The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1915-09-23

| phasize one point
and that is the duty and privilege of
highway gathering" by this is meant
the preaching OF the gospel. not mere
ly by the ordained ministry. but by
laymen as we'll. who know by expert.
ence the redemption which is in Christ
Jesus our Lord.
These beautiful summer days and
evenings AFFORD unusual opportunity
for this In the utilizing OF our parks.
and vacant lots. and church steps and
street corners for reaching multitudes
with the bread OF life. The prophets
OF the Old Testament were open-air
preachers. Jesus Christ and his apps.
ties were open-air preachers. Some
OF the greatest evangelists In all
the days were open-air preachers.
How could Whltefield and the
Wesleys have reached the masses
when church doors were closed against
them. unless they had taken to the
open air? What an open-air preacher
was Gen. William Booth! Today many
OF the ablest Christian laymen OF
Great Britain. as well as the clergy.
are found standing on improvised plat.
forms at the street corners telling out
the gospel OF salvation. and urging
their fellow men to accept the offer OF
atonement through Jesus Christ
/. This is enjoined upon you. Chris.
tian brethren. as a duty to God and to
your neighbor. Remember the words,
Go ye into all the world and preach
the Gospel to every creature" I'VE
shall be witnesses unto me-" These
commands are not to ecclesiastics
merely but to all the disciples OF
Christ. And then what shall we say
OF the command. Thou shalt love thy
neighbor as thyself?" Have We ever
felt. or shown. that love until We have
actively interested ourselves In the
salvation OF our neighbor? To feed
him when he Is hungry, or clothe him
when he is naked. or visit him In sick.
ness. or comfort him In his affection Is
not enough. except as We try TO save
him for eternity.
2. It is enjoined upon you as a per.
sonal advantage In the sense OF deyel
opment and In sense OF reward. II We
want to grow In the spiritual life We
want to exercise ourselves In Its min
istry. II we would know more OF the
love and the power OF God towards !
ourselves. we must experiment with |
what we now have In dealing with /
others. In this. as In that which is !
more material. the principle holds |
good. Give and IL shall be given unto ,
you" And then what about our re- /
ward in the future as well as In the Z
present? At the final reckoning OF re
deemed souls the same rank and glory 1
will not be given To the indolent and
unfruitful as TO the earnest and self
denying. The same Scripture which
says In one place. Look unto me and
be ye saved" says In another. Look
unto yourselves that ye receive a full
reward" They who turn many to
righteousness shall shine as the stars
forever and ever"
ltical necessity. This may be regard.
ed as the weakest and most selfish OF
he arguments, and for that reason
should have come first rather than
asst. but there are special reasons for
stating II at the last. What political
md social problems are pressing upon
he attention OF thoughtful citizens,
md especially Christian citizens, at
his time! In all our great cities the
needy classes are multiplying every
ear, and with them those who repre-
tent the ignorance. immortality and
rhine Of all great populations. The
conflict between capital and labor, and
Employers and employees, Is losing ,
Zone OF its intensity, now rumbling
'minously like some far-off earth 2
uake. and now breaking out into the /
olcanic eruption OF the disastrous \
trike." At the other extremity look
{ the luxury and extravaganza. the 4
eartless worldliness and the grasping a
elhshness OF many of the so-called d
upper classes" n
These things threaten the life OF our o
alton, the peace and prosperity OF /,
ur homes, and are a startling chal- o
snge to the Christian church. We
lust 20 forth on a new crusade. We v
lust go out into the highways and v
ather together all. as many as we find h
9th bad and good. We must give our "
slves enthusiastically to the work by d
rayer. by money. by personal en- "