Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1922-04-01


came from the amounting Of the Holy
Spirit which made the witnesses Of
Christ ready 10 suffer even unto death.
They became a band of holy and wise
propagandists. Even of the rank and
file ii Is written that they went
everywhere preaching the Word" In
this way, the early Christian church
grew rapidly
Rev. Ernest Hall of Korea writes
that the secret of the rapid growth
of the church there Is the same as in
the apostolic days, the power of the
Holy Spirit In the witnessing OF dis
ciples by life and lips-and the scatter
ing of Christians everywhere TO plant
the gospel seed In other hearts. Mr..
Hall says: The Koreans are taught
that every Christian must become
witness to his or her own people. AT
any cost the story of Christs love must
be told To those who have never heard
ii. When II man asks for admission
to the church. he is asked II he has
done this and If not, is kept waiting
Nhn give tNlutiNt VI TIC
vitality of his Christianity"
From this principle there has been
a woeful departure. The church Is liv.
Ing on easy street" saying 81 am rich
and Increased with goods and have
need of nothing" oh, for voice in
the wilderness, a voice loud and clear,
authoritative and compelling. propa.
gandiSt for the cross In the fulneSs
of Its symbolism and significance OF
course such an one would be regarded
rs fanatic, but rs one of our editors
recently remarked: "All the ages were
born of fanatics. History is stag
nation In politics and religion, until
the fanatic comes and Strs the slug.
gish waters Europe lay in the sleep
of death religiously until three or four
fanatics in the persons of Huss. Luther,
Zwingli and Calvin came along. These
were all fanatics of the deepest dye.
They were all crazy" TO their COM
temporaries. Epthets such as
"frenzied." dangerous men, were
constantly applied TO them. Luther
was referred 10 as that mad friar":
and that mad priest" Italy had stood
in complete Indifference 10 religion
until the fanatic Savonarola arose. lie
was called mad because lie disturbed
the established order of things. In
the religious history of England. the
great revivals came only when the
fanatics like Wycliffe and Wesley and
Whitfield appeared; and in our own
land. there were those who called
Dwight l.. Moody fanatic. We are SO
afraid of fanaticism. that even holy
and proper enthusiasm is often decried
and discounted. but without this ell
thusiasm there can be no progressive
and aggressive propaganda for Christ.
All followers of Christ need the
martyr spirit. which characterized the
Christians of the early church, SO that
the commission of Christ 10 witness
for Him may be- speedily fulfilled
There are various ways in which this
can be done. Some can do IL through
lives that Illustrate the redeeming
power of Gods grace, by holy lives
that point directly Ia Him and are
fragrant with His spirit and patience.
Others may witness through an I'M
faltering testimony without apology or
sense of shame.
Personal soul winning may also be
considered as another form of service
requiring the martyr spirit. 4 Korean
Christian In Seoul was east into prison
because his son had committed an Of
Tense. lie was put into cell along
with eighteen criminals. and kept there
for five months without opportunity
10 clear himself When he came out
at the end of five months, the eighteen
criminals were eighteen Christians.
This remarkable instance of devotion
related by Dr. Ilehcr Jones. one of the
first missionaries To Korea. was given
not rs u solitary and extraordinary
specimen. hut rs a type Of Korean
Christianity
Christian effort and enterprise also
call for this same holy enthusiasm
and spirit III the martyr Without II
there cannot be the initiative and
daring that mark the apostolic period
and which is sorely needed now.