Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-06-11
CHRISTIANITY NOT
ON WANE;;PAST0R
LOOKS INTO FUTURE
REV. G. w. cHEssMAN TELLS
CONGREGATION TO REMAIN
FIRM TO PREcEPTs OF CHRIST
"A NEW WORLD is IN THE
BUILDING.

man, pastor of the Baptist church,
spoke on 'Things Which Remain" a
brief digest of which follows. The
text is Hebrews. 1927.
This text was uttered in a crisis
OF the church. A second Roman per
secution was on and Christians, los
ing faith in Christ's second coming
to deliver them, were in danger Of
falling away from Christianity back
into heathenism or irreligion. The
author writes urging them to hold
fast in the faith, not to depart from
the living God. He speaks of a
great final shaking near at hand, but
there are things unshakable that will
survive; things pertaining to the king
dom Of God.
1T Is Christian message for any
crisis where men are in danger Of
loading faith. II is message for the
hour of seeming despair and pessim-
ism where world conditions are
chaotic and augur on the surface the
failure OF Christianity. There are
things unsuitable to tie to. to main
tain faith in, which will indicate the
useless in time.
The apostle Paul reached a great
crisis Traditional beliefs were rudely
shaken and shattered; the Temple at
Jerusalem. the system Of sacrifices, the
order OF Aaronic priesthood, the re.
divine supremacy and isolation of the
Jewish nation. Paul was a Hebrew
Of the Hebrews and passionately pa
triOtic. But he kept his faith in the
crisis and made the discovery that
Judaism was only one form of faith,
that its day was over. 1t had done
Its part, good part. but now the new
order of Christianity is ushered in
He finds 1t better.
In the sixteenth century the re-
vival OF learning under the leadership
of men like Erasmus precipitated a
crisis in the church. Pious Christians
saw the corruptness of the church, its
t0ssilized doctrines, its tawdry sym.
bosilm. They saintained faith in the
unshakables and moved out in the new
era Of the reformation
There was another crisis when
Darwin, Spencer and other men of
science gave to the world their find
ings. Much in the traditional beliefs
of the church was discredited by these
findings. People felt that il Darwin
was right then Christianity had reach.
ed its Waterloo, it collapsed. Others
welcomed the historical method in APP
preaching the Bible, believing that
while some things would be shaken
there were things unshakable. Today
the Bible is bigger, more faith com
polling book because of historical
criticism. 1t is not regarded as a
( text book on science infallible in the
old dogmatic regard, but it still is the
vital revelation of God to man.
Our text sets forth the principle
of change. There are things that
ought to be shaken and removed be-
cause they are imperfect, temporary,
provisional, preparatory They are
the scaffolding OF building, serving
their purpose for time but destined
for removal. They are stalks and
husks necessary to the grains of
wheat, but to be separated later
Change is another word for growth
and without 1t there is only decay
Man changes, nations change-they
are changing today. Note the Euro
pean crucible.
las Christians our course, amid the
things that are being shaken, that are
tottering and falling; cherished forms
OF government, social customs, relig
iOus creeds and doctrines which seem
ed as fixed as axionls OF Euclid, oul
course, I say, Is to maintain faith il
the fact that there are things which
cannot be shaken God Is not dead
he has not abdicated his throne. Tht
world Is upward bound toward thu
kingdom of Cod The kingdom comes
not as a mushroom over night but a.
grain of mustard growing into {
tree: progressively. No matter tn,
crisis, no matter how chaotic thu
world may seem, no matter what 9th
ers cry christianity Is falling, hole
fast, keep faith, there are things
which remain after the shaking,
things making for the kingdom o
God.
Church Buys a Bond.
ia Children's Day proved to be da,
OF great encouragement to the Pres
III byterian folks with their happy chi
drens service in the morning AM
their interesting praise service in tn
evening.
M The regular morning service wa
given over to the Sunday-schcol Chi
drens Day exercises with the usua
recitations and songs from all the oil
ferent departments of the school. tn
pastor told about the work of tn
Presbyterian Board Of Iublicatio
and Sabbath School Work. illustra
ling 1t from the lives Of Jacob Rii'