The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1920-07-16

a of the dominance
= Aas.sSS4ssss-A - of the very spirit
of democracy and the rule Of the
masses, as well as time when there
Is little respect for authority. When
you come to the realm of religion, II
Is sail that we must approach its con-
sideratiOn with open minds; to have
settled convictions would make as
blgOts and pharisees.
Was that the theory that actuated
the prophets OF the Old Testament.
that aciuated Jesus Christ as he
taught among men, or that actuated
the apostles? The positive teaching Of
Jeremiah brought on him the enmity
of Israel, resulting In his most cruel
persecution. The unc0mpromlslng
words of Jesus Christ sent him to the
Cross, and when Paul faced the Cross
and thought of the many things he
might glory in, with intensest cOnvic-
ton he said, God forbid that should
glory save in the Cross of oul Lord
Jesus Christ" Here was no qualih-
cation, no suggestion Of doubt, no
peradventurr. Precisely so has II al
ways been with great leaders, and II
is one Of the saddest aspects Of pres
ent religious teaching that they give
the impression that 1t is not neces-
sary to hold fixed purposes or views
on dOctrinal subjects.
2. Let us note that Paul's fixed par-
pose was with reference to only one
thing, everythi1! else to be shut out.
Would such Fixed purpose be wise
for the Christian worker of todayf
Our Christian fathers and mothers
were people OF few theories; indeed.
they were practically people of one
thought. They permitted some great
idea to Obsess the.u. and everything
else had to submit To that. They saw
different aspects of the thought but
the thought was unique and alone.
Man must have his pole star and not
several stars.
But we must have good reasons for
entertaining fixed purpose. Paul
evidently had good REASONS for his
purpose, for he had seea the Lord by
the gate Of Damascus; he had spent
three years in Arabia, doubtless max
ing himself intelligent In the things Of
Christ; he had seen how the simple
story of Christ crucified had moved
hundreds, and probably thousands,
under his own teaching TO accept
Christ he had seen the religion of the
dying Jesus spreading over Asia Minor
and taking strong hold In Europe, and
had experienced In his own life that
old things had passed away, ind that
all things had become new-and he
knew that all this came from Jesus
Christ.
3. Paul's fixed purpose wns-to
know nothing among the Corinthians
but Jesus Christ and him crucified.
Christ crucifed. everything must CEN
Ter OF the Cross, everything In ChHst's
life and experience previous to Ills
death must have the Cross In view.
and everything In Christ's after inilu-
ence among men must go back to the
Cross; II is on the Cross that the
atonement for the sins OF the world
IL found. AS distinguished COM
mentator has said. "The atOnement is
the diamond pivot on which the Chris
tlan religion turns" There IL moth
ing. unless we except Christ's glorious
return for his people and as the Judge
of all men. that so stirs the enemies
of truth as the doctrine Of the atone
ment.
Jestts Christ and him crucifled-
that Il the power of God unto saliva
ton. The weakness OF the preaching
of so many ministers today can be
explained by the fact that their ser
mons do not contain the dynamite OF
the Cross. Wherever that message is
delivered. the slain of the Lord are
many. That explained the conquest Of
Asia Minor and a large part Of Eu-
-ope in the first three centuries OF
the Christian era; that explained the
phenomenal success Of George White
Geld, Jonathan Edwards. Charles III.
spurgeon and every man Of God the
world through. who has been sue
ressful winner OF souls. Oh. that our
young men who have the ministry In
view would catch the vision Then
II woald not take from thirty to fifty
members Of the Christian church to
lead a single soul 10 Christ In the