The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-09-20

new ambitions, the new ideals. set be
fore us in the Gospel.
The followers of Jesus are enjoinec
to do good unto all men as they have
opportunity This. would include. oil
course. everything akin to social uplift
Indeed, we cannot imagine that an,
one could be Christian-a follower OF
the Lamb OF without having .
deep sympathy with everything apper
tanning to the welfare OF humanity .ant
social nplift. But the Apostles ex
preston, las we have opportunity" il
a limitation, The mission OF the Chris
tian is. not social uplift. That Is no
the work to which the Lord Jesus ant
His followers dedicated their lives-a
least not the kind Of social uplift gen
orally understood.
: A Social-Upiift That Will Succeed.
The whole work of God ip c0nnec
ton with human Redemption is to be
an uplifting work for ADAM and his en-
tire race. The uplift& which God has
planned and which He has revealed In
the Bible is to be most thorough one
such as humanity has never conceived
1t is to be an uplift mentally. morally
and physically-back to the image and
likeness of Coolest in Eden. redeem
ed at Calvary. This social uplift OF
mankind which God is interested in
and of which God is the Center and
Fulcrum. is the line. in which all the
followers of Jesus. rightly instructed
are more interested than any other
people in the whole world.
However, the followers of Jesus are
soldiers Of the cross under His Cap
taincy. and they are not at liberty ,tt
follow theories either Of their own OF
of other men respecting the way il
which the great work OF uplifting the
world is to be accomplished. They
are deeply interested In everything
which men and women can do for the
betterment Of humanity In any anG
every sense Of the word. And, al
they have opportunity. they are GLAD
to give a word OF encouragement anf
appreciation. or occasionally helping
hand But theirs Is q FIR mare i'm
porfant work. TREY are co-i;lborers
with God-not 18TH mct1.st sP|s.& :.
Gods Plan is first to select the
Church. the Body Of Christ, to be His
joint-heirs in the glorious Messianit
Kingdom. Then He will use thai
Kingdom for the thorough and com
plete social uplift. which all agree h
so necessary. The world sees not the
Divine Plan, and even the Message Of
the Grace Of God is feolishness tc
them: hence also the world may prob
ably think of Jesus and His followers
as chimerical. Their theory, Gods
testimony. is foolishness to the world
aud those who follow the. Divine ar
rangement.S as ST.. Paul says, 4 arc
counted fools all the day long -,be
cause they are spending their lives TO,
tie ACCOMPLISHMENT sof things which
the world cannot ssee ap
preciate-'the deep things Of God" &
Corinthians il,1e.,'E tg%Nf Ss1zg . 5as i,{s.
.s'''. W Forms Of Godiinsss.. ,,s2a ~
The Gto,sspLeelf 'otf form and ceremony il
not always hypocrisy. II reverentia
forms and chants and printed prayer,
always came from the heart and Were
never merely forms" there would b,
much IN them 70 approve and enjoy
STILL ceremonies are~no' part of the Cos
pei Of Christ and to put them instead
Of il ID to make Of them false Gospel
Whsswili say that either hristl0r an.
OF the Apostles presented a Gospel o.
forms. ahB ceremonies?. @piaSs ii ~. i
. TTife humaf1 heart! issdeceitful tab0y.
alf things, sag the Scriptures. 1asIt likes
to delve intos wOradliness and frivolits
and sometimes into sin, and then to de
ceive itself into believing that it is thu
Elect of God and a special subject Ol
His care and sure of heavenly glory
Many such appear to know nothing
whatever respecting the Gospel o.
Christ. Theirs is a Gospel of gOoG
works. donations to hospitals, to s0cia
uplift and Church work and forms ant
ceremonies. They feel burden rol
away when they repeat weekly tt,
phrase. 1--WE have done those things
which we ought not to have done, iant
have left undone the things which w,
ought to have done, and there is NJ
health in us. Be fnerciful to US miser
able sinners" ' 80 t'4s
But any suggestion that these ar,
miserable sinners and need to know
the way OF the Lord more perfectly
and to become justified saints II they
would be heirs Of God. they would re
sent, The Gospel Of Journalism has done
great injury to such people. many Of
whom. rightly Informed respecting thu
Gospel of Christ might be greatly
blessed, sanctifed, and made meet fol
the inheritance. Of the saints in light.
As an illustration Of the religious
stupor produced by the Gospel Of
Journalism and ceremony. let me tel
you Of a gentleman of prominence II
London whom met recently. He
said. ~ was out to hear you last Sun
day. I was one of that audience Of
thousands, and I want to tell you thai
ron disturbed me greatly. did MOI
come away from your meeting happ!
and contented. but the reverse. / wal
disappointed. Why. the way you pre-
scented tue matter. showing the term
and conditions of discipleship in th'
narrow way. and cross bearing in til,
footsteps of Jesus, shocked me. II salt
to myself. Then | am not Christial
at ALL have not even taken the frs
steps in the Christian way. But whel