South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-07-12
MAKES CONTRAST
BETWEEN SHADOWS
AND REAL THINGS
Rev. ]. \. Greene of the First
Methodist Church Gives
Sunday Sermon.

Al the first Methodist curch sun
DAY morning. Dr. j. ~ Greene
preached 90 "a large congreraticn on
the subject Of Shadows and Reali-
ties" using the text Which are "a
shadow OF things % come. but the
body is Jesus Christ" Re explained
that the text occurs 'in the midst OF
one OF 81. Pauls mastery arguments
in which be ls attempting tO estaO-
hsh the pre-eminence OF Jesus Christ.
His polemic utterances are piled up
into great pyramid of convincing
arguments over the apex Of which
ne floats the triumphant climax,
Christ is an and IN an
Paul Is drawing "a contrast be-
tween shadows and realities in the
religious life. Referring 90 certain
established religious ceremonies com
mon among the jews, ne warns
against the danger Of regarding these
ceremonies as the essence of reli-
zion. He declares that these CeTe-
monies are but sadows or types that
point 10 "a substance or reality, which
really is Christ. lie declares that the
value Of the religious life is 10 be de-
termined not by the shadows but by
the substance. not by the observance
of ceremonies but by possession Of
the Christ
Shadow ~. Reality.
lone OF the distressing shortcOm-
ings OF human nature has been the
tendency 20 substitute the shadow
for the reality. Men are too often
content with a pretensiOn Of virtue
I'm the absence OF the actual posses
sion OF the virtue. Many esteem the
virtue OF kindness but In secret prac-
tee harshness and unkindness.
Many men seem TO value respectable
q, yet when amog strangers of under
cover Of darkness give themselves TO
immoral practices they show that the
esteemed responsibility was more OF
a shadow than reality. Nations as
well as individuals are guilty OF this
fault Our forefathers declared that
they believed all men were created
equal and endowed with certain
rights among which were life. liberty
and the pursuit of happiness. But
they Immediately showed that their
claim 10 the possession Of liberty and
Justice was more OF "A shadow than
reality, for they fixed on the nation
the evil of human slavery with all its
denial OF equal rights.
III the realm OA Itl4Slbn iillc uAll-
ger is apparent. Forms and cere-
monies abound in religion and il is
easy TO substitute the shadow for the
reality. Ceremonies are only shad-
ows: the reality is Christ. Religion
that is merely ceremonial or rituals
tic permits immOralities but the re-
atty demands morality. Rituahstic
Christians can observe ceremonies on
Sunday morning and on Sunday at
ternOon engag in all forms OF inn
mOralities. But where Christ is pos
scssed such immortality is impossible.
Three Types.
THE shadow of religion admits of
stagnation but the reality quickens
into religious activity. There are
three types OF church members:
shirkers. who evade all responsible
ties: jerkers. who have religious
spasms. and workers. who are
ever faithful 10 the interests Of the
church and the kingdom. The diff
ference between the shirkers and
jerkers on the one hand and the
workers on the other is the posses
sion OF the Christ i'm reality.
The reality in religion means vital
fellowship with God. while the shad-
Ow permits alienation The sum-
mum bonus OF the religious life is
20 enter vital fellowship with God.
Shadows can only point toward God
but the reality. Christ, unites with
God.
The need OF the hour in the
church and the world is for the re-
lection of the shadow and the ac-
ceptance OF the reality. Forms. cere-
monies. creeds. are but shadows.
These are not religion. Religion is
q reality Christ is the reality.
Christ is religion. Shadows are frail
and shall pass away. But Christ is
al and in all"