South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-12-20
VITAL RELIGION
IS GREAT NEED
Rev. J. |. Gardiner Believes 1t
Means Primarily to Be
Good and Do Good.

THE greatest need OF the hour
is a vital religion religion that
will satisfy mans highest intellec-
tral and moral Ideals" said Rev.
James l. Gardiner. ID. D.. pastor Of
the st. PauTs VI. +. church. Sunday
morning in his sermon on the sub
jet The Greatest Need Of the
Hour"
We need a religion not only that
is reasonable, but that will appeal
10 mans best moral sense. The need
Of the hour is a religion that is
ethical and practical and founded
on faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
LET me say that religion is the
most important thing in the world
Ii is the most important because II
mas to do with a divine personality
called God and human personality
called man. Thoughts concerning
religion are the highest and best
thoughts in the world for man, made
In the image of Almighty God. Let
therefore no shallow-brained, empty
minded skeptic or infidel laugh you
out of your religion or rob you of
the joy that comes from a personal
knowledge of God through our Lord
Jesus Christ.
Many have erroneous ideals of
religion. They think religion con-
sists in observing holy days and
fasts and new moons But what
saith the Lord but this I am tired
Of your new moons and fast days
Some think religion consists in be-
ing orthodox-in holding certain
! opinions and in subscribing to GER
! tain creeds. This is a colossal mis-
take.
Do and BE Good.
Religion does not consist In &C
cepting this or that theory or opin-
| ion about God or about heaven or
hell. Religion does not consist
either in anything outward. 1t con-
ssts in being good and doing good
1t consists in experience and prac-
tice.
The religion we need for today
is a conscious realization of the
presence of God. The man who is
truly religious is conscious that God
dwells within him, for religion is
the life of God within a human
soul.
More than that. religion means
! sacrifice. Our Lord said, Let him
| that would come after me deny him.
self. take up His cross and follow
me. The road may be rought and
he cross may be heavy, but the
/ Christian never falters. He never
| turns aside from the path of right
| eousness for his faith is fixed in the
/ divine Son of God.
Religion means love-love for
/ God and love for man. Notice / say
/ love for man. That leads me 10 say
1 that the religion we need today is
\ one that believes in the salvation
/ of society. For many years we pro-
| claimed the truth that Christianity
was a means OF individual salvation.
! This was a powerful and true gos-
pei; but today we are coming TO see
/ that the religion of Christ means
( also the redemption of human So
/ ciety from corruption; il means the
I cleansing of politics from graft and
\ all forms of dishonesty Christianity
is TO be the leaven that shall leaven
the whole lump. Hence the need
/ today Of laying emphasis on the So
ctal side OF the gospel Of Jesus
| Christ.
Practical Religion.
The great need today is practical
religion. After all this is the test
OF every religion. Does it work ?
/ Does il serve? Does il bear fruit in
the lives Of men and women? Jesus
said, BY their fruits We shall know
them. The final test then, is not
how much does a man know about
the Bible or if he can repeat the
apostles creed or the catechism. The
test is this: Does his religion lead
him to be good and do good"
Last evening DR.. Gardiner preach
ed a sermon TO a large audience on
the subject. John Bunyan and His
Book" He told about the CONVEX
sion OF Bunyan a swearing tinker.
I into a man. who dreamed an i'm
mortal dream. AT the close Of the
sermon Pilgrims Progress" Bun
vans great book. was presented in
three reels OF motion pictures. The
I film was a splendid one and traced
/ the story Of the pilgrim from the
moment OF his conversion until the
time he reached the Celestial city.