The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-06-13

all menE' ave
A& @~@ arranged with my
disciples for that. They are TO be
my witnesses" But suppose Peter
goes fishing and John and James fall
asleep Sadly and solemnly our LORD
replies. If these men fail my work
viii fail. | have no other plan.
The work of Jesus Christ had been
done and we'll done. When He bowed
His head upon Calyary's cross n
cried: 1T Is finished He became
fhe author and iniSher of our faith.
BIN 70 His disciples in subsequent
generations has been committed the
task of proclaimlng the good tidings
Of great JOY to all people. Until this
j. fully accomplished the task cannot
aud will not be fully completed. In
fhe consideration Of this unfinished
task there is to be observed a fact, a
field, a force and a finish.
First notice the fact. This gospel
of the kingdom" The gospel is not
a s%upposition or a speculation. 1t is
a fact. Luke says he wrote facts that
were delivered unto him by eyewit'
aesses. He insists that his gospel
was built upon infalllble proofs. Peter
substantiateS his mission and his min
istry in his dying message. We have
not followed cunningly devised fables
but were eyewitnesses Of His majesty"
Some people talk and write as though
the Bible were on trial today The
Bible has been tried and well tried.
After IT'S submission to a chain of
proofs. after its survival of a crowd
of attacks. after its substantiation by
a cloud Of witnesses if the Bible is
not q fact. nothing is a TACT.
Second, notice the field, preached
in all the world unto all nations" 1t
was the world that God so loved. II
was into all the world that Christ
sent His disciples. No person can be
a follower Of Jesus Christ until he
recognizes the world as the field Of
his religion. He must think and talk
and act in world terms. He must
overcome racial prejudice and exclu-
siye s%elhshness. Racial prejudice and
exclusive s%elishness have more inter
fered with the completion of the task
chan all the burnings of pagan and
nnpish tyrants. Paul recognized 6C
y7orld as his field and if in all the
years that have elapsed since his day
the church might have more seriously
considered his example the task would
have been completed long ago.
Third. notice the force, This gospel
shall be preached for a Witness
Christ said: "Ye shall be witnesses
unto the uttermOst parts Of the earth"
The force is the factor that conveys
the glad tidings. The slogan Of the
largest Presbyterian church in the
world is: The church is our force;
fhe world is our field What sort of
a world force is my church? What
SORT Of a wOrld-witness anu I proving
70 be?
A witness worth while must be a
maj of conviction. You cannot sway
IN Indifferent. d%isinterested world IN
less you can testify for Jesus Christ
with conviction.
A witness worth while must be a
maj under obligation. Paul said Al
am a debtor He acknowledged his
obligations to Jesus Christ and re-
toiced that his deb was payable in
gospel currency.
4 witness worth while must be a
man of enthusiasm. It is not prayer
that counts bnt passion in prayer. It
5 NOT Bible reading. 1t is enthusiasm
IN reading. II was not Erasmus the
learned but rough and burning Luther
who shook all Germany.
Fourth. notice the finish. 'Then shall
the end be-" The disciples under
stood what was meant by the end. To
them il meant the coming Of the king
dom long promised BY prophets. To
slem it mean the coming Of the King
mnre precious than kingdom. Stimu-
lated by this blessed hope they set
out TO evangelize the world In their
day and no generation has since 50
nearly succeeded.
To-day you and I standing upon the
portals OF tAs Twentieth century look
upon
The tas- the centuries might have
done.
Now crowded in the hour Of setting
sun.
What we most need is to be re
minded hat there is an end and that
II may be at our very doors. Never
since the days Of the apostles has the
world been more united. Never has
Il been more accessible. Is it presump-
fuous for us TO believe that the task
may be completed in our day? What
an opportunity! What a reponsibil-
ity! Where will the end find you
and mef