The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-09-09
INTOLERANCE OF
 CHR|ST'S DISCIPLES
Dr. Simpson of the First Christian Church Speaks
 on Apostles of Jesus

Dr. R. U. Simpson of the First Chris
 topic: Thou Shalt Not" using the text.
 And we forbade him.. because he fol-
 lowed not with us.' He said in part:
 The apostles of Jesus often disappoint
 us as we find many unflattering charac-
 ter portaits of the men whom our Lord
 selected. We find them often weak in
 faith right in the wake of stupendous
 miracle that seems big enough to have
 fortified them against any and every
 besieging doubt We see them selfish and
 contentious and quarreIsome, as If they
 were still selling fish in a clamorous bar
 gain driving market place., Instead of
 learning to be magnetic, winsome fishers
 Of men.
 jealous, wanting to outrank one another
 in official position. instead of learning
 Christ's law Of greatness in the kingdom
 of God. And one of them sorely disap-
 points in lack of moral courage coming fast upon the most vehement protesta- tion and guarantee of loyalty.
 But one of the most disappointing pic lures of the group is q portrayal of the sririt of intolerance. They found a stranger casting out demons, ridding the afflicted of a dreadful malady through his use of the name of Jesus. There was power in the name and the faith of him who used it; there was a humanitarian service in the mans ministry that would surely challenge the sympathetic interest of the apostles; but they went to him with evident displeasure and disapprova. | written in their brusque, overbearing manner they flashed their credentials in his face, and threatened to report l him to Jesus.
 Johns voice was vibrant with anger when he reported to his Lord that we found one casting out demonds in thy name and forbade him. because he fol- lowed not with us'; but they received n, encouragement from their Teacher for | their lack of wisdom and tolerance. The stranger was disappointed in their fail- I ure to appreciate the power he was using l for Christ He was hurt at the source | of opposition, for it was from group 1 supposed to represent Christian service. 1 In the recorded temptations of Jesus | the pinnacle of the temple had a place, and in his resistance to the plans ot Jesus now the devil still finds place l around the temple that he can use. usu- l ally the most formidable influence against great ministry in the name of l Christ is from some intolerant, short sighted group within the church. The dis I clples rebuked this man, perhaps, because I he was able to do something they had
 tried to accomplish and failed. We lend I ourselves most readily to criticism, when we are smarting under our own failures. | The disciples were judging him not by I the thing he did, but by the circle he
 was in. H. was not in their group! Rank l irtolerance! No appreciation Of any one
 who is not in our group of worshippers.
 our circle of believers. however great land wonderful and Christ-honoring the thing he is doing. There is no founda- | ton in this incident for the building of division walls; but there is stern rebuke l for those who are quick to discount any religious service that is not confined to | their clannish denominational circle.