The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1924-11-08

/ dlA SIN IA ttAC AiAltCd >'laAeSy am
this time I am IN Texas. The last
Sunday / was in Chicago, went to
the Community Center, the occasion
being the fourth anniversary, and
heard the Rev. DR.. w. d. Cook
preach his anniversary sermon. l was
impressed with his common sense
message. It was thought that he was
going to skin the cat with some Of
the other people but he had only
words Of praise He has large fol-
lowing.
want to take advantage Of this OPP
portunity to congratulate DR.. Cook I
have known him a number of years.
! knew him when he was in Norfolk,
va, and other places, even in St.
Louis.
will give you this week his SER
mon. Here it IS:
Hitherto the Lord Hath Helped Us
Just four short years have passed
since the organization of the Peoples
church and Metropolitan Community
Center, consequently this day is our
fourth anniversary Of our existence as
an organized unit in the uplift and adj
vancement Of all those things pertain
ing to the kingdom Of Christ and the
mental, moral and spiritual welfare Of
the community.
I deem it not necessary to enter
into the details which caused the or
ganization Of our church for they are
in measure known by most of our
friends and under the guiding hand of
our Heavenly Father has proven its
right to exist among the churches Of
Christ in this great city.
! Whatever may have been the cause
and motive which actuated the found
ers Of the church, one thing we have
always emphasized and even now and
here emphasize the fact that it was not
organized in opposition to any de-
nomination nor to inculcate a propa-
ganda Of strife and confusion among
Christians of other churches. Our OBJ
ject was and is to fraternize and work
lovingly with all Christians who love
the Lord, Jesus Christ, and make more
practical the religion we so loudly pro-
fess.
"Our purpose il not to denounce
creed, but to make prominent the fact
that we love Christ better than we
love creed; that we can better serve
God BY serving his children regard
less Of creed With this slogan We
welcome persons Of all denominations
in our ranks, and gladly affiliate with
all who will permit us Of any and all
denominations In this we are actu-
ated by the prayer Of our Savior who
prayed that all may be one
I'm all ages Of the Christian Church
there are those who have caught a
broader vision and hardened to the
voice Of God and resolved to do his
bidding at any cost. Abraham, the
father Of the faithful, was brilliant
example Of this class Of men. The
God Of glory appeared to our Father
Abraham when he was in Mesopota-
mia before he dwelt in Canaan, and
said unto him, Get thee out Vi thy
country and from thy kindred and
come into the land which I will show
thee''-Acts, 7-2,5, Abraham went
out without knowing whittier he
went. Martin Luther, imbued with
the spirit Of Christ de6ed the power
Of the Pope and, fixing his eyes upon
Christ, went forth preaching justifca-
ton by faith. John Wesley forsook
the Church when it became too dry
and formal and organized the great
Methodist church upon the basis Of
practicability and deeper spirituality.
Again, when this great church blum
dered by making slaves of the Ne
groes, she brought upon herself the
righteous wrath Of God and then God
called certain men out Of that Church
and caused the establishing of the
Methodist Church North.
when this same Church, forgetful
Of the fatherhood Of God and the
brotherhood of Christ, drew the color
line and drove Richard Allen from his
knees and out Of the church, Allen,
yearning for religious liberty, with
drew and founded the great A. NJ. E.
Church.
"And IN keeping with the same spirit
four years ago handful Of members
caught the desire for greater religious
liberty and more Of the spirit of Chris,
organized this, The Peoples Church
and Community Center
1T is commonly reported that l.
your humble servant, organized this
church, but not %. The church was