs
first letter to the Corinthians: As the body is one
and hath m7ny members. and all are the members
of that one body so also is Christ For by one Spirit
are We all baptized into body, whether we be
Jews or Gentiles whittier we be bond or free and
have been all made to drink into spirit For the
body is not one member but many. If the foot shall
say Because am not the hand am not of the body
is il therefore not of the body? And if the shall
say Because am not the eye, 1 am not of the body;
is il therefore not of the body? If the whole body
we're an eye, where the hearing? If the whole
were hearing, where were the smelling? But now
hath God set the members every one of them in the
body as 1t hath pleased him. And if they were all
one member where were the body. But are they
many members. yet but one body Now ye are
the body of Christ, and members in PARTICULAR
q Corinthians xii:12-20.
No man can afford to dismember himself from
the body Of Christ yet this he may. do even while
claiming church membership, if he separate himself
from the fellowship Of the people of God by an
cessive individualism. And this is what multiplied
thousands are doing We now see state Of things
which Wesley saw and lamented in his day. He says
IN one place, Look east, west, north south, name
what parish you please. is christian fellowship
there7 Rather not the bulk of the parishioners
a mere rope OF sand? What christian connection
is there between them? What intercourse in spirit
uaI thingsg What watching over each others souls
May not say justly the same thing of the churches
Of today? Where is there christian fellowship?
Very many people regard their connection with
the church their least important and least enjoyed
relation They choose their personal associations,
not on the basis of christian fellowship but upon the
basis Of Of similarity of taste accidental
contact in business social life. They make more
of their club than they of their church, care
fully respecting its regulations and constantly
attending its meetings
The vast development of secret orders and fra
ternities in our day is a manifestation OF wide
spread desire 10 find fellowship in some other way
than through christian association In these orders
social distinctions obscured by the prominence of
the object which they designed IL secure.
And this fact may suggest the explanation of the
decadenee Of christian fellowship in the churches
The members of the churches not united
the accomplishment of the great objects before
the church by Christ. These objects do not enlist
their energies strongly engage their desires
II man is possessed with burning desire for
holiness Of heart and life, he will seek earnestly
the men and women who are filled with the same
aspiration without regard to their social class and
take counsel with them touching the great matter
which sbsorbs both him and them. Can there be
greater object? Can there be one which will so
completely overtop and obscure all artificial and con-
ventional distinctions of classes when once it occu-
pies the heart? II was the pursuit of this object
which gave rise to WesIeys first societies. concerning
the origin OF which he says "In the latter end OF
1888 from eight to ten persons to in London
who appeared to be deeply convinced of sin. They
desired that I would spend some time with them in
prayer, and advise them how to flee from the wrath
to come. The first evening about ~ persons came
the next 80 or 40. These grew to 100; and then
took down their names and places Of abode, intend
ing to call upon them in their homes. Thus without
any previous plan. began the Methodist society of
England company of people associated together