Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-02

Golden text-"So we, who are
many, are one body in Christ
Romans. Kills.
Calvin Coolidge will close his admin
istration next Monday with a record
for church attendance that his sue
cessors will have difficulty to surpass.
Although we believe as Americans in
the separation of church and state.
we have always selected men for the
presidency. from Washington to Hoover.
who have recognized the supreme place
that the Christian religion should hold
in the affairs of men, They have
demonstrated their faith by attendance
upon Divine worship.
Our Nation owes its birth to the po-
litical application of the teachings of
the church. We trace the inspiration
for the establishment of our colonies to
the desire of men to worship God In
accordance with the dictates of their
conscience. They laid the foundation
for the new political and social order of
justice and freedom and brotherhood
in accordance with the Biblical teach
ings that Paul carried into Europe with
the seeds of modern civilization. Lecky
was justified in his statement that 1.-The
Hebrew mortar cemented the founda-
tions Of American democracy" for it
was during the period of the exile that
the, truth that all men are, equal was
developed and demonstrated in the
Jewish synagogues. 1t is fitting for us
to. consider upon the Sunday preced
ing the inauguration of new President
the lesson upon the Church of the Liv-
ing God.
Christ saw in the confession of Peter,
that we considered last week, the COM
mencement of the church. The Splri-
tual organization that Christ proposed
to build, ought not to be confused with
the various assemblies of people who
have met in their visible congregations
as churches throughout the Christian
centuries. Neither kingdom nor church,
that Jesus established to introduce the
Kingdom into the hearts of men. as used
in this weeks lesson refers to the local
churches. The Kingdom of Heaven"
refers to the Messiahs rule on earth in
the hearts of His people. 1t is broader
than the church, but it includes the
organized spiritual forces found in His
church. The Master Builder of the
church referred to it only three times
according to the gospels. Historically
speaking, 1--WE do not find the existence
of any visible organization until after
Christ's resurrection and His gift OF
the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Follow
ing Peters sermon when 5000 were
convicted of their sirs, gave evidence of
their conversion by confeSsing the Lord
in baptism, we find a church whose
membership demonstrated their loyalty
to the Christian faith by continuing
steadfast in the apostles teaching.
apostolic fellowship, breaking of bread
and prayers. They showed their unity
I,1y a s.
sessions and assembling by themselves
in addition to faithful attendance upon
the temple services.
Church's Spiritual Growth.
Christ sought. to fill His apostles with
confidence in the future of the kingdom
by exrounding its spiritual character
He was rejected In Nazareth by preach
ing its universally. and the same action
followed in Capernaum by His insis-
tence upon the spirituality of the king
dom and of the church, for 1t is part
of the larger organization and will
cease its functions when Christ sets up
His kingdom. Jesus illustrated the
growth of the church, which is
spiritual organism, by two parallels
the growing seed and the mustard seed.
The Master insisted upon the develop
ment of His work, although He pointed
out its growth would be of mysterious
nature. This Is true of all life, He had
faith that although they were a few
feeble folk in numbers eventually His
gospel would be proclaimed among all
nations and His kingdom would domi-
nate all men and nations.
When Paul sent his letter to the
church in Rome the evidence of the
coming fulfillment of Christ's hopes for
His church were apparent, for the
apostle speaks of the fact that they
we're many. yet one" The marvellous
advance being made upon the mission
fields today would be greater If all the
members of Christ's body would rec
ognize their relation to Jesus Christ as
the head of His church, and obey Him
as the various members of the body
obey the directions issued by the head
of the body. Mohammedanism is
founded upon book; Buddhism upon a
method: Christianity upon the person.
atty of Jesus Christ. the Son of Man
as God. Jesus ID more than the founder
of the church, for 1t is His body. He
has poured His life into it. He took
up His constant abode with His fol-
lowers, dwelling in His church through
the presence of the Holy Spirit. The
church is nourished by its vital com
munion with Christ as the source of its
life and sustainer of its spiritual
vitality, filling it with a practical piety
on one hand and a spiritual righteous
ness on the other. The church has
grown until 1t has almost commenced
to fill the earth with its message. In
its development there have appeared
many varieties, just as there exist in
the body many different members, but
in one respect all are identical, namely,
their loyalty 10 Christ as the head of
the church.
Christian Service.
Every member of the church has
definite task. The obligation of a
Christian 10 Christ calls for each one
to perform his work. The service diff
fers. just as the parts of the body and
their work differ one from the other,
but the upbuilding of the church re-
quires that all be faithful. Paul had
seen the unity developed in the Ephe-
sian Church, where men forgot pref
udices had invisible barriers removed
as men from different races became
reconciled to one another through their
faith in Christ Jesus. The church had
developed the friends of Christ They
possessed the unity that comes from
spiritual fellowship and cooperative ef-
fort to carry out Christs commands
They were one body, not many. They
had one Spirit by whose power men