South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-06-05
INITIATE GOD
SAYS PASTOR
Not a SaCrilege if In the Right
Manner, Says Rev. 7. J.
Parsons.

Shall a poor worm Of the dust,
whose every breath and heart-throb
IS dependent upon the Creator, at
tempt TO initiate the great God OF
TIE universe2" was the question put
before the congregation at quincy
Street Baptist church Sunday even
Ing by the pastor, Rev. T. j. Par
sons. in his sermon on the subject
Gods ImitatOrs" He spoke of imi-
tstOrs Of God and the statue s used
by people as their representatives OF
honor and purity.
For years this text has been
burning itself into my heart and
mind. At first II startled me and l
almost shrank from it. because it
appeared TO me 10 require the utter
impossible No man hath seen God
az any time: He has no comparison
IL creation, and He forbade any i'm
aginary conception of Him to be
fashioned. There are statues galore
purpOrting 10 represent heather
gods. but who can initiate that
which he has never seen for him
self and no other human being has
seen?
1--WE might shrink from this COM
mand also as bordering on the sac
religious. Is 1t for the created to
claim equality with the Creator?
Such pretension would be considered
high treason even by an earthly
monarch. how much more by the
Almighty
Race OF Imitators.
OF being irreverent. but simply APP
peals to a well-known human pro-
pensity. We are a race OF imita-
tors. We are Influenced by others
We pattern after them and copy their
faults or their excellencies. There
is nothing new under the sun. The
great masters in music. painting and
sculpture are being diligently studied
today by the faithful pupils. The
same is true i'm architecture, educa-
tSon and law; and the apostle says
IL is a good thing IN religion. IL is
remarkable. when we stop TO think
OF it, how much we are ali given
10 this practice OF imitation 1t is
a matter OF comment that when Billy
Sunday labOrs in new territory,
Immediately there springs up an
army of vest pocket editions of Billy
sunday. The only objection TO this
is that they usually initiate the poor
qualities rather than the good ones,
and mimic instead OF initiate the
great evangelist.
The apostle also appeals tc n
rare privilege. BE ye imitatOrs Of
God? When the masters have been
eXcelled nature is copied. Paul does
not say initiate me: for who is Paul,
~ Peter. or AppOllos2 All human
characters fail. He would have us
hitch our wagon TO a star Yes.
even better than that he commands
us TO stujiOusly copy God One time
a man TO whom I was speaking
about salvation objected with the
stereotyped excuse of hypocrites in
the church. asked, what have
YOU against Jesus Christ? and he
was compelled to confess that he
could find no fault in Jesus. He
is our model who Is the express
image of the Father. and i'm whom
dwelt all the fitness Of the Godhead
bodily.
We are instructed to initiate God
as beloved children. There is moth
ing of art or affection IN a child. but
everything is natural and spontane-
GUS. Some traits and characteristics
are inherited through having the
ssme nature, and others are ac-
Quired by association, study and
choice. This is beautifully true of
the Christian. Gods child. and il is
our blessed privilege TO grow into
the likeness OF our Lord and Father.
Would not more people love Him
IL we were better imitators Of His
love and peace, His forgiveness and
mcrcy?"