The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1915-01-21

you know we do. we go on ana tell
about how sinners were 'cut to the
heart" under Peters preaching,
don't we? How Peter said, Repent
and be baptized" don't we? And
how three thousand were added to
them in one day, don't we? And
on that we build the argument for
Repentance, faith, baptism, don't
we? Come along now, own up, You
know we do. And then we hold up
that Pentecostal, Holy Spirit-flled
and guided churches as an example,
don't we? You know we do. And
then we pray some awful long pray
ers: Lord send the Holy Ghost down
from Heaven! Lord fill US with the
Holy Spirit and convict and convert
these sinners! Lord do this and
that and the other!" Isn't it so?
But-but-we stop right there,
don't we? In they come and then
what? Do we emphasize the law Of
discipleship? No. Do we preach
the law of organization? No. Do we
preach the law of labor and Of econo-
mic and communal ownership and
distribution? Great land, no Were
the preachers and churches to insist
W
effect on the modern church and
churches? Afraid to say? We are
not: they would go to smash or
ganically like chaff in a storm; or
they would send such a preacher off
in a jiffy. If you think we are
wrong, try it. Just preach a sermon
on this subject, prove every point
direct by Scripture as we have here
and then propose that since this is
the truth and Scripture law and eX-
ample, we will just agree to go into
it here and now, once for all. Then
listen for Bro. Ananias and Sister
Sapphira! Just try to establish such
church anywhere and then look
out for the political, commercial and
ecclesiastical despots
That church was hated, perse-
cuted, scattered by the same powers
that hated and cruciGed the Christ.
These despOts do not believe in such
a Christ nor such & church. Your
modern amen corner church boss,
and preacher starver and gospel hat
ing gambler and Spectator would
no more unite with such a church
as that than he would give what he
has accumulated to the poor and fol-
low Jesus Christ. You know it,
And yet we make out like we
don't know why we have no Pente-
costal REVEALS. We do know. We
know that we havee not PentecostaI,
Christ-Obeying, Spirit-filled and
guided churches; we know the
churches do not want and will not
have Pentoc0st practice or service.
All the use the modern church has
for Pentecost is to talk about and
try to get the joy and pleasure with
out the faith, love and service.
And that is what is the matter
with us. Every religious denomi-
nation is ridden to death by an oil
garchy of ecclesiastical and CONNER
Cial masters, and Christ and the Holy
Spirit and the Word of God are cast
out. The church is an adjunct OF
some human ecclesiastical system
under human law and control; the
money hunters swarm around it like
flies after molasses; the pastor is a
bill sticker, collector and a flunky
of his ecclesiastical master who
rules him and the chunrch in Christ's
place, and the laws of men have sup
planted the laws Of Christ. That's
what's the matter, as sure as the
Bible is true True churches and
ministers of Christ are hated now,
where they exist to be hated and
prosecuted, as the first church was.
If you doubt it preacher, just try
preaching a whole gospel and
whole ScriDtural church and Won