Norwich bulletin., 1913-01-20
THE DELAYED TRIUMPH
 OF THE GOSPEL,
Rev. F. w. Coleman Answers a Cues
 ton of the Times.


 The pastor. Rev. F. w. Coleman, preached on The Delayed Triumph Of the Gospel at the Trinity M. E. church Sunday morning. He took his text from Peter ii. 3-4: Where is the prom ise of his coming, for since the fathers fell asleep al! things continue as they were from the beginning of creation" He spoke in part as follows:
 As travellers unexpectedly coming to the summit of some mountain fail to see the distant landscape beyond. be- cause of the clouds that obscure. their vision, so the primitive Christians, though exalted by new faith, idiieo to see into the future, or to understand the significance of their position. Their vision was limited; they did net see far into the purposes of God. They liX- ed in the hope of seeing the coming Of Christ in their own day and the con summation of all things while they were yet alive upon the earth
 Also we can easily understand how the enemies of the faith would improve their opportunity, asking with cynical sneers: Where is the promise Of hls coming " What an absurd expectation. The apostles have ali gone. The world still sings the same old sad song; moons still wake and wane; the tide still ebbs and flows. All things remain as they were from the creation The same question is asked today; it has been asked in every age of the world $ history. The enemies of religion have ever dSAeu, " lfete IS tilS AEtu, V aioi <tSt And many times, alas! the cry of the faithful has been heard:, 0 Lord. how Long?
 Now the Delayed Triumph.
 It is not now the delayed coming which is the subject of criticism, but the delayed triumph of the gospel. Where is the promised success which has been so long the hope and main stay of the Christian church? Where are the signs of any token of success even in this respect? Surely the final triumph of the gospel seems far off as ever 1t was.
 It has always seemed to me that the proper question to ask concerning Christianity and the work of the Chris tian church is not How little is being done?" To complain of the paucity of results. But the right way to look at this matter is to inquire; How could the world get along without the Chris tian church? For whatever relief we find to the dark picture Of sin and evil in the world comes from the light shed abroad in the world by the Chris tian religion. Far short though we mya fall of ideal Christianity, far short though we may fall of New Testament religion, yet is it not true, and in fact it is admitted by everyone, that Christianity has work q deep and abiding reforms in every sphere Of hu- man society. It has introduced into life an entirely new sense of its dignity
 
 merely felt and enjoyed by the cuitur- ed few, but within the reach of every man. The religion of Christ has infus- ed a new spirit into our laws, our 1lt- cratu-e, our social customs, our com merce and trade-nay our very life. The present difficulties in our social life which are arousing so much dis cuSsion are problems winch we should have never heard of had it not been for Christianity. Slavery was not a prob lem to the pagan world. But 1t was Christianity which made it a problem to us and it is Christianity that has solved it to the satisfaction of all.
 No Note of Despair.
 Every argument that can be used against missions is as old as the time of Paul. The discourageuentS and the opposition which that great missionary had to meet were a thousandfold great CT than they are today, the task thousand times more hoPless; yet ne never doubted the final success of his work. The great apostle was no fa- natic: never man possessed a sanef mind than he: never a man saw more clearly into the depths of human na- ture than he. He saw things as they were He saw things at their worst. Yet in spite of the apparent hopeless ness of his task, the low type of char acter existing among his converts; notwiths landing the prosecutions com ing from without the church and the Ynisunderstanding coming from with in the church, alone as ne stood, see ing things as the mind of genius alone ian see them, yet we find not one note of despair or Encouragement during the whole of that heroic life. None Of these things moved him. He had seen the Christ. and this was sufficient. For whether we be beside ourselves, 1t is for God; for the love of Christ constraineth us.
 Wherever there is q genuine love of Christ there is also a genuine love Of souls, missionary spirit that counts not the cost We no longer see the promise of his coming? We no longer see the world as it it is, but we see 1t with the eye of faith as ii will be. For we see it with the Christ vision. NAILED BOXES CAN GO
 RN 1ARCEI POST