Norwich bulletin., 1922-01-13

The three greatest needs of the moo ern church were declared by Chaplain A. Earl Kernahan in his sermon Thurs day night at the special services at Trinity Methodist Episcopal church to be a consecrated ministry, a loyal la!ty and a real Christ.
 Announcing this as his subject, The Three Greatest Needs of the Modern Church, he spoke in part as follows from the text, No soldier on service en- tangleth himself in the affairs of this life; that he may please him who en- rolled him as a soldier:
 The announcement of my subject may have led you to think that I have low appreciation of the modern church. l wish to say that l am fully aware of the fact that the Christian church is the most hopeful institution of modern so- cety. She has always been the center of the most potent influences and she 1 will always continue to be. Nations | have crumbled but the church has al | ways had strength enough within her l self to rehaibilitAte She has always l been the whitest Night Our purpose is | to find out if there are some points at which the modern church is in need as she faces the most sublime task that l has ever faced her
 We find evidence on all sides of three l outstanding needs. We shall call them 1 the three greatest needs of the modern i church and forthwith set ourselves to | the study of them. They are, A Conse- crated Ministry, A Loyal Laty and A Real Christ.
 1. A Consecrated Ministry. The 1 Christian church has always been ex. actly what her leaders are. The spirit of her leaders has always found it's way to the center of the church. Abstract | doctrines have been made to glow anG l live through the passionate advocacy ot | men, Many conceptions of the churct ! today are living monuments to Calvin, | thought and intense spirit Moderr | evangelism Is beautiful proof of the presence of Augustine, Luther and Wes | ley in the practical life and spirit O | the church. The coming generation vii | sing praises to. Bishop Henderson fo1
 the fact that he through common sense
 and passionate love turned the plati | tudes of thousands of Christians into z
 practical program of personal work The church sinks into shameful abysse of lethargy or glows with triumphan
 power just in the degree the minis ar. 1 discard or e~abody Christ
 We need ministers of unusual conse ] cration today. This is so for two req | sons. The church is facing unusla
 problems and the ministers consecrat1
 Is under seveTer tests than ever before
 We speak of the wonderful courage an,
 faithfulness to conviction evidenced up
 on the pant of the early followers Q
 Jesus. We stand In the light of thei
 burning bodies. in our imagination. an
 are convinced that divine loyalty Ina
 ermped them But their tests cleare
 their eyes to see realities plainer; mad
 the voice of conscience more audible
 and developed sinews of character whic
 make these men of the early days a
 amazing proof of the truthfulness
 Jesus works and life But the or
 slought today Is of an altogether diffe . iAnt nature. Many of the conviction (which were fought for in the early day z of Christianity have become static. Me
 take them for granted and forthwit
 fTOceed to releEate them to a place f nnathy. The church itself has been il
 ,Stitutionalized and much of the ze;
 md passion which surged through u |, | arteries of the early disciples has be- lost. With many standards made stat and an institutionalized church h. ! rome a conservatism which is benum I ing. The tests on mans consecratic f today have a tendency to act as S l a e fer's vision may hecome ecl6psed. Tn, r. life becomes so easv' that he deveIn
 "A. soft character which altogether ii r rualifes him for positive and aggre
 sve service.
 Il The church has grown aged. She "
 not listen to the declarations of q nr
 Gressive. program which has been forg
 nniy in the minds and souls of idea'ist
 She calls for the test of time and pra l. tice. Because of this admirable at 2 fude she often strangles many heave e born visions. She has crushed benca Q her conservatism many kingly spr - Many, many ministers have remain f quite ordinary who should have he
 world-movers if the church had 1ouris e ad their ambitions and passions inste l. of stuntiug them with the chill of th,
 conservatism. I am not making pi T for wild and sporadic inventions und y the name of progress: but I am ask
 that new ideas (so-called) shall he CT, st pared with Jesus and His principles 2 stead of sheff-worn concertions of f l. church before they be spurned TT d will avoid the terrible waste of visio Q and keep hard the sinews of ra ssfons g minds by giving them a chance in { D. wonderful organization of the church
 do Gods best work.
 These are the tests that ministe
 conservation must meet and conquer y day. It is very evident without furtt ) representations that no minister. |" n service entangleth himself in the affq
 of this life; that he may please him " If enrolled him as soldier He m l. keep his hands and spirit free Tt n hard for one outside of the ministry