The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1912-11-28

7 -. -s--...lssl Jesus, but the
text announced (and it does not stand
alone as to the sentiment expressed)
calls halt and asks for serious think
ing.
Hope in Christ is the thing under
consideration, hope for the individual
through the influence or mediation OF
Christ The word hope, expressing
even an abstract idea, lures us, and
rightly 50. There Is nothing that sus-
tains man better than hope, and Chris
tian hope is well put into the cate
cory with faith and love, as forming
the great trio Of Christian graces. In
view Of this hope In Christ what ex-
pectation OF relief and rescue from
disaster, and what positive assurance
Of satisfying happiness may we have?
But it 10 the step forward that
brings us to the place Of more seri-
GUS thought, even Of deep concern
IF we have only hoped In Christ in
this life" bringing before US the
place Of realization Of our hope in
Christ. II those hopes end in this
life, we are OF all men most pitiable
Tho heart of the pastor referred to
was moved because he realized that
in these degenerate days, as far az
real religious thinking is concerned,
the hopes In Christ are those that
arc to be realized in life quite ex-
clusively. What does a man get in
Christ? The popular answer Is:
amelioration OF sad social conditions,
better prospects for success in the
vocations In life, Responsibility, and
easy life experiences. Jesus Is held
up a. one to be patterned after with
respect to purity OF conduct, as one
uttering easy things such as the be-
attitudes and the golden rule in the
Sermon on the Mount, yet without any
reference to the context. This Is even
done in the propaganda Of some OF
the modern religious movements that
have been heavily financed and have
been prosecuted with wide and ex-
tensive advertising. banquets. and
with mutual admiration of those par
ticipating regardless of their adj
herence to "the faith that was once
for all delivered to the saints" In
such propaganda there Is practically
nothing said about anything that ac-
crues to men beyond this life, 1t being
considered almost an insult to mod
ern culture to intimate that men and
women need anything that is sug-
gested by the sufferings at Calvary.
or the opening tomb.
Probably few would reject the
proposition that the gospel must be
preached, but how far from the gos-
pei as suggested In l Corinthians
1853, 4. is much that is now called
the gospel! As to following Christ
in this life, where is the promise that
the undertaking will be one Of ease
and comfort? Those who know the
Bible do not forget that the yoke OF
Christ is easy and his burden is light,
but they do not see that in any sense
there Is modification in this fact OF
the life-fare of those who follow
Jesus suspicion, poverty, sneers, per-
secutions, and even death itself. That
the Christian has in this life more
than enough to satisfy him as to his
hopes In Christ Is readily admitted.
but 1t is not In this life that those
hopes are to be chiefly realized. A
casual reading of the fifteenth chapter
of First Corinthians shows that the
great subject Of Paul in that chapter
was the resurrection OF the Christian
from the dead, the future clothing Of
this mortal body with Immortality
that Is the object Of the Christiana.
hope in Christ.
We note that Paul says that those
who have hoped In Christ only in this
life are most pitiable. The enemy OF
their souls has deceived them into be-
lieving that religion is for this life
only. and they grasp it for such life
benefits, when as a matter Of fact
before the Christian is held the glori-
GUS certainty of resurrection from the
dead with body that is incorruptible.
spiritual. powerful. glorious and heay-
emily. Man is to be pitied because he
lacks good Judgment in choosing that
which Is inferior rather than choosing
that which ia infinitely superior. and
which L. offered to him gratuitously.