The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1922-09-06

clysm of world
strife. To the church comes the APP
peal of he burdened, the Borrowing,
the hopeless. What response should
the church make? Should the church
become more social in character, more
philanthropic In it's endeavor to meet
the worlds needs, more institutional
In Its activities, more cultured In its
membership?
The need Of the hour Is in the
message the church has for the world,
n the kind of church to meet the
crisis of the present is the church
with a message, for the church was
commissioned primarily as a messen-
ger. go ye into all the world and
preach the Gospel to every creature"
AS never before In modern times
the world needs today an %evangellz-
Ing church-a missionary church-a
preaching church. "What Is the mes
sage for the hour?" Our text Is the
all-sufiicient reply-"God hath spoken
to us in His Son."
The message of the church for this
HouA O. In Dtcu fClt " Hullhu
speculations, vagarles, or %reasonings.
God has given 1t and the only hope
Of needed help Is In it's proclama-
tlon.
A Peculiar Message.
Gods message Is peculiar to our
present needs. He hath spoken 'in
these last days"-a phrase character
izing the present dispensation, which
grows more perilous, more complex,
more lawless as 1t develops. God has
provided a message adapted to every
contingency, sufficient for every need,
the solution of every problem. Are
we threatened with internal disorders
between capital and labor? Shall we
witness the clash of civilizations be-
tween East and West? Are the great
world religions preparing for an Ar
mageddon? What shall we say to the
struggling forces? Can n disarma-
ment conference sit for months and
find a solution? Can the church pub
fish an edict worldwide? No, they
are helpless. God has given the mes
sage for these days.
The message is contrasted with the
past. God hath spoken before.
Through patriarch, prince, poet, priest
and prophet. Holy men spake as they
were moved by the Holy Ghost" God
entrusted His message to men-they
were His mouthpiece to proclaim,
THUS saith the Lord" But now
God has spoken in His Son." He
has given the world n perfect message.
1t cannon fail-it is agelong, world
wide. Being perfect, 1t Is final. He
has none other to give.
The Message of a Person.
Jesus is Gods message. He is the
solution of every problem, the panacea
for every Ill, the last word in
every condition. We need to remem-
Der that however much conditions may
differ, there are certain fundamental
needs ut the heart of humanity. The
problems of collective society have
multiplied and grown more intricate
with the passing centuries, but these
are only incidental and s~ymptomatic.
Back of all complexities and conflicts,
all fevers and eruptions Is SIN, which
spoiled Gods work, binders His plan,
and Is responsible for every human
need, every social condition, every
world problem. Sin Is the dark, hide
GUS monster that spoiled the whole
program of Edenic beauty and har-
mony. 1t changed mans relation to
God. 1t turned mans hand against
his brother. 1t affected the destiny of
the race.
These questions have always been
the same, In the first century or the
twentieth. They are universal-allke
in Hottentot or Hindu. The son
of God answers them. He answers
every question about God. He is God
translated into human language-the
message of eternal love, understand.
able to every tribe and tongue. He
answers every question about man
his origin, his destiny, and all life be-
tween. Every social need, every race
problem, every religious hunger is
solved and satisfied in Jesus. He an
| swers the question of the future. I'm
my Fathers house are many mansions.
/ &c. to prepare a place for you. |
will come again and receive you unto
myself that where | am there you
may be also. Ye believe in God
BELIEVE also in me-" God has set
His seal of approval upon His Son
and admonishes us, "Hear We Him."