The Republican., 1924-09-11

JESUS DRIVEN FROM NAZA-
RETH.-Luke 4:16-30.
He annOinted me to preach good It'd
iRgs. Luke AIS.
THE CALL OF THE CHURCH
Refreshed by Samaria and cheered
by the developed faith of the Noble
man Jesus passed into that Galilee
ministry that was so full of hope for
the kingdom. Going to Capernaum
where He spent a period of uncertain
length He felt the urge of home too
insistently to longer stay from the
house of Mary and the tug of the
shop. To be sure there was not the
cordial feeling that He could have de-
sired for the boys thought Him
"queer" and so did His townsmen.
1t was with mingled feelings of joy
and questioning that He climbed the
hills and entered Nazareth. Certainly
Mary gave Him welcome and the
town acquiesced without much en-
thusiasm. But when the Sabbath
came the grip of the years carried
Jesus into that little synagog that
had been his school, church and ref
uge in those old days when the Car
penter rested from His tasks. He had
found it a real means of ministry
thru the years and it was with that
joy that He entered its door now.
With His keen mind, his alertness to
every shift of feeling, His love of
beauty, His sense Of God, He found
the surroundings of its worship un-
stimulating. They were narrow, pre-
JUDGED villagers who shared in it and
it must have been about as barren as
it was possible to find yet Jesus al
ways was in His place. Boy and man
when Sabbath came His place was
filled. He found His father even in
its tawdriness and rejoiced.
Today the church has an appeal
that art has added and music has in
creased for both beauty and melody
are a part Of modern worship that
was utterly unknown in the Synagog.
The Bible has grown with the addi-
ton of the New Testament and the
Interpretation of its pages has
wonderfully broadened. The congre-
cation ismore intelligent and the com.
radeship is thereby rendered more
helpful. Yet many discard it as an
outworn piece Of machinery that has
no place in modern life. But the
ministry Of the Spirit is more needed
now than ever as the impact of the
seen has strengthened and so far as
man himself is concerned the call of
the church should be one Of the COM
pelling voices amid the babel that
assails his ears. Membership lists
grow faster than congregations.
Sunday school attendance outruns
that of the worship hour. Some
blame is to be given to the emphasis
upon the teaching function Of the
church with its center in the school.
The social implications; the urge Of
the Importance Of the Kingdom; the
wiping out of any difference between
the sacred and the secular; the claim
that work may be worship have all
helped to create the oppression that
the worship hour of the church is Of
small Importance. Yet to lose the
church is to lose all that it has fost-
cred thru the years. Jesus used the
best He could find and built better
church in order that the Kingdom
might become a possibility. We must
follow Christ in His attitude and in
His custom Of Church attendance if
we would accomplish what He de-
sired.
THE WITNESS OF THE SPIRIT
Except ye have the Spirit of
Christ ye are none Of His" expresses
Pauls idea of Christian How may
l know l have this Spirit? There are
many replies. One S that you must
speak with tongues. Another re-
quires a certain form of baptism.
Others demand distinctive interpre-
tation Of the Scriptures. With Jesus
there was another answer altogether
for with Him the test was because
He was to preach to the poor, releas
captives, restore sight, liberte the
bruised, and proclaim the year of
Jubilee. 1t was a wonderful program
that was announced that day in Naz-
areth but it was the witness of a
spiritual presence in His life. There
had been the thrilling Jordan exper-
ience in which there had been an
opened Heaven, a voice of assurance
and an thrush Of Spirit but the full
tide of possession was witnessed by
the outgo from Him and not by any
inward sign He must keep His
spirit aglow by prayer and worship
but He guaged its fame by the minis
try He rendered to others instead of
by any ecstacy of His own. The
gift was for service and not for self.
1t meant a new attitude toward the
poor. Caste could have no place in