Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-09-21
Pastor RusseIl's Sermon

Gospel, Is not salhtllness, not follow
Ing In the footsteps Of Jesus, not Bible
study, but athletics, manliness, posi-
tlon In society, attention to political
duties, attainment Of honorable posi-
tons In the world, and great names
which will make the Church register
shine-and money withal.
Far be 1t from me to teach inatten-
ton to the duties and responsibilities
Of life. Nothing IN the words Of Jesus
or the Apostles udmonlshes or exempli-
les careessness In respect to health,
manhood, womanhood, education, good
name and a proper provision Of the
things needful to the present life. The
Gospel Of Jesus and the Apostles how
ever, tells us--most distinctly impresses
upon all the followers Of Jesus that
their conservation as disciples OF Jesus
means their death to worldly ambitions
for wealth, praise Of men, political
office and the giving Of chief concern
to the preservation of their earthly
lives. 1t exhorts that these are all to
be considered quite secondary to the
new ambitions, the new ideals, set be-
fore us IN the Gospel.
The followers Of Jesus are enjoined
to do good unto all men as they have
oppOrtunitH This would include, Of
course, everything akin to social upllft.
Indeed, we cannot imagine that any
one could be Chrlstlan-a follower Of
the Lamb Of without having
deep sympathy with everything apper.
tanning to the welfare Of humanity and
social upllft. But the Apostles ex-
preston, ms we have opportunity" is
a limitation. The mission Of the Chris
tlan Is not social upllft. Thut Is not
the work to which the Lord Jesus and
His followers dedicated their llves-at
least not the kind Of social upllft gen
orally understood.
A Social Upift That viii Succeed.
The whole work Of God In connec-
ton with human Redemption is to be
an uplifting work for Adam and his en-
tire race The uplft which God has
planned and which He has revealed in
the Bible Is to be Il most thorough one,
such as humanity has never conceived.
1t is to be an upllft mentally, morally,
and physicaly-back to the image and
likeness Of God-lost in Eden, redeem
ed at Calvary. This social upllft 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 to
follow theories either of their own or
Of other men respecting the way in
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 |
bettcrment OF humanity In any and |
every sense Of the word. And, as
they have opportunity they are glad |
to give n word of encouragement and |
or occasionally helping |
hand. But theirs Is a far more Inn
portant work, They are co-aborcrs
with God-not with men,
Gods Plan is first to select the
Church, the Body of Christ, to be His
joint-hers in the glorious Messlanlc
Kingdom. Then He will use that
Kingdom for the thorough and com
Dlete social upllft which ali agree is
80 necessary. The world sees not the
Divine Plan, and even the Message Of
he Grace of God is foolishness to
hem; hence also the world may prob
IDLY think Of Jesus and His followers
Is chlmerlcal. Their theory, Gods
Is foollshness to the world
md those who follow the Divine ar
as st, Paul says, are
counted fools all the day long be-
'nuse they are spending their lives for
he accomplishment of things which
he world cannot see, understand, ap-
,reclate-"the deep things OF God" Il
Corinthians II, 10l
Forms Of Godliness.
The Gospel Of form and ceremony is
lot always hypocrisy If reverential
orms and chants and printed prayers
lways came from the heart and were
lever merely forms, there would be
much In them to approve and enjoy.
itill, ceremonies are no part Of the Cos
vel OF Christ, ana to put them instead
4 II Is to make Of them false Gospel.
Who will say that either Christ or any
4 the Apostles presented Gospel Of
orms and ceremonles2
The human heart is deceltful above
Il things, say the Scriptures. It likes
0 deye into worldllness and frivolity
nd sometimes into sin, and then to de
eive itself into believing that It Is the
,lcct OF God and special subject OF
lis care and sure of heavenly glory.
lany such appear to know nothing
respecting the Gospel of
hrist Theirs Is Gospel of good
FORKS, donations to hospitals, to social
pllft ana Church work and forms and
ceremonies. They feel burden roll
way when they repeat weekly the
hrase 1--WE have done those things
'hlch we ought not to have done, and
ave left undone the things which we
ught to have done, and there is no
ealth in us. BE merciful to us miser.
BILE sinners
But any suggestion that these are
liserable sinners aud need to know
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