South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-03-13
SAYS HUMAN POWER
Is Given BY GOD
TO AID PROGRESS
Rev. Monger Declares Divine
Power Given 10 Humans TO
Overcome Obstacles.

NAADAlAN AbEActAAt
That human power is all granted
by God for our use ln progress to-
ward redemption was the theme OF
the sermon delivered by Rev. Albert
j.. Monger. at the First Methodist
church yesterday morning He said:
I'VE are conscious OF the power OF
certain instructive energies which
are inherent i'm human life. In the
moment Of great crisis, some men
have experienced more than ordin-
airy power. The same f. true in use
OF the intellect
over against this natural inner
ent power of man is the power OF
God given 10 help man i'm overcom-
ing the seemingly insurmountable
obstacles IN the pathway Of human
progress II IS the use Of this gift
OF power that enables Christian men
20 do what no other religious faith
/ has ever enabled its followers TO do.
This subject then is TO be discussed
not iu terms OF Creedal statement.
but in terms Of human experience.
| Literally. Holy Spirit is Holy
I breath, or is the out-breathing life
of God He works throught the inn
pact and pressure Of his personal
I presence upon man. Like r'cctriCity
+ this divine power is atO-f every
where. If we could utilize It,. We
must meet the laws that govern this
\ sps%a power just as we do 10 lay
/ hold of the electrical energy Of the
/ universe.
Given To Meet Needs
7 "The Holy Spirit is given for meet
/ ing practical human needs He is
not a stimulant for our emotional
life but power for the accomplish
/ ment of Whist man himself could not
do in his own strength. The Holy
| Spirit is given for the greatest hui
\ man needs and has always been
available to help men accomplish
the humanely impossible When
/ Peter and John and Paul faced the
legions of Rome they faced them
with more than power of man or
they would never have planted the
/ Christian faith at the very center
OF the Roman world The greatest
need i'm establishing the Kingdom
of God was for power that could
not be defeated by persecution or
death They were enabled TO do the
humanity impossible drought the
utilization of this great gift with
which God surrounded the world.
This is still the great need today.
It was never more fundamental than
today We are stepping out into a
world that is battling in the problems
which it presents. The thing need
ed most is not additional ideas. but
power TO transform weakness into
strength Every one of us knows
that we are living below our maxi
mum. We accept limitations that
/ need not exist for us We know
that brotherhood Of man is the fun
amental law of our relationships. yet
We stand before it powerless to put
that law into effea as governing our
human relationships.
MO1% Standards Topping.
Moral standards are topping down
and many man is living only for
himself. Many Of the worst i'm every
community know more than the best
Of men are practicing. We know
that certain great impending re-
suits must follow certain courses OF
disregard of Gods laws, vet many
individuals. and even nations. are
helpless i'm their own strength ia
turn back the doom by changing the
course of living. There are folks
struggling with evil habits and are
impOtent in the face of them God
has given us the power o. His Holy
Spirit 10 enable US 10 overcome. But
before this gift is available to as
We must adjust our ways of life So
that He can impart it to us. we
must determine what is the greatest
need of human life today. We must
be obedient to the truth that Cod
has already impaired TO us. Then
we must throw ourselves forth upon
the great centure of realizing Hi.
supreme purpose for mankind"
The concluding sermon of the Sc
ries Will be THE Revolutionary
Character of the Gospel"