Evening journal., 1922-04-04
LIFE IS FULL
OF MYSTERY
Ordinary Processes Hide
Secret of Their Operation,
Lenten Speaker Says
MINISTER EXPLAINS
MYSTERY OF CHRIST

Life Is full OF mystery, and most
ordinary processes and experiences
hide from us the secret OF their op-
Grafton" said the Rev. Clarence Ed
ward Mccartney, pastor " Arch
Street Presbyterian Church Phila-
delphia, at the noon-day Lenten ser
vice in ST. Andrews Episcopal
Church today. The meeting was well
attended. The Rev. Thomas Kerr,
pastor of Grcenhiu Presbyterian
Church conducted the preliminary
service Or. Mccartney spoke on the
theme The Mystery Of Christ" He
said in part:
Life Is full OF mystery. and the
most ordinary processes and expert
onces hide from us the secret Of their
operation. The drop Of dew upon
the face OF the nowen which we
brush carelessly aside IN the morn
ing of our gladness. and the drop Of
bloody sweet which distills upon our
brow in some Gethsemane moment
of anguish are alike mysteries which
we cannot understand
THAT is what we commonly mean
when we speak OF a thing as mys-
.terious. We mean that Il is mex
plicablo. inaccessible. Bur the New
Testament when 10 uses the word
mystery means only that which IS
secret and hidden until it has been
told and revealed. ST. Pauls favor
lie word for the Gospel is mys-
tory and by this he does not mean
tho obscure or occult. but the plan OF
God for the redemption of the world.
kept in secret through long ages. but
al last revealed in Christ
'The mystery Of Christ Is the
mystery of the knowledge of God.
Take away from your knowledge OF
God that portion which is drawn
from the Christian revelation. and
how much worth while have you
left2 II was not so much what
Christ said about God but what lie
was. and what He did. Jesus said
on that last night, Let not your
/ heart be troubled. Ne believe in
/ God. believe also in Me. But how
often you and ]. in our day Of sore
trial or doubt. have turned that say
ing about. and have cried out, %
{ Christ, believe in Thee therefore
/ I trust In Godl
The mystery Of Christ Is the mys-
terry OF forgiveness. Not the best
saint before Christ came could have
given any faintest idea OF the way IN
, which God would forgive sin. Then
Christ came and the great secret
was made clear. that the ground
upon which God forgives our sin Is
the perfect obedience and righteous
ness and unmerited suffering o.
Christ. taken upon Him our condigI
, punishment This fact. the vicariou
, death OF Jesus for the sins OF IN
world. is the central rock OF Chris
, tian faith. and against that rock tn
, waves OF scorn and unbelief hur
themselves in impotent fury. Al
, who stand on that rock are safe.
Finally. the mystery Of Christ
the mystery OF Life Immortal. Tn
b only one who stands between you
81 soul and the darkness OF the abys
r between YOU and eternal separation
between YOU and the rayless night q
annihilation is the Lord Jesus Chris
Before He came the best OF me
. could only hope and surmise. Bt
after ne had some and had rise
again from the dead the hrst fruit
LOT them that slept the least
Christian believers could say, '
! have a desire to depart and to b
with Christ. which is far better
DR.. Mccartney will be the speake
again tomorrow.
The Rev Thomas G. Hill. rectc
OF 81. Peters Episcopal Churcl
smyrna. will deliver specis
Lenten message al the weekly Lente
service in ST Andrews Church ia
night Tie is the last Of the speed
Tuesday evening speakers