Arizona republican., 1917-10-08
F GOD FOR THEE, WHO
 GAN BE AGAINST?


 Three hundred fourteen were ples- ent in the Bible schol of the First Christian church yesterday morning. The adult and intermediate depart ments ranked the highest in attend ance, but the other departments were indeed well represented. This is cer- tainly live Bible school It has an orchestra of twelve pieces and the mu- sic is led by E. P. Burley who came several weeks ago to take charge of the Christian choir. His singing is en- ioyeu very much by all. After Bible school and communion w. H. HornbecK q, nl4sslonary just from Singapore, made an interesting talk regarding his work among the Chinese.
 Rev. Buchanan, having read the first eleven verses of the 18th Chapter of Acts, took as his text Acts Is: 9-10: And the Lord said unto Paul. in the night by vision, Be not afraid, but speak and hold not thy peace; for I am with thee and no man shall set on thee to harm thee; for I have much people in this city" When invitation was extended eleven united with the church, Rev Buchanan said in part:
 Paul had entered the city of Athens T few weeks before this, and had made q failure-because he depended upon his scholarship instead of Christ-and he went out of Athens a disappointed man. He went into theehome of Aquil- la and Priscilla and abode with them in Corinth, making tents This brought Paul among the class of people who would be more apt to accept the Cos pei
 I want the thought from this text to help us here in Phoenix, for the two cities were something alike. There were all sorts of people in COrinth, drawn from all parts of the world, and just so there are in Phoenix.
 Corinth had a kind of semi-interest in religion, and so have we in Phoe- nix People here who know they are not living right in disconnecting their lives from the church. but they are careless. In Corinth there was cold indifference toward the church. so there is in Phoenix.
 Was there readiness and willing ness, in Corinth to spend money for everything else save the Kingdom of Christ? Just so it is in Phoenix. Thousands are spent in our city for
  dom of God, while dollars are spent on the Kingdom of God. So you see in some ways we are like Corinth, and Christs words to Paul should help us
 Be not afraid, but speak and hold not thy -eace; for I am with thee. and no man shall set on thee to harm thee; for I have much people in this city. This text speaks to us first about the worker, Paul, and about Paul when he was discouraged and depressed, and likely had some thoughts about getting out of Corinth.
 Someone has said: "The best of men are but men at best The strongest of men, apart from a firm faith in the Lord God a finn faith in Jesus Christ and a clear vision of himself. are as weak as the weakest. They lie down, like Elijah of old, and are tempted to say. 'I am spending myself in vain, if is enought' I am not better than my fathers. I wish I were dead ~
 If all men were equally as strong, if all men had the same faith, if all men had the same vision, if all men thought the same things about the work of the kingdom. if all men realized that God will not forsake or prove untrue-if all men believed that all things work to-
 
 Lord-then church work would lead in all cities and a preachers troubles would be over. But where the rub comes-the stronger must supply the faith, the vision and the power for the weak And after all. that is right and Chxist-like.
 Paul had feeling of discouragement, he was oppressed, he was afraid of de- feat. If any working Christian here. my in the Bible school or any other department of the church feel de- pressed, discouraged, defeated, remem- ter Paul and that the Lord came to his rescue and said, Be not afraid. If we are Gods, He knows when we are discouraged, and He watches over us as the mother a sick child. and speaks those cheering words that bring us strength and comfort.
 My friends. He sees US when we are weak and faint, and when we are in clined to say with Paul. I have spent my strength for naught and in vain; did not get on in Athens, then 1 came here. and the Jew and the Gentle are against me, so I thing l will push on to the next town" I can hear Paul say, T was just ready to pack my trunk, or tie my belongings up in my
 
 town, had it not been that the Lord came to me and encouraged me, and made me ashamed of myself and gave me strength and encouragement" The Lord is not simply concerned with the general move of His church. but he is much concerned about each individual in the movement. The scope of the whole movement is before His mind and has been from eternity, and He doesn't want us to take this cam paign out of His hands into our weak, cold, trembling fingers. He says, This is mine, not yours, the plan is mine and the power mine, and the glory is mine" And yet Christ sees each of us who are tugging and pulling and fight hing. and feeling ourselves discoura aged, l and comes with the words. Be not afi aid.
 Are you discouraged and feeling that things have not gone and are not going right? Beloved, let Christ some and speak to you, let Him look straight into your panic stricken soul. If you don't, you will be of no use to Him in His kingdom. The man who fears will take cousel with his fears and devise plans. and soon fail in his work, wheth- CT that work be for the Lord or him. self. Be not afraid. but speak, and hold not thy peace" The Lords com | fort comes always at the right time ar16 strikes the sore spot. He never makes mistakes. like many physicians. he puts the plaster where it belongs and where | it will relieve the pain.
 PauPs greatest fear was this, Its no use, my preaching here, there art kA,tv