Evening journal., 1916-02-14

the kingdom. The thought and ef-
fort of pastor and people have been
absorbed merely in building up an or
ganization. regardless of the infiu-
ence Of that organization on the great
purpose for which the church was es-
tablished Then there has been the
process Of overlapping. Several small
churches have been located in a linn
ited field duplicating each others
work, while vast regions OF the
country and city have been left un-
churched. We need to apply the prin-
ciples of efficiency 10 modern church
work. AT the present most church
buildings lie idle almost the entire
week. Christian people separate over
minor theological technicalities i'm the
face OF sin-cursed, crime-ridden,
Ivco-infested world
During the Napoleanic wars two
battleships met in the English chan
mel in combat at midnight All dur
4 ING the hours OF darkness the battle
ragged and the decks were covered
with blood of the brave soldiers
3 When the morning dawned IL was
found that both ships were floating
the English flag
! On the foreign field Christian work.
ers have been forced, in the face OF
great necessity to throw away any
spirit Of sectarian competition and tC
! present before the heather wcrld q
solid front. They have found that any
other course would inevitably spell
disaster II is time we were learning
this great lesson in our homeland.
Even greater than the social aspect
OF the kingdom of God that we hav,
been considering, is the individual as
pect We must continually bear in
mind that even the kingdom itself /,
not the ultimate The goal for whicl
the kingdom OF God is established Ia
the benefit OF It's individual citizens
Moreover, men are not brought int
the kingdom Of God enmasse; the.
come as individuals. Il is self-eviden
that the kingdom can be no create
than the composite character OF IL
individual members. Humboldt sal
that art, science literature, were bu
the scanolding to build man. Chris
proclaimed the coming OF the king
dom as gospel" good news" be
cause IL heralded the exaltation of tn
individual not the enthronement O
simply q select aristocracy, but OF th
common man. This sounded the deaf
, knell OF slavery, IL proclaimed libert
! to captives All through His minis
r try. both by His teachings and Hi
examples. Jesus exalted the value Z
the individual. He delivered some c
His most vital and intensive message
to an audience of one He forsoo
the great city centers with their teen
ing throngs and took apart a doze
r disciples to instruct them quietly an
% carefully regarding eternal truths. |
E these days OF great achievement theI
. is a natural craving to do things an
e build. The method OF Jesus alway
g placed the incentive pre-eminent ovC
y the extensive. God always deals wit
men as individuals.
t In the promotion of the kingdom
s God there is a two-fold work: d,
/ structive and constructive. "Tl
{ kingdom OF God suffereth violence
d saith Jesus. "and the violent take
j. by force The worker in Gods roy
Il garden In one sense must be an icon
Il clast. NoXious weeds must be u
, rooted, barren trees must be c
Il down, quarrels must be blasted a
D. the hard soil must be broken up
d. prepare the way for the kingdom.
o. Is in the destructive phase that [
ID militant element must be emphasiz
or We must beware OF crying pea
when there is no peace. The call
s. the conflict is essential for dovelc
ID ing strength and ruggedness of cha
,r acter If the war spirit that stirs {
is human breast 10 such valorous dee
, OF sacrifice and herOism can be tur
3 ed against the great evils and 4
S iniquities Of our civilization IL mu
n produce a two-fold result: not on
l. the overthrow OF wrong. but also d
d cultivation of the denser and tough
d moral fibre than could ever be o
y tanned without il. And this clearii
e Of the ground is essential If our ci
" iiization. either individually or Sc
, cially is to produce the fruit an
d flower OF heaven.
n Ny attention was recently called
IT the vital relationship of the destru'