The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-04-04
WE MUST
BEAR
THE CROSS
--BIsaoP WILLIAMS
Church Has Not Been
Exacting in Her
Demands
CHRISTIAN MUST
MAKE HIS CHOICE
True Soldier of Jesus
Can't Escape Burden,
Says Speaker

The church has lost the masses
and many OF the liner. nobler spirits
OF the day because she has failed TO
make the heroic demands which the
Christ always made as tests OF dis
cipleship. Bishop Charles D. WI
liAms. OF me Episcopal diocese. told
an audience In the Miles thsater.
wednesday noon. His plea was that
the cross should be regarded not
simply as the cross Jesus endured
for Us. but the cross We must share
with the Christ.
The church OF today has suosti.
tuted for heroic demands easy con
formities and comfortable eonven
tionalities," he said.
The bishop said in part
The vtcarious aspect OF the cross
has often -been over-ern phs siEed or
misused in our popular preachings
IL has often made pardon and saliva
tion cheap and taken the stress and
accent on OF the demand for genuine
repentance and righteousness Of life.
this croAs % christ and sing Jesus
paid ~ all. all the debt owe"
The best utterance ~ Billy sun
dsy I have heard is set forth In this
story. man htt the trail. lie VAS
In evident distress OF mind and could
not and peace Upon inquiry Mr..
sunday ELECTED this confession from
the penitent Years ago betrayed
a girl had two children BY her.
Now shs 10 dssd and : don, know
Hhat has become Of the children
The old fashioned revivAIist would
have had a ready and easy answer.
The past 10 wiped out. Your sins
are forgiven and washed away In the
blood OF the Lamb. Jesus paid IL all.
cross Accept HE finished atonement
and salvation and go In peace" but
Mr. sunday said Il stopped 20 think
God forbid that ! should make the
cross Of Jesus Christ a ladder where
by man may climb out OF hell and
leave hts victims behind him. And
said 80 that man You can't Do any
thing FOR the girl she ~ safe In
Gods hands But go search the
world over until you hnd those child
fathers love and Christian home
and training
In that great uttersnce the cross
stands before us IN a new aspect. not
simply as the cross Jesus endured
for Us but the cross we must share
which the New Testament always
emphasizes.
n you are going 20 travel IN His
way. u you are going 20 follow Him
in TITS path ~ service and % sacri-
nee II you are going TO be loyal 20
Him To gsnptns diRctpl~ship No1
Fest take g M and e@Ftg - y. &C.,
Him
You have your choice No, ,neces-
sity or compulsion Is laid upon you.
a
that great struggle and warfare for
riEhtsouensss and the stealing up o.
Kingdom % God upon earth and
still be an entirely respectable and
sstirrable Christian and church men-
h-r according 10 the easy conven-
and established by the church and her
leaders
n only YOU are decently respects bic
IN your personal morals. N only YOU
practice the technical pieties and
proprtetiea and conform 20 the rules.
observe the obssr, Ancss Of the
church. YOU are member In good
and regular standing And " In ad
dition you indulge IN little per
soma mysticiAm you are pious
Christian. q saint. and you may sSy.
LIT this greet warfare for right
eousn~as, this supreme struggle 20
set up a celestial civilization on earth
20 az 10 viii. 7 have no concern with
a." That 10 comfortable doctrins.
II snaelss you 10 avoid much ridiculs
and obioduy. and perhaps sacrifice
and suffering
Rut " you are really 70 BE good
soldier Of Jesus Christ IN the ranks
~ Gods great host Of righteousness.
IN vhIeh stand the Eoodly fellowship
of the prophets. the blessed company
- the apostles and the nobN army Of
ma rtYrs and muititudss Of simple.
humble but gsnuins Disciples % the
Master In all ages you cannot avoid
that croes ~ IL the mark and badge