Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-07
By REV. HUGH T. STEVENSON.

By REV. HUGH T. STEVENSON.
Americas greatest by-product from
her part in the war is the lesson OF
obedience that she learned. Obedi-
| ence is a fundamental law OF lie.
Our forces could never have nnfshed
the war without the recruits. drawn
from the ranks OF freemen in all sec
tions of the nation. learning to ooey.
Not only in the Army. but In every
walk Of life the pathway to power Is
along the line of obedience. The
scientist studies the laws of nature
and through conformity to the laws
he has discovered civilization has ad-
! vanced The apprentice becomes skill
full as he masters the laws that gov
| ern his craft, and applies the same
| in solving the problems of his trade.
| The student learns by obeying the
directions of his teacher. Life, liberty
and happiness can only be secured in a
government that regulates human az
fairs through good laws that enforce
| obedience impartially and efficiently
Christ Jesus, the worlds great
| liberator, learned obedience lin bring
| ing many sons to glory" Civil spirit
ual and personal freedom are all Sc
cured through the obedience OF faith
| to the command of God. The Bible
rings with the incessant demand for
obedience, which is the translation OF
| a word, which literally means ito
| hearken to command and answer.
Last week faith. the bond of union
| with Christ. was considered. This
| week the lesson calls for the study
| of faith working by love and proving
| its reality by the fruits of obedience.
Real Christianity is revealed by obey
ing the command Of Christ Jesus. who
| issued His orders with the authority
! of God. The Master placed such
/ emphasis upon the necessity of obedi-
1 in he ont Of char
\ acter of the Christian that, although
| He referred to it several times in His
! sermon on the mount, he closed that
masterpiece of homtletics with the
! contrasted effects of obedience, that
| secures victory, and disobedience, that
| brings defeat. In the final message to
His disciples. spoken just prior to His
| death, Jesus informed His disciples
that to be His friends required them
to keep His commandments.
! Abraham enjoyed the friendship OF
God because he obeyed the command
/ to leave his country, kindred and
| fathers house and go to the unknown
| country that God promised to show
to him. Deeds revealed the character
of the man. Performance. not profess
sion, is the proof of love, life and
liberty. Abraham had to wait at
Haran until after Terah died before
he could enter Canaan. 1t was not
until death snapped the ties OF nature
| that Abraham was able to respond to
the high calling of God. Many a man
has been handicapped by his devotion
i to the flesh so that he has failed to be
obedient to the divine commands until
death has removed some one he has
! loved.
Christ called the fishermen Of Ga1iiee
| to give up their business, leave their
families and friends and forsake the
| forms of their faith when He sum-
moned them to At themselves for
new os<upation as fishers OF men.
Andrea and Peter Immediately left
their nets: James and John straight
way left their ship and father SO that
they might share the fellowship and
friendship of the Christ as members
! of the college OF apostles. Their
prompt obedience and complete sub
mission to the orders of the Lord
Jesus proved their personal affection
; for the Master, who made the ooedi-
ence of His commands a proof of
believers love.
! Dull-witted Judas, not Iscartot.
could not understand how there could
| be an inner circle of religion, who
could receive the revelations OF Jesus
! that the world could not receive.
Christ pointed out that it was a ques-
| ton of sympathetic fellowship that
| grew out of love for Him. The Mas
ter's personality attracted men to
Him then as it draws men to Him to-
1 Qay. Men OOey Hill hui luIouSu ACdi
| or compulsion, but out of love, which
| opens the way for personal fellow
ship with the Father, and is the basis
of fraternal affection between His
! followers. The faith that does not
lead to loyal obedience on the part of
| the professed follower will not save.
There is no record of any person OBJ
| tanning from the Lord Jesus any
! blessing who did not obtain 1t through
his compliance with the commands of
| the Master.
The man who loves Christ always
| seeks to do those things that will
please Him. Obedience to the COM
mands of God does not mean slavery;
it means friendship. The man who
obeys the calls of Christ has given
unto him the opportunity Of making
a life. The only way in which to
make a life that will count is to work
in cooperation with Gods eternal
laws and program. The one who fails
| to live in fellowship with the Lord or
who neglects to perform the labor as
The man who surrenders his will to
enjoy the fellowship of God and His
people will And as the Holy Spirit is
given more and more the control of
the Christians life that he has en-
listed in the army that will triumph
over all foes. The love that prompts
such a service is the foundation of a
righteous life and the key to life of
increasing power.
The attraction which Jesus has for
men is the power that inspires them
with desire to serve God and help
humanity THE action Of real dis
cipleship, built upon the rock went
down to characters solid foundations.
built by doing them, Christs great
new principles into his own soul, so
that they become a part, the deepest
part of himself; and by obedience so
clamped his soul to Jesus and Jesus
to his SOUL that he really became one
with the rock" The most and the
best that Christians can do for re-
ligion must be done for Christ's sake