Crittenden record-press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1909-191?, 1916-09-28

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eager to be OF, someone tugging at
his cloak and saying, Don't go to
Rome, Paul, to preach the Gospel Of
the cross. They will laugh your story
TO scorn. Rome, remember, was the
home OF Cicero, and his orations are
still studied there, and Seneca In dis
coursing in the streets. Go to them,
Paul, with little sociology, religious
pathology and ethical culture, but not
with the word OF the cross" And
Paul answers back 81 am not ashamed
Of the Gospel Of Christ. for II Is the
power OF God unto salvation TO every.
one that belieyeth to the Jew FIRST and
also 10 the Greek"
There are people today who tell us
that the Gospel Of the cross doesn't
meet the modern mind. Well, may
know little Of the modern mind, but
u do know great deal about the
modern heart, and one thing Is this,
that II Is still "deceltful above all
things and desperately wicked" and,
thank God, know what can meet Its
needs and that Is the cross Of Christ
The trouble, friends, Is not with our
heads but with our hearts; let them
be cleansed by the blood Of Christ and
the modern mind has no difficulty In
understanding the story Of the cross.
Problems there may be. but the heart
that knows the cleansing power Of the
blood clings In simple faith TO the
Cross Of Christ.
Then there IRE those who say that
the Cross Of Christ does not meet the
! problem Of today. What problems are
there today that were not the prob.
lens Of yesterday What about the
moral corruption Of the finest In II
any worse than II was In Paul's day
When the apostle was eager 10 20 20
Rome. lecherous, reprobate Nero who
had sunk almost 20 the nethermost
hell. was on the throne. Yet Paul was
not DESTROYS Of going 10 Rome with
moral mud scow. hut with the Cos
pei Of Christ. lie knew what some
moderns do not know, that rcforma.
ton follows regeneration. and 20 he
was eager to preach In that corrupt
city the Gospel Of the cross Whit
lesson 10 some would-be preachers
Of today who, not knowing the power
Of the Gospel 10 regcnerate society.
are trying with their puny scoops to
cleanse the cesspools OF iniqulty, when
they have at their command the dyna.
mite Of God. We might Just M well
try 10 batter down n fortress with a
popgun and toy pistol as to attempt TO
overcome the forces Of evil In the
world by any moral reformation which
leaves out the cross Of Christ.
But what about a world immersed In
pleaaIrei VIII the Gospel reach such
worldi A Paul stood facing Rome,
mad with pleasure, he said, Il am
ready TO preach the Gospel TO you that
are at Rome also" Aud yet the city
was almost altogether given over to
pleasure. During the reign Of Claudi.
us, who preceded Nero on the throne,
the gladlatorial games became almost
an Insane frenzy and In Nero's tine,
M we know, II was no better. Paul,
however, was eager 70 60 there with
the Gospel. II IL a great challenge
that the pleasure-loyins world gives
the preachers Of today. How shall
they meet ~ Shall they, n eItrcm-
ity. try something else besides the
Gospel. or u the Gospel sill the pow.
er Of God unto salvation. even unto a
pleasure-lovins worldi one Of the
saddest sights toibehold IL q ministry
that has abandoned the Gospel and
substituted In the place a sociological
shovel and a pathological plaster. II
hell ever laughs II laughs at such a
substitution. for II knows that make
shift will never meet the worlds
neeG and defeat hell.
Come on. preachers. the world ChAl.
lenges us, let us meet the challenge
with Pnul's II am ready TO preach the
Gospel" What Gospeli Why, the
, Gospel Of the cross, Of course, for
there IL none other. And with Paul
, let us say. no matter what the world
may say, We are not ashamed Of the
, Gospel Of Christ Why not ashamed
Because It il the dynamite Of God.
That means 1t has In Itself tin power
to do business for God. No wonder
/. Paul, facing intellectual, corrupt,
plcasurc.lovlng Rome, said, II am
! ready. um not ashamed TO preach the
Gospel to you that are nj Rome also