Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-06-12
RY T.. T., RNUEN.

Minneapolis June IL - me
modern pulpit should be burnt and
the preacher who has taken Christ
out of his sermons ought to be
drafted and sent to the trenches.
This was the declaration of Rev.
Carl Christensen of Chicago,
preaching before the Augustalln
synod convention in the Swedish
Lutheran Emanuel church Sunday
morning.
Three times Sunday Emanuel
church was filled to overflowing,
and hundreds were turned away
from the ordination service in the
afternoon when 80 candidates for
the ministry were ConseCrated.
A communion service with full
ritual was held at 10 in the morn
ing. Rev. Alfred Anderson Of
Brooklyn, n Y, delivered the com
munion address. He stirred the
audience with his sermon on God S
Call to His Church in These War
Times.
God" said the speaker, has
called the church to a three-fold
task. First she is called to en-
III one 0HI - l. dIlNGlN SpGdh-
ing Christ is touring our country
today. He seeks more recognition.
He wants to be enthrOned in the
hearts of men and women. He
asks for more attention at the seat
of government. He would like to
impart wisdom to the war depart
ment. He loves the young men in
the service of their country and
would like to be their daily COM
panion.
president Wilson's proclama-
ton to set aside a day as a day
Of fasting and prayer gives empha-
sis to this thOught-mOre OF
Christ in the heart and life of the
nation In the proportion that our
American people will accept
Christ. they will also be patriotic.
The spirit of Christ has a true
patriotic ring to it.
Called to Sacrifice.
God has called the church to
real sacrifice How are we Luth-
Grams needing that call? We have
sacrificed for our country. No
less than 10000 of our boys are
in the service. Recently we raised
81 100000 for soldiers and sailors
welfare. Has any denomination
done better proportiOnately?
Scores of our ministers have
left well-organized churches to be-
come chaplains and camp pastors
We teach our people to support
the government. We pray for
those in authority at our services.
But the church would certainly
misunderstood Gods call to her in
these crucial times did she only
help our country. She has her
own peculiar work to do now
equally as much as before We
have reached a time of real sac. =
flee such as we have never known
before.
God calls the church to more
spirituality. In our texts we read
how two young men were drafted
to follow Jesus. while one enlisted
But none of them was willing to
accept the terms. This is given
for our learning. Mere church at
tendance is not true religion A
formal acceptance Of the principles
of the Christian religion is not
saving faith.
Salvation through death on the
battlefield is quite different from
salvation through the vicarious
death of Christ"
More of Spirit of Christ.
Back to the Bible! Restore the
gospel preaching of Luther, Spur
geon, Whitefield, Moody and oth-
ers. Burn up the modern pulpit.
Let the preacher who has takeI.
Christ out of his sermons be draft
ed and sent to the trenches. Give
US more of the spirit OF the Bible
which is the spirit of Christ True,
genuine piety. OldfashiOned Chris
tianity, is the greatest need in
these war times"
Perhaps the most impressive
service Of the convention took
place Sunday afternoon, when 80