The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1914-01-15
SATURDAY NIGHT
SERhoNS
AW-l@ BY
= RNSAMUEL
u W.pURvISDl
WHY CHRIST CANE.

Why did Jesus come into the world!
Not many questions of equal import
can come to the human mind When
Christ came the world was full of re.
ligions There were temples and affairs
everywhere The Pantheon at Rome
had as many as 10000 gods. and all
objects and phenomena Of nature SYM
bolized divinity. Gods Of all kinds
We're running nearly everything going
on In the world, from war to matri
rlony. Politicians were priests, and
priests We're politicians. Even Julius
Caesar had been Pontifex Maximus,
and when Jesus was child ut NaZa
reth Roman sailors were Frustrating
themselves before Augustus and pro
claiming him god. The literature OF
the day was full Of moral preceptS
The fatherhood of God was concept
of the religion OF pagan as we'll as Of
prophet The brotherhood of man had
a place as a lofty sentiment. Christ
came not simply as another religious
teacher He was that plus something
more. Any religion can tell Il man
what he ought to be. Christianity
alone makes him what he ought to be
A leader must sooner or later declare
his mission. Christ tells his in the
text above. His mission was not sim
ply ethical or moral, fine sentiments
or doctrine; not simply salvation Of
state and society, but personal. indi
vidual salvation.
Charlie Rosa.
One Sunday wheE l was through
preaching at the First Nj. E. church in
Germantown, Philadelphia. the pastor
introducing me to a number of people
at the chancel rail, said, Mrs Ross
DR.. Purvis." AS looked into that
rare. sweet face and saw the marks
engraved by great grief my mind
few back to tragedy In July, 1874.
when little Charlie Ross. the flaxen
haired bairnie Of Mr.. and Mrs. Chris
tian X Ross, was stolen, never to be
found again Oh earth. The shooting
of Mosher and Douglass. the abduc
tors. while robbing Judge Van Brunt's
home in Brooklyn and their deaths
closed the negotiations for the $4,000
ransom which they demanded. Doug
lass dying exclaimed: Its no use
lying now We stole the boy Mosher
knows where he is. | DON'T He
gaspcd for breath and was gone Mo-
sher was already dead. The secret of
the lost Charlie Ross was closed for
ever The number of lost physically
is great The New York police depart
lHent has bureau called 1.-The missing
person department" Its business is.
to locate persons lost. strayed or stol-
en- in the great metropolis. The mum
Der is very large But the number
who are lost spiritually is Infinitely
larger Every church and mission
ought to be a missing person depart
mcnt." The parallels Of the lost sheep.
the lost coin. and the parable of the
prodigal son are Christ's picture of the
lost human soul.
"Indian Not Lost, Wigwam Lost"
If one is lost how may he be
saved? In as many ways as he has
sides on which he can be lost Lost
in ignorance. he is saved by education:
in sickness. he is saved by medicine
and rest: in reputation. by truth aud
honorable living The negro race was
saved from slavery by emancipation:
city in danger of typhoid by water
filtration: Galveston. by a sea wall
1t IS one of the most common mis-
takes of the day that the church or
its ordinances or its sacraments save
men. Only Christ can do that He
came for that one purpose Men think
Of God as away off somewhere They
seek him and are in grave doubt as to
their ability to find him He is near
by. I walked with my little boy Bob
on the street crowded with Christmas
shoppers. He tugged and tried to
break away to look into each store
window. Finally ut one toy store win
dow he broke away and gazed with
devouring eyes at the trinkets
stood still After awhile he turned
and looked for me. Couldn't see me
for the crowd. became bcwildered and
terror stricken, then started to cry.
called to him, and he looked In every
direction with uncertainty Then
went to him and took hold Of his trem.
bling hand. He said. Il fought You
were lost" mo; was here watching
you all the time. You were lost"
Sinners, Saved by Grace
It is hard for folks to realize that
they are lost We don't like to admit
we are sinners. When | visit the city
or county prison stand at little iron
railing and talk down a great. long.
narrow. passage way.to many hundred
prisoners, not one in sight Preach
Ing to bare walls is almost as hard as
preaching to empty benches When
go down each tier the men are play
ing cards or reading. ask them how
they came to be imprisoned Nearly
all say bad companionshfp. drink.
some one swore falsely or they were
'railroaded" to make good records for
the county detectives. 1t is rare to
find man who says Il am a sinner.
and wants to be clean within. ! sun
pose the lost sheep doesn't know 1t is
lost 1t was some time before the
prodisal "came to himself to realize
his condition. But Christ came seek.
ing the lost
Jesus sought me when a stranger