The log cabin Democrat., 1916-04-05
NEED FOR FAITH
Imperative if the Church and the World Is to Be Ready for
 His Coming.

In spite Of the fact that Jesus hiu- self said, No man llnoweth the day nor the hour when the Son of Man cometh.' there has been a great deal of speculation as to the date and the manner of our Lords second coming. Such speculation is idle and unproft- able. It is more to our purpose to ask, Are we ready for his coming? Is the church ready? Is the world ready? When the Son of Man cometh shall he find faith upon the earth?"
 That is rather startling question. Perhaps you are inclined to answer at once, "Of course he shall find faith upon the earth, for is not the church upon the earth. and is it not the church of Jesus Christ? Was it not founded by him, nurtured by his spirit, redeemed by his blood. Sure ly, if nowhere else, he shall find faith in the church, for it is built on faith and lives by faith in Jesus Christ"
 True that is where it ought to be found Not only a faith that recites a creed, no matter how elaborate it is and how logical it is, but faith that is a living, active, glowing, burning power in the lives of it's people A faith which offers prayers, not as a mere habit, but as if it expected to be heard. Lots of prayers are offered as if they never expected an answer. A faith which offers gifts and service, not as if wrung out by hard necessity, but as if it were a privilege to give unto the Lord and all honor to serve him. A faith that places not reli- ance on things that are temporal but banks on things that are eternal.
 If Jesus came now, would he find faith upon the earth? Would he find it in the church of which you are a member? The church needs no apol- ogy, for it is our Lords own institu- tion upon the earth. I would not apol- ogize for the church, but for many people who are in the church The church needs no apology, but as an organization it often needs a rebuke and an awakening.
 Necessity for Faith.
 If you want to know how much DOW CT the church has and how efficient it is, know that it's power and success are according to it's faith Jesus said, If ye had faith as grain of mustard seed, ye could remove mountains " There is hardly any limit to what the church could accomplish if it had r1, J l1J It. l the flesh and the devil could place enough obstacles in the way of the church to stay it's progress if it had faith. That saying of our Lord also suggests to me that he expects great things from his people. The trouble up their time and energy in spectacu. lar attempts to remove molehills when by faith in their God they ought to be removing mountains.
 You remember that one time Jesus came into a certain section of the country, and he found himself power less to work any deeds of might or mercy there because of their unbe. lief. God himself cannot work through that channel. but wherever there Is man of faith there is storage plant of power for heavenly influence
 The faith which Jesus demands ex- presses itself in service. A person may be loud in profession of faith n Christ, but I doubt his sincerity when I see that he will not do a stroke of work for the upbuilding of his king. dom. You say, q love the Lord Jesus Christ" but do not ask me to believe it if you are not striving to express that love in service for him.
 Peace and Harmony
 Faith expresses itself in peace and harmony Satan disrupted the Gar den of Eden with false insinuations When you spend your energies in criti. cizing the church and finding fault with every good work that is attempt ed, Satan is chuckling at your elbow for you are doing his work When the Son of Man cometh shall he find faith in you?
 Faith expresses itself in liberality Nothing of any account for the up building of the kingdom of God or for the good of humanity has ever sprung from infidelity. God has given unto us means. not only for our own qualification, but for the good uses to which we may put them. Not, how little will salve our conscience, but how much our circumstances will per. init. should be the standard of our giv. ing. And when see the niggardliness of many who call themselves Chris tians l have grave doubts as to the reality of their faith, for faith with. out works Is dead"
 Faith expresses itself in prayer and praise. The Christian life is hardly possible without prayer, and every strong man in the kingdom of God has been a praying man. Prayer is the greatest force which has been given into mans keeping. for it moves the arms of the Almighty. The man of faith prays as one who talks with his rI1 lx