The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1914-07-18
POWER ABOVE ALL
Gospel Of Jesus Christ Supreme
Now as It Was in the
Beginning.

A3AhAh SOCo bhlOuBn lUb WOTlu
with bowed head and a furtive
step, and shrinks from notice.
Shame Is the acknowledgment OF
some inferiority or defect, mental, NOR.
al or physical. Pride is an upward
looking quality, and though 1t has been
listed as n of the seven deadly sins,
yet 1t Is proper that a true man have
pride in that which is praiseworthy.
In st. PauPs day the Hebrews were
a proud nation. They we're proud of
their religion, OF their wonderful his
tory, of their great men such as Abra-
nam and Moses, of their city of Jeru.
salem and its magnificent temple.
Their pride would not allow them to
have any dealings with their own
cousins. the Samaritans. because they
had intermarried with the Canaanites
The Greeks were a proud people in
those days. They were proud of theii
learning, of their me1lifuous language.
and of their classic literature which
we study after all these centuries. They
we're proud of their works of art which
have never been surpassed. If equaled
and they were proud of their genera
culture and polish, and they looked
upon other nations as barbarians.
Defied Greatness of Rome.
The Romans were a proud nation in
PauTs day. They considered 1t the
highest honor to be a Roman citizen,
and, in fact, Paul speaks of his own
citizenship as a matter of no small
Importance. Rome had eclipsed
Egypt. had absorbed Greece, while
Palestine vas only an obscure prov
ince in a corner of the empire. Rome
also had its great men-orators such
as Cicero and Hortensius; poets such
as Virgil, Horace and Ovid; historians
such as Tacitus and Livi; generals
such as Caesar, Pompey and Titus.
Men from the provinces were owe
awed by the city's greatness and
glory, and felt that indeed all other
places were inferior, and that here
dwelt not only riches and pomp, but
also culture and wisdom and power.
Paul understood all this; and yet he
would stand in the forum and say,
Il am not ashamed Of the gospel of
Christ; make the most of your city,
of your institutions, and laws, of your
literature, and your world-power.
There is greater power in Christianity.
for it Is the power of God unto saliva
ton" When Nathaniel Hawthorne
first went to England and contrasted
the cathedrals and museums and man.
sions and literature of the mother
country with our small beginnings, he
did not feel ashamed OF being an Amer
lean. But he appealed to the future
and said that America would give to
the world men to match her boundless
plains, men to match her great rivers.
men to match her snow-clad peaks
which rear their heads into the sky.
Even so Paul appealed to the future
to prove that though Rome's power
was great, yet 1t was puny compared
with the power Of the gospel of Jesus
Christ.
Gospel Supreme Over All.
Since that day nineteen centuries
have come and gone. The gospel has
performed great exploits, its empire
has grown far beyond the borders OF
ancient Rome, and it is difficult to be-
lieve that there ever was a time when
any strong man was ashamed OF
Christianity. Looking backward we
behold the atmosphere of history
roseate with glorious associations OF
the gospel. 1t has always been the
power of God unto the salvation OF
mankind. 1t has never dwelt in
thieves dens or brothels, It has never
filled jails or poorhouses, or fostered
schemes Of vice or avarice. Evil men
have often used Christianity as a cloak
to cover their wickedness, and many
crimes have been committed in the
name of the gospel, but after all these
centuries 1t remains pure and unsul
lied as 1t came from the life and the
lips of Jesus of Nazareth.
Yet are there not some today who
call themselves Christians and yet &c
about the world apologetically, always
ready to deny their allegiance, and
would never stand up and say in the
face of ridicule. II am not ashamed
of the gospel of Christ" What pool
specimens of humanity they are;
neither flesh nor fish! There were
some people like that In Laodicea o
old, and to them the risen Lord said
81 know thy works, that thou arr
neither cold nor hot; l would that thor
vert cold or hot. So because thor
art lukewarm, and neither cold mol
hot. l will spew thee out of my
mouth"