The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-11-15
"THE GREATEST LEGACY" N
 SERMON BY DIR. MACSPORRAN

SERMON BY Dlk. MACSPOhhAN In the morning sermon at the First Presbyterian church yesterday, Dr. J. A. MacSporran drew inspiration for his mes sage from the dramatic story in 2d Kings, which describes the earthly parting of Elijah and his disciple, Elisha, And Elisha said, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. And he said, thou hast asked a hard thing, nevertheless if thou see me when I am taken from thee it shall be so unto thee, but if not, it shall not be SOL
 T am sure that Elisha asked for the biggest thing of all. He did> not want to be small copy, an echo or imitation of his mighty predecessor He knew, as every real man knows, that those who try to be other people only succeed in being nonentities. God doesn't make copies. He makes originals. Every man and woman must stand on his own feet and be true to the distinctive soul and individual gifts God has been pleased to give him.
 "But it is when the pupil sees in his Master the spirit of the thing he is teaching that he learns what is worth while. We can get the facts of the Chris tian religion, it's history and doctrines from the gospels, the creed and the cate ehism, but we get it's spirit only as we catch it first hand from the living Lord.
 7CnrlSL ulSClplGS MllftSotu lIio AAilA cles and marveed at His skill. But after they had been in His school long enough to learn His secret they did not ask for any of these things. They asked for His spirit And it is the gift of the spirit of Jesus that founded the Christian church and has kept alive ever since. That is what the world is asking from the church today. It does not want theoiog- ical controversies It is not asking us to y1r1f N-- ing from the deep, Give us the spirit of Jesus, the spirit of the cross, the spirit of justice and peace and brotherhood
 That is our main business. The mission Of the church is a spiritual mlssion' Whenever it happens that any one can look upon us, as Elisha looked upon Elijah, and say, Give us. l pray thee, double portion of thy spirit we have wen the greatest of all earthly triumphs.
 "The promise was made to Elisha if he fulfilled conditions. He was to see Elijah taken up in a whirlwind. NO natural eye could see that happen. It could only be seen by him who had spir- itual vision, who could see the forces Of God back of all natural phenomena That was the great test and Elisha met it.
 My friends, that is the secret. Ihe gift of the spirit depends upon vision, upon ability to receive it through faith. You cannot inherit your mothers spirit unless you share your mothers faith. You cannot receive your fathers legacy to your soul unless you can see and love your fathers God. You cannot hold fel- lowship with the invisible hosts of Of con querors unless your eyes have been anointed so you can see the chariots or Israel and the horseman thereof You cannot take your place in the ranks or the army of the Beloved Captain unless you can see Him who is invisible, but who manifests Himself to all who come, say ing, We would see Jesus
 We have a great work to do Tn our day and generation for God. We need the inspiration of a great hope and the motive of sure and steadfast vision. Unless we see we will surely falter ana fail. But if double portion of the spirit be upon us we will be conquerors and more than conauerors through Him that loved uS' v