Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-10-30
BY REV. HUGH T. STEVENSON.

is hewn down and cast lntOthe
fire."-MattheW, 7.19.
BY REV. HUGH T. STEVENSON.
Worlds Temperance Sunday calls
for us to consider one of the most
solemn sections of Christ's teachings.
The portion assigned for our study is
the closing paragraphs of the Sermon
on the Mount that follow the lesson
for next Sunday in the Masters great
sermon. If we had completed the
study of this homiletic masterpiece
we could understand better why Jesus
makes such stern application of the
| message. to the solution Of the prac-
tical and present-day problems of life.
The outward conformity to religion
Christ had insisted upon in His SER
! mon. He had pointed out how
sins like adultery and murder were
crimes of the spirit and could be COM
mitted without the actual outward
deed The one who calls for men to
practice the teachings of the Sermon
on the Mount demands considerable
more than mere moral living. Christ
calls for spiritual fellowship with
the father and with men.
Personal peril marks life's pathway.
which encompassed the Christian
disciple were mainly of two kinds
those which were personal. due to
the disciples own nature. and those
which emanate from the immoral in
fuence and bad example. One of the
greatest dangers is that at the OPEN
| ing of ones career they may be en-
ticed to enter the broad road through
I lure one to destruction He sum-
moned them to vigorous action for.
as Luke puts it, they were to strive
| to enter in by the narrow door that
| leadeth unto life. Few find 1t pc.
of the world. The first care of the
apostles was to see that their own
| life was one of sincerity of purpose.
No man could expect to win as
Christian leader unless his heart was
! message that gives power in the bat
| tie for the Lord. The Christian COM
mences to live for Christ when ne
| enters the narrow way through re
! pentance. faith and remuneration. me
man who has renowned nothing has
not entered the way of life. There
! is nothing in the Bible more awful
| than Christ's words. MANY there be
which go in thereat, and rev there
| be which find it." 1t calls for each,
one to renounce what must be re-
| nounced and struggle vigorously TO
| enter the narrow way.
! Christ warned them also of the dan.
ger of false prophets, who would
! come
or His own, doctrines that would be
destructive of the gospel. The false
| nrophet who would mislead had
good chance of succeeding because ne
comes in the guise OF friend READY
Ito help and assist. The way to test
fthe true from the false is furnished
nv their fruits. 1t is by this test that
alcohol has been judged. There should
! be no room in Gods universe Tor any.
! thing that is destructive OF manhood
I tel ia "a
| have all been tested and found. in
! spite of their false prophets. to be in
| furious Lloyd George charged dur
! ing the war that drink was as serious
| a menace as German submarines.
france proclaimed that alcohol was as
] much Of an enemy as the Germans.
| America and Russia apolisned II.
| Until it is destroyed completely
| throughout the world it Will always
menace civilization
ing that religious profession was
Identical with discipleship. 1t is not
I! the profession of faith, but the pos
session of it that makes one disciple
The earliest credal Christian state
ment was, Jesus is Lord" Il Cor.
/ 1913; Rom. 1920. but here He taught
| that it was not the one who said that
| He was Lord that would enter the
[ kingdom. but he that proved ms dis-
+! cipleship by loya! obedience would
| only to those who are doors of Goa
+, will There is no substitution for the
| law of service. Faith without works
Indicates the absence of a saving trust
II, Jesus Christ as Savior ana LORD.
The man who has faith in the Master
will prove il by doing Christ's will and
work among men in the world.
There is comfort and consolation for
the faithful worker in what Jesus
), saws about false power There is a
cali for men to test their lives so that
they NAV prove beyond question to
their own minds that they can stand
the Judgment of eternity. All Of
! ChTist's teachings about the future
are full Of SUGGESTIONS that me JudS
ment will be marked by surprises. In.
this lesson we have one of the most
astonishing predictions of them all
that some men who have preached
with spiritual power In Cnrists name.
land in that name cast out demons and
performed MANY mighty acts. would
be rejected by Him as workers OF in
itarlity. If one lacks love for Christ.
although he. is a church worker and
professed Christian. if he lacks the
lChrist, the Master will condemn him
when He passes Judgment upon the
works of men.
Jesus closes this wonderful. compre-
Intensive sermon by parable concern
ing the builders upon the rock and
sand, which ranks rs one of the most
sublime and thrilling of all His para
lbles. The man who confe sses Christ
before men must conform his life. la
Dor and love TO the standards of the
Lord Jesus. The one who claims to
he a convert, but who does not seek
to conform his spirit. speech and
! service to the Masters will. is making
a mockery Of religion. The truth OF
our faith is revealed in our tria Is.
testings and temptations when the
foundations are tested. If We have
not dug deep and built on the Christ.
then we will find our labor washed
away by the flood that sweeps down
the valley of time. carrying away the
false, flimsy structures which imitat-