The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1919-07-02

July 1.-THE Spirit and Mission of the
Church Acts 2, 37-42; Eph. 4, 1-l3'
The leading verses of the lesson are
found in that well known chapter on
the descent of the Holy Spirit and the
Day of Pentecost 1t will be remem'
bered that Jesus told His disciples to
remain at Jerusalem until they were
baptized with the Holy Ghost. This
they had insmind and remained until
the wonderful events told of in this
chapter had taken place. The dis
ciples were In an upper room when
they did receive something which
gave them inexperienced zeal for the
gospel OF. Jesus. v.s
On this Day sof Pentecost Peter in
particular appeared as man changed
| in nature. His address at this time IS
| a masterpiece in the line of the pre-
sentation of the claims OF Jesus as
the promised Messiah of the Jews. 1t
was fortified with Old Testament quo
ltations and made a convincing argu-
ment. He was not afraid to tell the
Jews about him, many OF whom had
| had part in the crucifiXiOn OF Jesus,
! that they had been fearfully wicked,
and had killed the Lords annolnted
The opening verse of the lesson says,
"When they heard this they were
pricked in heart and said what shall
we do?" Then came, the famous an.
swer of Peter, Repent and be pap.
tized every one of you in the name o!
Jesus Christ, for the remission OF
sins, and we shall receive the gilt OF
the Holy Ghost" =,
| 1t was on this day OF Pentecost that
three thousand people came forward
as converts to the new religion ana
the new movement with Jesus Christ
/ as the master thought beganits formal
career in the world Our! lesson today
takes up that side of the; question
which treats Of the work OF the
church in, the world. Right at this
point could we'll be placed an address
which l heard last week at the state
Sunday school convention in SIOUX
City given by Professor Honl1ne.
| This great talk was on history OF
the growth of civilization based on
the bible, and it need hardly be told
that with this magnificent topic and
the undisputed facts of history to
back it up, the result was master
piece in justification Of the claims OF
the bible and it's need in the world.
In view of the great event OF the
signing of the peace treaty and the
closing OF the war in Europe, 1t is but
timely to say that the successful Is
sue and the joining hands OF nations
to keep war from off the earth is the
direct outcome of the teaching of the
bible. There is a verse in the lesson
written by Paul which has a direct
bearing on this matter which says,
Zone God, and Father, of all, who IS
over all, and through all, and in all.n
Based ION this Fatherhood Of God and
brotherhood OF Man there came about
the idea that all men are entitled to
political and industrial freedom and
that any power which denied this is
an enemy to the world, and must be
subdued. The banding together OF the
major part OF the nations of the world
for this cause will ever stand as a
monument to the influence of the bible
on the minds of the races of men. f.
Thanks, be to God the leading spir-
it's of the church in America are alive
to what has been done and the re-
sponsibilities coming from it. + Just
now the Methodist church stands to
the front in It's efforts to make up a
great fund, some one hundred and
twenty millions of dollars to evange-
lie the world. Near by. and in the
race, and with the same Earring zeal,
are other denominations, and funds
from them will go over those from the
NJ e. organization. Our topic reads
"the Mission of the Church." and it is
to spread the gospel of the Blessed