Evening journal., 1921-10-25
POINTS NEED OF
CHRIST INLAND
WHO Shall Be First Dis
cussed by DR.. Bohner in
Sermon
NATION SWEPT BY
BACKWASH OF WAR

sermon by the Rev. Charles II. |
Bohner. pastor OF Hanover Presby-
terrain Church. on Sunday. Dr.
Rchner described the subject Of his
discourse as "a question that directly
concerns every man and upon the
correct answer to which the welfare
II the world depends"
III there ever was a time when
America needed TO be faithful to her
antecedents and keep Christ in the
foremost place, It is today" DR..
Bohner asserted after discussing
whether Mars. or Minerva, or Venus.
or the Goddess Of Liberty or Christ
shall be FIRST.
"Dr. Bohner took as his text Col
iosians 1:1S. "That in all things he
might be first" DR. Bonner in the
course of his sermon said:
I'm the authorized version Of our
Bibles this passage reads: THAT
in all things he might have the pre-
eminence." One word. in the orig
inal Greek. represents the four
rendered might have the pre-emi-
nence. This is the only place in the
New Testament where Il occurs and
its literal meaning is 'hrst' An ex-
act translation Of the text, therefore.
would be as have given It: That
in all things he might be first"
There is only one person in the
whole realm OF history OF whom
these words can fittingly be spoken.
That person is Jesus Christ. Jesus
made the most tremendous claims
for himself He said I am the way.
the truth and the life I am the
light OF the world I am the bread
OF life 4 am the door; by me. II
any man enter in. he shall be saved
'Whosoever drinketh OF the water
that shall give him shall never
thirst; but the water that I shall
give him shall be in him a well Of
water springing up into everlasting
life No one save Christ ever spoke
such words, yet through the ages.
millions. some with and some with
out philosophy, some learned and
some unlearned. have proved them
in their own experience to be true.
Through the ages, also, the tram
scendent merit OF Christ has been
Acknowledged even by his enemies.
on one occasion the members OF the
Sanhedrin. learning that Jesus had
returned to Jerusalem despite their
oft-repeated warnings. sent a de-
tachment OF soldiers to arrest him.
They found him in Solomon's
Porch preaching to the people and.
unfortunately for the success OF their
errand, they paused to listen. Pres
emily they returned empty-handed.
and 10 the inquiry Of their master,
why have ye not brought him p they
could only answer, Never man spake
like this MANI A strange report to
ho' entered on the record OF that ju-
dicial body. Yet an history abounds
in such tributes paid TO the Man Of
Nazareth. by those who have gone
forth against him. While the unhe-
lieving world may reject his divine
claims the calm majesty OF Jesus
overawes IT, and, with Spinoza, the
father Of modern pantheism, ex-
claims: Christ was the temple Of
God; since God has most fully re-
vealed himself in him.
yet. in spite Of the divine claims
Of Jesus. and the acknowledged trib-
utes which his divine nature has
perversity that Is as wilful as II Is
stubborn. men have made themselves
gods which they have put first. It is
natural for man to worship. Simon
Greenieaf says: Tt has been seen 10
be universally true that man is a re-
iigious being Professor Flint says
II is doubtful II any people or any
age has been without a religion OF
some kind Men will worship some
thing There Is some one thinl
which always men put first, and q
which they give their allegiance. Al
Joseph Parker says: The world il
fun Of little idols. man-made idols
We do not call them gods, but W.
worship them none the less-Luck
Accident. Fortune. Popularity, Self
Indulgence We put these first, an'
bowing down before them, brini
them our alteration. President Hib
ben. Of Princeton. says; There cal
be no lasting civilization which 1
not based absolutely on the eterna
moral order. and there is but on
order for men and nations. To def
the moral order is TO defy God. an
the nation which defies God has It
defeat written already
"Who shall be first. therefore, be
comes a paramount question. 1t {
question that directly concern
every man and upon the correct an
swer 10 which the welfare Of tn
world depends shall the pagan god
have the FIRST place in our ale
eiance7
shall Mars be frst7
"Thc god of war; Can physica
power. the force Of arms. mighty ar
miles and navies cause men and na
tons 10 stand3 Rome had her Plau
tus and Terrence. her Horace an
NirEil. her Cato and Cicero. her Taci
tus and Livy and Caesar. Unde
their leadership and guidance. Rom
became the ruling power Of the east
She sat on her seven hills Of Eior
and sent armies and fleets 70 COVER
the nations OF the world. Her ex
panse OF territory was enormous. he
borders were almost limitiess. he
people innumerahle. her cities man
and wealthy. But after fourishin
for a time Rome fell. and so IRE,
was her fan that Il has marked or
Of the three division points in n
history Of mankind. Rome worship
ped MARI The god Of power was n