OCR Text |
Show BUSINESS Of A CHRISTIAN Bigotry Is Blatant and Blasphemous. Striking Examples of Intolerance In-tolerance in History of Country. Must Bo Tolerant nnd Magnanimous to Represent Spirit of Jesus Christ. "Tho Business of a Christian" was the subject of tho sermon preached yesterday morning by tho Rev. Benjamin Young In the First Methodist church. Ho considered con-sidered tho bigoted Intolerance which used to be prevalent, and which is even today rampant. He said that the business of a Christian wns not with such bigotry, but to remind the world of Christ. The text wns from Acts Iv. ; 13: "When they saw the boldness of Petor and John they took knowledge of them thnt they had been with Jesus." Mr. Young said In part: ' Peter and John had healed a crlpplo at tho gate of the temple. The people marveled and the authorities were Interested. Inter-ested. Tho men In power concluded thnt they would prevent tho spread of the ln-fluqnce ln-fluqnce of tho Master. These preachers were arrested for doing good, and It seemed that only the orthodox party had such a license. Tho nuthorltle.s could not and would not brook Interference In their religiousness. They were partisans of tho narrowest type. Hero were men among them who' had tho power to do good, who had a message of health and life for tho people; but the moment they begin be-gin to help men or to promulgate the truth they aro thrown Into prison. Bigotry a Hideous Caricature. "It wns srrango that tho people who did this claimed to be very favored of God. Bigotry dominated their hearts. What a hideous caricature of religion bigotry Is! It Is not dead yet. Tho history of our country furnishes somo striking Instances of intolerance. The Puritans In early times fought the Baptists and the Church of England quarreled with both. Tho Quakers were bitterly persecuted. Somo of them were hanged, some had their enrs cut off. It Is or fuel In history that tho llrst charier of religious freedom In this country was drawn up by Roman Catholics, Catho-lics, and It Is also true that when Protestants Protest-ants In Maryland obtained tho majority they wore so ungenerous ns to curtail tho rights of those who hnd taught them the finest lesson in toleration. "Intolerance and bigotry have carved tho name of Torqucmada. the father of tho Inquisition, Infamous forever. During Dur-ing tho time of tho French Revolution penns of praise were sung to liberty, but churches were raised and somo of the noblest prists of Christendom wore destroyed de-stroyed becnuso men nllowed the devil of bigotry to have sway. Bigotry Is bitter, blatant and blasphemous. Lose Nothing by Tolerance. "We lose nothing by being tolerant and above potty strifes and hatreds. Tho nnr-row nnr-row sectarian gets no vision, has no revelations. reve-lations. Ills horizon Is narrow, and you can nlmost touch the lino whero earth and Hky meet. We lose nothing by being tolerant nnd magnanimous; In fact, we must be so If we arc to represent tho spirit of Jesus Christ. "Called before tho court these messengers messen-gers of tho church stood for certain principles prin-ciples and represented a certain type of character. They had not been schooled according to the rabbis. They were not cultured men. and they did not profess to be philosophers, but 'they had been with Jesus and learned of him.' They were measured by the standard of life furnished by Jesus Christ. Thpse accusers even so measured them. The "World's Criterion. "Jesus Christ is the world's criterion of character. We bring men and place them by that Ideal. The world even does this. Men nre measured by the Christ standard As It Is here, so will It be yon-dor. yon-dor. The question Is not how much of Augustlnlan or Armlnlan theology you can carry In your head, but have yon done as Christ would have you? Were you as Christ In action nnd In word and In thought? Destiny does not hang upon a mythical, speculative, attenuated faith, but upon a holy, helpful, ministering llfo. Secret of Transformation. "There Is revealed In this story the secret se-cret of transformation. These mon hail suddenly become bold In tho proclamation of their message. A short time before this they had fled utterly discouraged and discomfited through tho tragedy of Calvary. Cal-vary. Why the change? They knew Jesus Christ ns thoy had nover known him. There Is such a thing ns religious dynamics. dyna-mics. In. the early centuries of our era Jesus did touch the Intellect and the heart of the great Empire and men were turned nbout to do their best for tho progress of the faith. A new love brings a new life. The same power Is transforming men today I-ot a man give the Master his llfo nnd the power of tho Highest will come upon him nnd he will bo a factor for tho best things. Our Grent Responsibility. "The business of these men was to remind re-mind men of the higher life, of Jesus Christ That should be our business. While I think the power of Methodism In tho world Is tremendous. It Is not so much our business after all to contend for our polity as to contend for tho Christ life to be operatlvo amonG men Great responsibilities re-sponsibilities are upon us. Of what door my life remind men? It ought to suggest the best and the highest and the Christ-Host Christ-Host things. When the supremo force of a man's life Is thrust In the wrong direction direc-tion there Is tragedy and death. Lot Christ be the standnrd of life. Just live for him In simplicity and beauty nnd strength. Live so that mon coming In contact with you shall recogni'zo God and feol that you In somo way bring them Into touch with tho best things " |