Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-08-27

Text J. Cor. l. l-3I; H. 10
We sometimes think that the early
CHRISTIANS were faultlcSS and that the
Apostolic Church was free from many
81 the difficulties which bcset the
church to-day. But we arc mistaken.
The Book Of Acts and tho letters Of
st Paul show US how tho very troubles
We deDiore. to-day wcr" felt in the first
century. Divisions, false teachings
bitter feelings and criticisms were
common among tn" early believers.
While -. Paul was full of courage, his
letters show us how frequently he was
saadcned by the faults and failures Of
those whom he had led to Christ DO
not let us be discouraged Humanity
Is weak and wc must h" patient.
"hl!e Paul was at Ephesus. whittier
ne went from Corinth. he heard
through members Of the household OF
Chloe can unknown Christian woman
perhaps of EphcsuS. but having frionds
or relatives in Corinth) that the corin-
th!an Church was divided into parties.
each ella inning superiority 10 tho rest,
There was an ApnlloS party. - Peter
party and to Paurs horror Paul
party and tho growth OF tho church
ras retarded b. these divisions. as II
always must be
NJ sADDEN THING THAN
DIVISIONS N TIFF: CHtRtH
There ia no Sadicr thing In the world
han divisions, whether In the family.
n the state or in the church They
insult from selfshness and rejudicc
and MISUNDERSTANDING combined and
t:cy can only hc overcome by humble
lave FOR Christ and by service in His
name Among thcm all. the worst Of
i-ese ctNiSionS - found IN disunitv
among Christians. II Is simply hor-
r:5!= 20 contemplate the fact that there
are so many branches Of the Christian
church, and sim more horrible that
they arc hostile to each other we
have grown So used 10 il for hundreds
or years that We hardly give 1t
thought.
! WAS now thing when 81. Paul
wrote 70 the Corinthians. and IL nor
r:aed him. Christs children divided
'ntn hostile groups The church rent
into factions, / bescech you. brethren.
By The name or our Lord Jesus Christ
thst re all speak the same thing. and
thtt there be- no divisions among YOU
but that - be perfectly Joined to-
Ee;her IN tho same mind and in The
sane judfm"nt" imagine ne would
cry tho same words, and. II possible
with greater emphasis. Z ie came 20
divided Chr!stcndom to-day and found
tn. great Roman church ar.aycd
aeat the Greek church ANA ti- great
Greek church ariGyed against the
Protestant church, and. alas. Ne our
seNes Of the Protestant church divided
ana often arraycd against cacn other
! wonder how many ri us care or arr.
satdenea b! this condition:
Cross or CHRIST MIST
HE UAILNING POINT
What did Paul write 10 these divided
Christians OF Corinth? lie declared TO
them ,luJ Tho cross OF Jesus chris,
must D. tAeir rallyne point. christ
Druv!ned Ma The foundation stone OF
their !eIth, II had been the burden OF
h;a preachlmE, and n" hnow nothing
else. Tor the fact that jesus died for
HIM was tho great JOY OF his life and
hls nope for "tcvHltE. And This same
cross must bc our ral!ylnc point to-
day so matter for our poor human
differences and IDEAS ana opinions and
practices. Jet u all com" and look up
INTO the suffering face OF Him who
50 owed us all To dc FOR us, and
thcr We can clasp hands and love one
another in unity never 10 be broken.
] am SO thankful Paul took this way
OF rebukinG and healing the divisions.
II he had begun 70 argue about this or
that II he had started an inquiry into
the errors az the followers OF ApclIus
CT Tctcr where would he and the
Christians have been, save in a con
fusion worse COMPOUNDED? am sick
and t"od q unity sought through rea
son Or platforms ~ agreements. II
mas never been found ard IL never
VIII D. found Come on. all OF you;
let US gather beneath The cross and
hear The words oi our dying Christ
He Noniy can make us one II we VIII
no; hear HIM. then W. are none OF
HIS boast as We MAY OF our orthodoxy
or our orders o.! pIr strength or our
works II We VIII hear Him and ac-
ccpt His death our salvation. then
Nc are one. and can rejoice together.
JEWS WANTED toNoIEROR TO
FREE THEM FROM ROME
Tie cross was a stumbling block 10
the Jews They wanted conqucror
n Frn, 20
Romans Forgetting the evident mean
ing OF all their sacrifices and Of the
blood sr:in!:lcd yearly on the mercy
seat IN the holy place Of the temple,
forgetting the misery OF sin which
those sacrifices could never take away. !
forgetting the dear promise OF God that
He would send q savior. they looked
upon Christ as man who had failed, !
rlrd the cross was His end. The
=eks, blind TO the meaning of their
On heather sacrifices and consulting
Of oracles, and wild with passion for
beauty and wisdom and physical
strength. simply laughed at the story
of Man acquainted with grief" and
bearing the SORROWS and sins Of blind
world Til, cross Away with such a
religion whose Founder was put TO
death as criminal, Let US rather fol- |
low Apollo. the god of beauty. and
Venus. the goddess OF love!
But what has that cross become
purity and comfort and strength. See
the sinners coming to the Cruciticd One
and finding their burdens rolled away
and their lives cleanScd. See the Sor-
rowful bowling at the foot Of the cross
and hearing blessed words Of comfort
from Him Who died that men might
live. Mark the advance OF humanity
as, going out with tho cross as their
banner, they became nrre and wise
and loving, giving their lives for others,
as the Christ gave Ills life for them !
CROSS Is POWER OF GOD
AND THE WISDOM OF GOD
Hear the world singing to-day. in
spite of war and dcsolation: Coward
Christian Soldiers" "In the Cross OF
Christ ] Glory" when Survey the
Wondrous Cross" Rock of Ages. Cleft
for Me" TO such the cross is the
power OF God and the wisdom of God |
No wonder the Corinthians grew
ashamed OF their divisions. Their eyes
were turned away from their human
leaders, even though amongst them was |
the brilliant preacher and the emo
tional evangelist and the keen rea-
soner. Apollos, Peter. Paul; they were |