The Republican., 1923-11-15
THE METHOD OF THE
A

IEAE VI " t1OD CE IRE
MASTER.
1t is not true that if Jesus had not
come there would be no missionaries.
Every faith has had its propagandists.
In the days of Elijah his whole effort
was directed against the active spred-
ing Of the Baalism of Jezebel. Budd-
ism has a million priests in China and
others in Japan, but Gautama, its
founder, was never outside the India
of his birth The Mohammedan world
lies far beyond the Arabian borders
of its founding. The study we have
given to the Hebrew writings tells the
inherent spirit of expansion so that
the missionary movement is one that
belongs to the world and mankind
rather than to a distinct section of it.
Some years ago Sherwood Eddy asked
this startling question: rs our Chris
tianity worth eXporting?" And it is
the query that confronts all such prop
aganda-is it worth spreading thru
out the earth? 1t can be answered
only in terms Of results and from such
a test Christianity never shrinks: it
rather courts investigation and COM
parisOn. And it goes back to its Mas
ter for instruction as well as inspira-
ton for its advance What methods
did He use?
Thruout the Gospels He is con-
stantly on the march. His earliest
appearance was in Jerusalem. Then
Galilee was the scene of His activi-
ties as He went from village to vii
lage with the message of Good News.
Across the little lake, as far north as
Hermon, touching the sea near Tyre
and Sidon, travelling east Of the Jor-
dan, His was a life Of continuous
movement seeking an audience wher-
ever people We're until lie was known
to more folks, probably, than any
other man of His day And as He went
He taught wonderful things hitherto
undreamed OF out Of that book that
was at the heart of the Hebrew faith.
And the people pressed upon Him to
hear, and often there was the striking
illustration OF story or Of action that
might be used to carry the idea He
wished to give. 1t was out of the
feeding Of the multitude that the eX-
preston, 81 am the bread of life" had
its birth. He healed many that were
hopeless without His touch and gave
strength that might be used for the
Kingdom. He gathered about Him a
small group that was the constant OBJ
ject Of His intensive training for Just
the sort Of work that He was doing SO
that at the close Of His career they
were ready to carry forward what
He had begun. And behind it all was
that sacrihcial life that brought the
consciousness Of the presence Of God
into the minds and lives of men. Il
has been along these lines that the
movement He started has made its
progress, for it has been one of the
restless movements to the very ends
of the earth, of preaching the Good
News, Of teaching the Word Of heal
ing and of creating a trained leader
ship among whatever race might be
approached in order that they might
evangelize their fellows. The mis-
sionary moyement of the Christian
church has run true to form given by
its Lord thru all the centuries.
THE MIGHT OF THE
MASTER.
"My God shall supply every need of
yours" wrote Paul, conscious of the
limitless resources held in the hands
that rule the world. Gods order is
guarantee of His support. 1t is upon
that that the missionary movement
rests and works. That Sabbath at
Capernaum reveals something of the
might of theMaster who said, II will
be with you all the days" He went
to church that was lacking in spirit
and was hopelessly inadequate for
the needs of all men. 1t was not what
He wished, but He was present that
He might show something of what it
really might mean to folks. And the
spirit thatwas unclean was subject un-
to Him as is today. For when Christ
really comes into a church that spirit
must come out if He is to stay. At
terward in the genial atmosphere of
an opened home He touched feverish-
ness out of ministrant hands so that
peace as well as health took up their
abode there. AS the sun dipped into
the shadows crowds brought their sick
about the door of that restored home
that He might heal them and with in
finite tenderness and pity He passed
among them bringing life with His
touch until darkness and silence clos
ed one wonderful Lords Day. In the
morning there were still others seek
ing Him only to learn that He was no
where to be found until the searchers
caught up with Him at prayer seeking
the Fathers guidance for the dav
ahead aOd fol1oTip,r o,-o,,