Newark post., 1914-06-17
STRONG SERMON
BEFORE Y. M. G. A.
Rev. MIR. McElmoyle Minister
Of The Occasion

last Sunday morning in the Col,
lege Oratory. The sermon from
the text found in Collassians l, IS.
"The Pre-eminent Christ, - was de-
ivered by Rev. John McElmoyle,
ID. D., Of Elkton. The inspiration
for the address, the speaker de-
clared, he found in the latter part
of the verse: that in all things he
might have the pre-eminence,' the
very pith of this epistle Of Paul S
a writer who never tired of exalting
the Christ. And indeed not only
Paul but all inspired men have
done this. More than sixty thou
sand volumes have been written to
describe this divine figure, yet all
have failed to describe Him.
The speaker considered first, the
preeminence Of Christ as a world
force. In the midst Of the culture
of civilization, in the libraries and
the laboratories; amid the gran
deur and the glory Of earth, Christ
occupies the place pre-eminent
Today as never before the move
ment Of the world is distinctly
Christward Hossanas to the Say
iour King are rising from all lands
and gaining in volume every hour.
This is an age Of fads, of vagaries,
speculations and fake religions, all
claiming attention for our homage
or acceptance. Many are conse-
quently disposed to be skeptical as
tC the presence of great guiding
power, or to doubt the wisdom of
the God Of old. But this is no
cause for pessimism. 1t is the light
that gives the revelation. Light
means sight; sight means might;
might makes the possibilities of
the world. The presence Of skep-
ticism in the world is proof posi-
tive Of Christ. He has His hand
upon the throttle, His foot upon
the lever and is guiding the great
machine Of human life, surely and
safely into better age. The very
unrest, discomfort, unsettlements
i'll the world are due to the pre-emi-
nence Of Christ.
In the second place, Mr.. Neil
mayle declared, Christ is pre-emi-
nent in his personality. Turn to
the great men Of human history
and we find they are great as they
embody the traits Of their race and
time. Turn to Christ and we find
the catholic, universal compre-
hensive man, bearing the character
and racial marks of all nations. Call (
the roll Of the great men-they
were pre-eminent i'll one virtue and
their influence seldom extends over
more than one generation. Christs
influence extends over all ages. He
touches life at every point in very
CLINE.
In the third place, Christ is pre-
eminent in mediatorship. Sin has
established a great gulf. What is
the secret of the Savior's power, Of
his mysterious charm, his person
ality? The answer is, "He gave
for the many" Listen
while Isaiah chants "He bore our
sins; He bore our transgressions. "
Again, and chiefly, Christ is
pre-eminent in his diety. That is
the fact that must be reckoned
with; that defies explanation.
There is but one explanation to
the significance that grows with
the ages: Christ is supernatural.
He is omnipotent, omniscient and
mmutable-God-that is the ex-
planation Of the power and infu-
ence to the Lord s Prayer. In child
christ and His truth are growing
forces. They grow in beauty and
n majesty. Science tells us not {
IN atom has been added to the uni
verse since the world was born.
But all things grow and become
different. The speaker paused to {
Illustrate his meaning by a refer
'nce to the Lords Prayr. In child {
lood we pray "Lead us not into
temptation. In manhood we re-
peat the words LEAD us not into
" How vastly differ
mt the reference! {
Christ in a final word, Mr.. Neil
noyle said, is pre-emeinent in his
ability to minister to human need.
o the human heart, to solve the =:
problems that perplex. All life of
Every sort is deadly monotony.
)ne can't get away from it. Life
would be unbearable were it not
sor the pre-eminent Christ who be-
slows a liberty of spirit which
breaks the fetters away. His pres
,nce transforms the limitations, re-
'traints and chains into the liberty,