South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-08-09
EVERY DAY LIFE
Is SPIRITUALITY
TEST SAYS DAVIS
Baptist Minister Strikes at
''One Day a Week
Christians"

but only the normal condition OF tla
Christian soul. were the points
brought out by Rev. L. s. Davis.
ID. D. IN his morning sermon before
the congregation of the First Bap-
tist church.
He based his sermon on the text,
Romans SO But ye are not IN the
flesh. but in the spirit. II 50 be that
the spirit OF God dwell in you NOw
Il any man have not the spirit Of
Christ, he IL none Of his
The writer says Spirit Of God.
That IS the indwelling power that
produces certain results which show
themselves In the acts OF the man.
The manifested results he says is
the spirit OF Christ" ne said. The
great beauty and glory Of he life
OF Jesus was that he lived In fellow
ship with the spirit OF Cod. He was
born OF the spirit. sustained bv the
spirit, led BY the spirit. and in the
power Of the spirit did his work
until He through the eternal spirit
offered Himself without blemish un-
10 Cod.
What then IS the result of such
llvings Spirituality. The absence
oF the spirit Of Christ proaes the
absence OF the spirit Of God. We
seen TO the unseen. But the seen
VIII determine all we can say about
the unseen. Search for the spirit
OF God and If il IS there you will
not find il but what you do find
is the spirit OF Christ
Must Live Character.
we do not express character in
a single word. Character is the
sum total OF a mans acts. IL is the
tone, temper, disposition Of a man.
We can not judge "a mans character
from the occasional thing he does.
The meanest man may on occasion
give a liberal gift 10 a worthy OBJ
Ject A saint may be discovered
in some unworthy speech.
we reverently ask what was the
spirit Of Christ? The first thing
men saw as they approached him,
was His Simplicity. He never need
ed 10 get ready for any occasion.
He never had to fix up for any
event. He was the same transpar-
ent. natural, simple, frank, open
person on all occasions. When nc
spoke. people believed Another
thing we note was his serenity. When
others we're swept away by storms
OF passion he was serene. At the
Trial. Pilot was beside himself. The
mob houled itself hoarse. Jesus was
the only calm, quiet and unmoved
person in that scene. We are again
impressed by his sCnsitivcness. Jesus
came into the presence of no nat
ural emotion Ee did not share. When
there was 10y, ne was joyful. W hen
there was sorrow. ne was sad. This
was the spirit of Christ, But all this
was possible because the spirit Of
God dwelt in him
Test for spirituality"
Now how can We determine
whether we have the spirit Of God
dwelling in us. Apply the test.
How and where? Not in any spe-
cial time and place, but in the or
binary pathway of human life, for
that is where the test is daily be-
ing applied. I find what my spirit
is not in this service but tOmor-
row in the midst of the ANNOYING
and trying affairs OF every day life.
Apply the test of adversely.
When adversely comes one man Ia
filled with despair and gives up.
Another man Is quiet, determined
and still hopeful. What is the diff
ference? IL is a difference OF tone,
temper. disposition. Yes. but what
lies back OF all that? Some stay
ing. holding, hidden power. Apply
the test Of prosperity. In the hour
OF prosperity one man becomes ar
rogant. overbearing and grasping
Another man becomes benevolent
kind and helpful. Apply the test OF
obSecUrity. These men have been
in the public eye and their names
on the lips Of everybody. They are
set aside. How do they actP One
becc mes rebellious, complaining and
fault finding. The other becomes
humble and meet his defeat with
a fine air OF dignity and self con-
troll. Apply the test OF victory one
man become a tyrant while tho
other becomes maSnanimous and
generous. The difference IS al
ways a difference OF tone, temper
disposition.
Is Not Abnormal
What then do We mean by spir-
itualitv2 We do not mean some
thins IN contrast with the normal
Drummond reminded us that there
is 10 boundary limo between the
natural and the spiritual The same
law operates in both realms. God
is the God OF work as we'll as oil
worship. He is the God OF Our play
as well as OF our praying. The
miracles OF Christ did not destroy
or Ear the laws Of the natural world
20
demption are great experiences in
the life OF a believer, but ne is the
same man. He has not blotted out
his personality or changed he es-
sence OF his conscience. But when
God dwells in the soul new forces
direct his life into new channels
and what he manifests now Is the
spirit OF Christ.
spiritually is not supernatural
ism Il is not spiritual eccestaCy
II IS not familiarity with spirits on
the ghostly. III that was true then
the Clairvoyant or medium would
be the most spiritual people.
Spirituality is not a difference
between the secular and the sacred
This is a man made difference. Men
set up two worlds. The ordinary
every day world and the sabbath
dav world The man who liEes The
ordinary life and nothing else lives
the life OF the flesh The man who
keeps the Sabbath is the spiritual
man. Well this IS the old question
the Pharasee brought 10 Jesus. He
thought because he prayed IN the
corners Of the streets he was spir-
ituaL But Jesus said What doeth
the Lord require, but 20 deal just
Is and TO love mercy IL Is not inst
sitting in church on sunday but
how do YOU act on Monday.
Not In ECCcntriCity.
Spirituality - not eccentrfcity