Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-04-17

n e r t a / n d at
Robert e. Speer luncheon by the
members of the University Club and
probably will deliver an address if ar,
rangements can be made by the local
Y. NJ. G. A.
AS a writer, Mr.. Speer's work al
ways is in demand. Probably the la
test product Of his pen appeared in a
recent number of Association Men,
entitled The Gospel That Finds Ev-
cry man." 1t is as follows:
What is it to find a man? The
word has a dozen differenet meanings.
Find means to locate or discover
something lost or sought for. The
gospel came thus to find men. Men
had lost themselves. They did not
know where they were or what they
were They thought they were rich
when they were poor. They thought
that they had what they didn't have
and didn't have what they had. But
the real manhood which is the char
acter Of God was buried or lost, gone
clean astray and out of recall. The
gospel was it's discovery. 1t found it
again in man for4man Simon you
are looking for the grip Of an iron
manhood and, donf know where it is,
Here it is. I came to find it in you
This was our Lords message. 1t is
his message. The gospel discovers
man to himself il. Gods. possibilities
for him And doing this: it discovers
him to himself in his own stfayed and
wasted ability. 1t shows him where
he is in the sweep of life and the
movement Of time. It finds him. o..
Find means to expose or detect
TO find many men means to find
them out Christ did this and does it.
The SNUG sinners who brought him
the woman taken in sin but who did
not bring him, the man, meant to show
her up. The deadly result was that
he found them and they found that
they were found. One reason why
many men do not like to associate
with our Lord today is that he is too
exposing. AS always he lays too bare
the inner heart to itself and to the
world. And the humble hearted and
sincere rejoice in this. Here is one"
they says who understands me. He
knows that l love him and what II
stage and get the pay. And thank
God, the stage and the pay are not
of any consequence and l should be
made miserable by them. l have my
work and my Lord knows me. He
has found me out and am glad"
Find means to set in order, to
compose, to arrange, to heave out the
disorder and to quell the strife. 1t
is a good old meaning Of the word
The gospel does this sort of finding.
1t is not scented water, or lace gar.
ments, or a vote of confidence. 1t is
explosion and recreation, the utter up
heaving of personality, and a change
which is, not by metaphor alone, but
by moral fact, new birth. 1t may
happen slowly and unconsciously or
it may come all in one mighty out.
burst but one way or another way
the gospel finds men as power of a |
new life
Find means to reach home to, to
get under the heart, to touch the liv. |
ing places. How wonderfully Christ |
did this when he was here. The com.
mon people heard him gladly. He
taught them as one having authority. |
The words that he spoke went in like |
life. The gospel that men need today |
and that Christ would have US preach I
must do the same. Let those who think |
this can only be done by slang or sen. !
sation stand to their own Master. He |
will judge them and if the fruits are |
there judgment is not for us. And |
yet judgment will be sure on us if !
we speak no words of Christ home to |
men ourselves. as, thank God, we may |
speak them as straight and sober and !
grave and true as those the Saviour
spoke. He found men with the noblest |
and purest speech and so, too, may
we.
And find means to equip, supply,
provide for, maintain. The gospel that
does this is our need Naked. poor,
despised, forsaken-that is what we
are when we really see ourselves. And
yet not one of these things. For
Christ found us and then found us
in, gave us, got for us a robe and
riches and fellowship beyond all
speech, worth all the diamonds and
gold which men have found, and found
themselves in, in Africa and in all
the finds they have ever made. And
against all that life brings of tempta-
ton and test and tasks Christ finds
us, fits us out, makes us masters.
"A gospel that is finds like these,
finds men everywhere that men want
TO be found. Whenever they don't
his gospel unfnds them-savOr Of life
INTO life to those who answer 'yes.