Christian Nation Vol. 18 1893 - Rparchives.org

Cib;yCfr\t5.6.irt1ve'Wor}(^,Ssi\^ pr^G^cKtKt ^osp^I to ^ve.ry cr^ft^t^ri^;-The Christian at Worlc has another editorialon reading sermons. The former onecalled out a number of letters, some criticisingthe position taken by the paper ; others commending.So the editor gave the wrench anotherturn, and concludes thus :"We repeat the inquiry raised on this pagethree weeks ago. Is it possible for one theologioalseminary of the four hundred in thecountry to conduct its chair of homiletics to theentire exclusion of preaching fiom the sermonpaper, leaving the pulpit manuscript to be assiduouslycultivated by the other three hundredand ninety nine seminaries? Who willgive us an answer?—and what seminary willmake the attempt?"It is refreshing to read such language fromso prominent a paper as the one above referredto ; but it will fall with a dull thud on a sermon-readingpreacherdom. The sermon paperhas made astonishing progress during the lastdecade.' It has come to be so common that itis not a matter of wonder that protests arebeing raised. Many who advocate the sermonpaper argue that it gives opportunity for eleganceof style, finishedcomposition, etc. Buta very prominent minister writing to theChristian at Work says : " The practice ofwriting and reading is confessedly the laziestof all ways of preaching the Gospei. I onceknew an old minister who had actually to keephis finger on the lines to prevent losing hisplace. What a travesty on preaching."It is probable, because little among the thousandsof Israel, The Christian at Work hassessed the second university in the world.lost sight of the Covenanter Seminary, Allegheny,Pa., a seminary in which " homileticsTo show how Ohristian ministers are joiningthe Sabbath-breaking column, we give here anis taught to the entire exclusion of preachingannouncement which appeared in The Press,from the sermoii paper." And every Cove­the issue of Thursday, Drc. 22, 1892. Thenanter minister bids " God-speed " to theChristian at Work's crusade against standingup and reading a message from the Lord. Itis good mission work.Not long since, the smallest vessel afloat Bishop left Potter's view of Christmas, writtenSan Francisco for the Gilbert Islands. She is by himself for the Sunday Press and reproducedin his own handwriting. Eev. Dr.50 feet long, 14 feet wide, and 6 feet deep, is atwo-masted schooner, was built at San Francisco,and her name is Hiram Bingham. She Dr. Eobert Collyer : ' The Greatest of All isLyman Abbott : ' Christmas Charity.' Eev.was paid for, however, by the American Board Truth.' Eev. Thomas Dixon, Jr. : ' The LessonChristmas Teaches.' Eev. Dr. Charlesof Foreign Missions, of Boston, and is registeredat that city. It is designed to run in and F. Deems : ' The Lessons of Christmas.'out of the shallow harbors of the Gilbert Islands.The crew will be composed wholly of us Closer to God.' Eev. Dr. Eobert Mc­Eev. Dr. 0. H. Parkhurst : ' Christmas Bringsmissionaries, with Eev. J. Walkup in command,who is of twelve years' experience as mis­Age.' Eev. Dr. T. De Witt Talmage : 'TheArthur : ' A Eemedy for All the Ills of Oursionary among these islands. The vessel is Lessons of a Cheerful Eeligion.' Eev. Thos.also rigged with a ten horse-power gasoline K. Beecher : ' Some Christmas Lessons.' "CHRISTIAN NATION. Volume 18.engine, for use in calms and contrary winds.Thus God is using the inventions of men forspreading the Gospel of peace. The time willcome when all these agencies of our highestcivilization shall be turned wholly to the righteousservice of the Master. Great steam-ships,which now carry a cargo of Bibles, rum and'missionaries, will carry no more rum. But atpresent the devil is using our best inventionsto the fullest extent of his ability, and that isa good deal.At a meeting of the Foreign Board, Mondayevening, January SOfch, Miss Lizzie McNaughtenwas appointed a missionary to Latakia ;and Miss Jennie Dodds, to Mersine. The latteris a sister of the Eev. J. Boggs Dodds, nowon his way to Suadea. The former is a sisterof Mrs. Dr. Moore, who has been appointed toSuadea aa physician. The Department of Missionscongratulates these sisters in Ohrist.They are going to hard, but blessed work. Ityields a rich reward in this life and that whichis to come.On Monday, at 3.30 p. m., quite a companyof people, at the invitation of Board of Trusteesof St. Paul's Institute, Tarsus, gathered atLenox Hall, Fifth Ave., New York, to meetmissionaries who were to sail Saturday for thatcity of historic interest. The Institute is financiallyprovided for by the liberality of Col. ElliottF. Shepherd, whose afnbition is to establisha school in the city which formerly pos­Press is one of the large city dailies. The announcementwas as follows : " The SundayPress: its contributors are writers who arefamous in a way deserving of their fame.Of these, Drs. Parkhurst and Talmage arePresbyterian ministers; the former activelyengaged in securing the enforcement of lawguarding the morality of the community. Butin this he aids the law-breaker, and warsagaiust lhe holy commandment of God. Thisis the essence of inconsistency. Little else isexpected of Dr. Talmage. Drs. McArthur andDixon are Baptists ; the former standing atthe head of the Baptist denomination in NewYork City, if not in the United States. Thathe should aid the assault on the Sabbaih byhis influence, patronage and support is aston.ishing. Dr. Deems is independent of all denominations,and in this is independent ofGod. He is a high-up Mason, and has aKnight's Templar pow-wow in his churchabout once a year. He is likewise one of theleaders of Christian Endeavor in New YorkState ; and figures prominently in their NationalCouncils. Of the others, nothing needbe said.Tbe above, however, bnt shows the dangersurrounding the Ohristian Church at the presenttime. The Sabbath is no longer respectedeven by the ministry. They will give their .help (this, likely for money consideration) toone of the worst evils of the present times—thepapers issued on the Sabbath. Is it any wonderevil men, and some who claim to be Christians,are moving to have the gates of theWorld's Fair open on the Sabbath? They seethat opening the gates will be in harmonywith the spiritual thermometer of the times.If ever God's people needed to stand resolutelyfor the Lord's Day, now is that time.It is being assaulted on all sides, and by manywho profess to be its friends. Eailroad menand managers think nothing of sitting in thechurch while thousands of men are workmgfor them on the Sabbath. And churches receiveth^ese into their communion without athought of inconsistency. Business men will^ork their employees, while they sit in thechnrch (we do not say worship, for worship isstopped by such conduct.) The situation isone to create alarm, and any Sabbath Eeformwhich should receive encouragemenb shouldgo to the rock-bottom, else it is beating the air,Eev. Dr. W. T. Sabine, of New York, has astirrine sermon in the Mail and Expressgainst the proposed Eeligious Congress, whichis expected to meet in Chicago during theprogress of the World's Fair. His two propositionsare : First, It should be set down as afundamental principle in this discussion thatChristianity is the imperial and exclusive faith.The religion of Jesus Chsist tolerates no rival.It brooks no superior. At once and withouthesitation it assumes the throne. It is uot areligion among religions. It claims to be theone and only religion of mankind. Second :Christianity, occupying by divine appointment'this pre-eminent and sublime position, cannotdescend to the inferior one—cannot divestitselfof any part of its prerogative, or abate ajot or a tittle of its supreme claim, without treasonto the truth, faithlessness to its trust, andsurrender of its power ; that is, without infinitedamage to man. It is treason to the truth toappear to be less tban it ia.