The American Methodist (Stroud, Okla.), Vol. 1, No. 36, Ed. 1 Wednesday, March 28, 1906 Page: 3 of 8
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T> (JiN DA Y A)a, HI)!') I ,
i / I1; V) r> i ) t i
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jy
i /
“Die Two Foundations" — Interna-
tional Sunday School Les-
son for April 1.
LV REV. WILLIAM EVANS, U. D.
(Director Liblieal Department of tlie
Moody Bible Institute, Chicago; otli-
eiiil Lecturer ul the Cook i ounty
(Chicago) Sunday School o-
ciatio 1 on the International
S. S. Lessons.)
(Copyright, DOG, by Jos< pli 11. Bowles.)
Scripture Lesson: Alaiihew 7:15-29
.....ill . Agaii 1 False Teachers.
it should not seem strange to any
student of the Ilibie that there should
be found within the ranks of Christian-
ity men who, though outwardly
wearing its garb, yet inwardly are
traitors to its cause. Christ iliinyei!
predicted such a condition of tiling.-,
ilie traitor in the guise of the pa-
iriot, the "wolf in sheep’s clothing," is
to be looked for. Christianity must
>e on the constant lookout for its
Benedict Arnold.
Traitors Within Its Own Camp.
We are not to look for these false
teachers within the ranks of in-
fidelity, but in the 'pulpit, tlie pro-
lessor’s chair, the theological sem-
inary, the university. "I iie ver\\ piar
which should stand for the defense
and purity of ihe Christian faith are
to be watched lor its most bitter and
Con; mptiMe be-
yond degree is that man Kwho, pos-
ing as an exponent and defender of Chris-
tian truth is vet traitorous to that
small. It seems to assert the fact
that there is the possibility, yea, tk
certainty, of some peopie waking up
in the resurrection morning sadly dis-
appointed. They thought they wen1
saved; now they find out they nr
not. Three surprises may be in sto •'
for us in the Judgment day: We
shall be surprised to see many people
in Heaven whom \vc did not expect l >
see there: we shall miss many people
we expected to see there; we shall b
surprised to find ourselves there -at
least to tint! ourselves inheritors a
such magnificent glory.
What Is Ihe True Test of Christianity?
Not profession, but obedience, llet
ter profession and obedience. it is
not enough to call Christ pretty names.
We must do what He tells us. There
is a danger of our resting content in
merely believing all Christ’s claims for
1 salvation. We should not rest in any
: mere ritualistic lip confession of
Christ. Active heart obedience to Hi
I commands must accompany this con
i’ession. The man who hears Christ’s
words, and concedes them u bo true,
and then does not make them the con-
trolling power of his life, is t lie man
who builds his bon e on tlie sand. A
j lesting day is cereiinly coming. Christ
| the eternal truth, has said so. In that
• igy such a man will find that hi
gmlv ior. have been merely an
worflf: »h<*r m*v hav** sati-tleil Hm :i
life; they < annot satisfy the Son o]
God in judgment. Banishment from
the presence of God will he his nor-
iaith; who, by fa e tem-hing, is tin.:.' ••
reining the very lounb.n .mis <>: tlie
aiih of those who by their satrl-ices
and gifts are his daily support, 'l icit
a man has a right, mauward, t<> be-
lieve and teach what he believes in
he truth should he acknowledged, bu‘
let him not occupy the chair in t
Christian institution, nor the pulp-:t
a a Christian chinch in order to de-
troy tlie very tilings that chair and
that pulpit call uinni him to sacredly
vend. Benedict Arnold was a gen-
.email cot .pared to this class of me t
-he got out of the camp and wetii
over to the British. Let some of our
preachers and theological professors
have the honesty and character enough
to get out of tlie ranks of tlie church
the moment they find themselves io ha
out of accord with its doctrinal teach-
ing and spirit.
- rue Teaching to Be Known by Its
Fruits.
What fruits are produced by such
false teaching? Uncertainty; unbe-
lief; doubt of the veracity of the Bibl ■
revelation; denial of tlie resurrection
of Christ, His Deity, and redeeming
work; disbelief in the immortality of
the soul. Are these the fruits which
should he produced by the men wli >
profess to represent the truth of
God as it is in Jesus Christ? By such
fruits ye shall know them know thu'
they are false.
A Message to Individual Cliri tina-.
This lesson sounds a solemn note oi
warning to every Christian, great an.;
forever and ever.
Beneficence Docs Not Save.
No one can read this lesson thought-
fully without realizing that it is pos-
sible for a person to be an active
worker in the church, a preacher it.
tlie pulpit a great soulwinner, a theo-
logical professor, and yet lie lost r.i
Die last great day. Christian work tea
done from true motive faith in tit-
Lord Jesus Christ as the Saviour of ihe
world—is not truly Christian work,
and receives no saving merit in that
day. It is an awful thing to think
that a man may go to hell from be-
neath the pulpit; but it is a mnr.
awful thing for a man to go to hell
straight out of the pulpit or theo-
logical professor's chair. Yet tills les-
son is taught here. Let us make our
calling sure.
Assurance as Well ns Warning.
