Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-11-24
EFFECT
OF PAUL'SLE
Reformation Owes Its Impulse
to His Message to the
Romans
by William II. ELLIS

There is quiet little man down
In Baltimore. DR.. John F. Goucher who
reminds one OF the apostle Paul in that
he has zeal for sending his personal
ity to the remotest regions he can
reach. Tremendously ambitious, in the
New Testament sense, he has establish
ed great educational works in Japan
and Korea and China and India There
are few men alive in the world to-day
who have projected their lives as far
and as fundamentally as DR.. John +.
Goucher.
| This same eagerness to extend his
influences and to count largely in his
time, and to serve to the uttermost,
marks the apostle Paul. He wanted
to have part, in the life of the new
church in Rome. Therefore, he wrote
this great letter, which the Sunday
schools of the world are to-day study
ing. Let 1t be said in passing that 1t is
notable ambition for the modern man.
with greater instrumentalities for eX-
tending and enlarging his personal in
fiuence than lay at the hands of Paul
lie wanted to have part in the life of
the new church of Rome. Therefore,
he wrote this great letter, which the
Sunday schools of the world are to-
day studying. Let it be said in pass
ing that 1t is a noble ambition for
the modern man. with greater instru-
mentalities for extending and enlarg-
ing his personal influence than lay at
the hands of Paul, to be a force to-
day in China, in Turkey, in Armenia,
IN Russia. What Paul did for the
Christian community at Rome, before
ever he had trodden the streets of the
imperial city, is possible to-day for
every large minded person with respect
TO his own world. There are literally
thousands of young people in the Ori-
ent to-day who owe their new life of
mind and spirit to- DR.. Goucher.
We have been studying about the ad-
ventures of Paul on his way to Rome.
TWO years before these, the letter had
been written to the little company OF
Christians. who lived and worshipped
beneath the shadow of Nero's throne.
The gospel had travelled faster than the
lndefatigable missionary apostle. No
pody can catch up with the fast running
truth of god. Even under Neros mad
sway, there was arising a new imper-
ma! character. OutstrCtching Paul eag-
er I" have part in this development,
sent letter TO this Christian company
as soon as possible, He did not know
that his desire would be fulfilled in so
strange fashion, and that he would
arrive IN chains.
Letter and an Anniversary
teW weeks ago began a years cele-
pratlon or the quadricentennial OF the
reformation. All Professionalism is bent
upon observing the four hundredth an
nlVersary OF the vast movement which
meant new beginning Tor history; and
which was, precipitated by one coura-
geous monk, Martin Luther. Our pres
ent interest is IN the fact that the Rn-
formation owes its impulse to this let
tn hn o M
Luther had not been gripped by the
truth that the just shall live by faith"
there would not now. be millions of
CHRISTIANS celebrating four centuries of
historys greatest achievements.
Always there is dynamite in clear
~ stated truth No army ever created
principles. We in our own time, have
seen enlightened convictions overturn
to power and victory by means of the
simple statement of its truth. "Ye shall
know the truth and the truth. shall
make you free" There is power for to-
day in this old letter of PauTs, because
it states eternal truth.
Never was lesson more timely than
this one. Its imperial sweep is needed
by "a world awakening from provIn-
cialism. 1t scores heavily upon present
tendencies. and its horrible picture of
heathenism's fruits, is all too close to
present conditions. If we want to know
whittier the present tendencies toward
old sophistries and self indulgence are
first chapter of Paul's letter to the Ro-
mans. Even the old law given to Moses
was unable to save society given up
to fleshliness. Paul pronounces the
doom ITO be carnally minded in DEATH"
That Judgment should ring itself into
the ears of our sensualized day. No bet
ter tonic for the times is conceivable
than a careful study, by Christian peo-
pie, of the entire letter to the Romans.
exists H btween sne @ Pnd'fs Pnd s We 5an
commonly 1T doesn't matter what a
ma man believes, If he only does the best
error. Deed is born of creed. Actions
are the product of meditation. "As a
man thinketh in his heart, so is he."
doctrine, setting forth Paurs theology
in loftiest utterances. Yet, so it Is;
but it is all headed up in considerations
of conduct. Paurs thought is through
train that makes no stops, until it
arrives at the great depot to trans
formed character There is no spirit
into life. Think loftily and loftily YOU
will live. Trink basely, and basely you
will live From this law, there is no
The Document Itself
Only Paul of Tarsus could COM
mendous teachings 'e Of pis this 'te twelfth fF
chapter of Romans, which is the assign
ed Sunday school lesson for to-day.
translation, given by DR.. Weymouth,
which I quote.
Il plead with you therefore, brethren,
by the compositions of God, to present
all your faculties to Him as living
and holy sacrifice. acceptable to Him.
This with you will be an act of rea-
sonable worship. And do not follow the
customs of the present age, but be
transformed by the entire renewal of
your minds, so that you may learn by
experience what Gods will is-that will
which is good and beautiful and per-
feet.
For through the authority graci-
ously given to me I warn every indivi-
dual among you not to value himself
unduly, but to cultivate sobriety of
Judgment in accordance with the
amount of faith which God has allotted
to each one. For just as there are in
the one human body mary parts and
these parts have not all the same func-
tions: so collectively we form one body
in Christ, while individually we are
linked to one another as it's members
But since we have special gifts which
differ in accordance with the diversified
work graciously entrusted to us, IL 1t
Is prophecy, let the prophet speak in
exact proportion to his faith IL 1t is
the gift OF administration, let the ad-
ministrator exercise n sound Judgment
in his duties The teacher must do the
same in his teaching; and he who ex.
hOrts others in his exhnrtatiOu HaI