Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-01-18
the day when Jesus Christ gives II a spe-
cial visitation Of His power and presence.
,,,,,,,,,,,,r1,~- = ,,- I've, cor

"some of the most painful pages of
\ history are those recording the attitude
cities took toward Him when He vis-
tied them. From His birth to His death,
with the exception Of a brief period of
! publicity, He was received coldly and
often in the most hostile manner by the
towns which He honored by His presence.
The day when Jesus was in town was a
day when the people had chance to
write history, but they chronicled their
foolishness and shame ana brutality by
the way they treated Him.
"If Christ came to this city would bo
glad to see Him? Not appear to be glad,
but really be glad to welcome Him?
Whether or not you would be glad to well
come Him Is an invariable index to your
character. He is always where all Is
well. There ls n line of scripture which
reads as follows:
"'And when Herod the king heard It
he was troubled
MEN who have been living like Herod
are always troubled when they hear that
Jesus is in the neghborhood. Jesus Is
in the way of the Herods, Jesus is in
the way Of the adulterer, the thief, the
libertne and the oppressor.
would the presence of Jesus give you
peace and strength or would It worry
you? If It would worry you, you may
know that you are living in sin. BY this
you may know all that eternity can ever
reveal If His presence would trouble
you It is a bad sign.
WHERE WILL HE FIND YOU?
"If Christ came TO this city where
would want Him to find me? Would 1
want Him to find me in the saloon. in a
house of shame. plotting to ruin some
Al EV,.- 81
scofters?
"If Christ came to this city, what
would 1 want Him to find me doing7
Would I want Him to find me shirking
my duty, doing n questionable thing or
attempting to win men to Him?
"If Christ came to this city, what
whom would He spend most of His time?
l know that He would go wherever there
was n sinner and not be afraid of solling
His fine linen by going either. l know
that He would 20 wherever there was
any one in need, and He would go regard
less of class. He would go as freely and
as frankly to the poorest man in the
poorest tenement as He would go to the
comfortable home of one of your million-
aires, and vica versa. I think He would
go wherever there was anybody who
needed help on the deeper things of life
(and I know there would be nothing In
His life that would make It hard for Him
to go either) There may be something
in your life that would make it hard for
you to 90 and speak word for Christ.
But when ] ask where He would spend
most of His time 1 am not thinking of
these places have mentioned. am sim
ply asking in whose company He would
find the most congeniality. 1 cannot an
swer that-I am only asking you.
THE BIG QUESTION.
IF Christ came to this city, what am
doing that He would commend? Am 1
trying to live Christian life? Am
trying to influence others to do like
wise? Am I dealing honestly in business?
Am 1 found behind every influence for
good? Am 1 the uncompromIslng foe of
every evil?
IF Christ came to this city, what prac-
tices and neglect would He condemn?
What changes would 1 make If had "a
hours notice? Would you change any
dates? Would you tear up any letters2
Would you go and apologize for anything
you have said? Would you pay some
debt you have refused to settle for years?
Would you deed back property that you
have swindled some poor fellow out of?
Would you go to the bank and draw
money and pay back something that you
have cheated in order to obtain? Would
you go to men and tell them you had lied
about them? Would you tell the brewery
wagon not to call at your house in the
future? Are there any books on your
library shelf you would throw out? Are
there any pictures on the wall you would
tear down? Are you planning to go any
where you would not go If Christ were
coming to this city? Would you take
anything out of the icebox? Would you
have to dust the Bible? Would you make
any changes in your prayer schedule?
CHRIST ALWAYS PRESENT.
II said, IF Christ came to this city,
but there is no IT. Christ is in this
city. Every now and then some one
writes a book like W. T. stead's book,
If Christ Came to Chicago but there
Is a sort of faithlessness in every such |
book. for Christ has never been out OF
Chicago. Christ has seen every stone laid |
IN Chicago, Brooklyn, New York Phila- |
delphia, Boston. San Francisco, London, |
Paris, Berlin. He has heard every lie, |
seen every false vote, has known every |
Vicious thought, every sneer at high and |
holy things, every yielding TO low ideals, |
every corrupt practice and every injus- |
ice, every oath, every theft. He has |
moved In the maddened crowd OF every |
strike. He has seen with a practiced eye |
he elements OF justice and injustice that |
moved the crowd. He has been at the |
council table of every great corporation |
and knows when property rights have |
1een put above human rights. He knows |
he motives behind every act OF every |
nan since the founding of our nation. His |
judgments OF you are not based upon the /
morning newspaper or by rating in |
3radstreet's or r. c. Dun, but by what
lie sees and knows of you every day,
In Trafalgar Square, lifting itself |
lbove the fog, stands the statue OF LORD |
Nelson, around whose feet the crowds
freak like waves. It stands there a sort /
II silent sNhortation TO every young Eng |
to give the loyalty OF his life TO
I'D England. In a manner finer and more |
We have Jesus. not carved In /
tone, but alive, standing above and in all /
II life, OF mankind. calling Il 70 better
hings. He is the unavoidable Christ. You /
BUSINESS men. Sunday night you sat IN /
his tabernacle and the appeal OF Christ /
made you uneasy. II was not comfortable
o measure your life, your principles and
'ouF methods by the life and the princl- \
lies OF Jesusi you left the tabernacle /
you would never enter II again i
This morning you entered your private
,ffiee and turned the key in the lock. you
said, AT last ] am alone, away from the /
mpertinent questions ana the Irritating 4
sNhortauons OF preachers. At last am
.lone where / am my only Judge and
where can do with my life as / please,
,ut you no sooner had said that than the !
Yery air Of your private once was oulY-
ring with the presence OF an unseen 1