The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-02-02
CONGREGATIONS
ON THE INCREASE
Surprisingly Large Number Heard Rev.
DIR. McCrea Last Night - To-
nights Theme The Joy in Life.

The congregations at the special ser
vices led by Rev. DR.. A. c. McCrea
of Jersey City continue to be inereas-
ingly large, and the number present in
the First Baptist church last evening"
was surprise to the visiting clergy
man. The large chorus and orchestra
make. an excellent foundation for the
musical service under the direction of
William H.. Pagdin, tenor Mr.. Pao-
din sang by request last night The
Holy City, which thrilled and inspired.
| the large audience. This afternoon he
sings Light in Darkness, by Cowen.
and tonight his solo will be The Nine,
| ty- and Nine, by Campion. DIR. Nc
Crea s theme tonight at 30 will be
| The Joy in Life.
The Imperative in Life was present
| ed last evening by DIR. McCrea. The
scripture text was John 8: i; = must
work the works of him that sent me
while it is day; the night cometh when
no man can work.
q must expressed the imperative
in the life of Jesus. and the same
compulsion is found in every normal
man and woman. Some folks are far
from normal, especially those who are
living in sin, which is the greatest alb
/
Iperative is strong. restraining from
wrong and compelling to righteousness
good and God. The imperative in life
is threefold. First, it is the mighty
Ipull from above, from God, who has
made us. A man s love, like God s.
can cover all the world. His faith can
lay hold on all worlds and all time.
His hope can fix upon that which is
within the veil -a
God has given men great tools to
work with and abundance of material
ESQ he again expects good work and
fplenty of 1t on the largest scale Man
speaks today across a continent He
can fly the air and win battles in the
clouds. He navigates not only the
surface but the depths Of the sea
Earth. air, sea. have all become his ser.
wants. The forces OF gravity elec-
tricity, heat, explosives the magic
lpowers of chemistry, with these man is
doing and will do more and more won,
ders that are greater than the mir
acles of olden time Faith and its long
, view viii he necessary if man is Il
have world outside of that which he
| has not actually reduced to fact anG
: figures. To follow the call from above
is to feel and heed the imperative il
life. II Is the pun upward.
. Again, it is the call of the world :.
: need. A blind man and his handicaI
was what brought the words from tn,
Master But that blind man was only
, a type of the larger company of men
. as he helped theman to overcome th'
handicap so he helps us now On
thing is stressed in the miracle, name
: ". the means used, clay. 1t was
: case Of putting new force into an ol'
2 form and il is lesson worth while.
Men will 90 on forever using sound
: and colors in different combinations
: giving us new things out of the oil
forms. new songs and oratorios. ney
: pictures. things beautiful to the eve
new literature, orations. poetry. An
the needs of men call for these neN
things created by putting new fore
into the old forms, Just as Christ pm
power of healing into clay. Let Il
say the best part of il all is the ncN
music that comes from thehnman sol
when it has come into touch with il
= creator
Z But last of all, the imperative in if
has time element in il. While
is day said the Master. This is on
| day. II the world work is to be don
and God 5 expectation of men is TO +
| realized IN this generation it must /
by US It is coming near the close {
| the day with many, but yet there
| time to do a great deal. \ few M
| ments may be enough to do a gre;
| deed If YOU feel the pull to mob
| deeds, do them. If you do not, get il
TO touch with God and YOU will I
get into touch with him means conve
sion, following repentance, a real so
row for the past. and there is Joy
heaven over one sinner that repentet