If this lesson tells us who may be
disappointed, it also tells us who may
be assured as to their eternal des-
tiny. Those who build upon the rod,,
are safe. But what is it to build
upon the rock ' Our Lord Himself tells
us; “Everyone that neareth these
sayings oi Mine and doeth them" ha
is tlie safe man, the ntan whose hoes -
of character will stand amid tie-
storms of that great day. The matt
who is a doer as well as a hearer of
Ihe Word may rest assured that it shall
be well with him in the judgment.
ft*
i ‘ S
D ! Vi) A -A
RD (J iNf R -'I' A R ! Ft?
!
j L. / -R %
%
/k
rublTiit of tin'
»
Abalttimt of fjourrtg
By JOHN GRAHAM BROOKS,
President of the American Social Science Association.
_________ -<
\G the innumerable opinions as to the abolition -
; overtv two views stand out so sharply opposed as to re
quire statement. The first, doubtless o! religious origin.
.y4tK!«®us3g sccms to assunic that poverty, for a considerable portii
of the race, is as permanent a fact as race existence it sell. j
^ The late Gen. F. A. Walker was stirred to
gol)d deal of indignation «by what lie understood Cardinal
tq m p "The pot>r y e ha v e
received from this eminent ecclesiastic an
into: |ireiationnvhich ; p; cared to ('■< a. \\ alker to impiy that i
e must assume thtit a large mass of poverty was practically incrad
I
viv-jTSD.r-s.-v;
cable.
It is u'rti tn grave doubt whether this charge of the economi
am-
! tlte prelate
just i aed.
werlhclcss certain that main
i eli git his people have l:el<1 this view, expressly denying tl t an ,■
of circumstances or wealth < i tribution would remove .ill poverty. In
variable the rea.-ons for ti t oj mion have been that deeper than al
outward changes ; re tlie strict iniicrent weaknesses in a large propor-
tion of human bet in s; weaknesses which no ext crnal hilling of mate
rial ailvnn. . • can permanently control.
The tv. : ! view, to which Hr. Channing gave such noble exprt -
that povertv can be removed is av.tal lactor in the achievement,
jives to all effort confidence and inspiration. < )n the (Piter hand, H
accept the fads of poverty as pi rmanent and irremovable is itself a
verv deadlv fatalism. Its most pernicious form is seen in that religion.,
(strictly irreligious) view that poverty is by divine decree.
In evert countrv the main roots of poverty are in Ilians ignor-
ance, vices, meager industrv and faulty distribution of what wealth
there is. Over these sources of ill, man has a large measure of con-
trol, and to that extent povertv may be abolished.
It must, however, be frankly admitted that we are playing with
the subject, until "povertv has been defined as Charles booth hm
done for a given community. Poverty in Oregon is not what it is in
Mississippi. It is sharply different still in parts of India.
A final and far harder question remains. Kven if everyone of out
80,000,000 had bis share of this more perfect distribution, would all
of them use it so as to keep poverty from the ....... We know that
a quite appalling number would not so use it. I liis, in my opinion
is the reason vvhv the abler reformers are laving their emphasis more
and more on those forms and v irietie- of education which will even
tuallv give to every child the best equipment his faculties make possi-
ble. There is even now wealth "to spare." Kvery decade will in
crease it relativelv to population. Io distribute it justilv (i. c., with no
-pedal priv ileges) and to creaD through education the habit-- tl it will
insure an intelligent use of income,
appear to me the chief hop, in ^ , & //,
abolishing poverty.
ion. sees in c h
• ration and in alien
■d circuit)
s 1 mice
an endtu
Ing hope
hat eventually
: v - v tunv be oa
rcome.
This is
fundante
utal faith
1! all soci. h ts.
It is a part of "l!b<
rralism"
in pi)lit
cs and in
religk m
This v i 1
ha- one dangerous
weak ne-
,s. A
purely si
optimism, quite independent oi all the grim facts of race experience :
tidlu-res to it. In ils name for centuries a thousand scheme, for tin
abolition of poverty have come and gone, leaving the problem re!.-
velv where it was Industri 1 development—greater variety of indu
tries and more wealth production—has done more to lessen poverty
than all the plans of dreamers or philanthropists. Hut this sccon. ,
view has one supreme source of strength. I <* take it tot got ii.
If fashion decrees a narrow brim derby all men wear narrow-
brim derbies, regardless of the fact that the narrow brim makes 'the
round face look like a full moon. If broad brims ar- the la-hion,
every man wears a broad brim, although it makes the thin-featured
man look like a scarecrow. If fashion says brims shall roll sharply
at the sides, even the man with large ears wears a sharp, rolling brim,
although he must know that it makes him look like a “yellow kid.
Women will mind Fashion so long as she dictates somethiifg be-
coming, hut thev will refuse to look like frights to please her. But the
men follow her blindly and devotedly, no mattci at what sacrifice to
their looks. And every fall I wonder what has become of the hand-
some men, until 1 remember that the ugly hat season has come upon
them.
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Hubbard, J. H. The American Methodist (Stroud, Okla.), Vol. 1, No. 36, Ed. 1 Wednesday, March 28, 1906, newspaper, March 28, 1906; Stroud, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc925365/m1/3/: accessed May 4, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.