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Show FIRST SERVICE li If 1. L CHURCH Stormy Weather Did Not Prevent Pre-vent Large Audience From Being Present. The first service held In the now building build-ing of tho First Methodist Episcopal church was held in tho Sunday-school auditorium yesterday, and despite tho storm, was well attended. Miss Berlthoel sang sweotly Tennyson's "Sunset and Evening Star" and "One Clear Call for Me," and thero was a note of jubilant thanksgiving In tho congregational singing, sing-ing, Inspired by tho fact that this peoplo havo pulled throuirh all tho hard places nnd -now ueo their way to one of the finest built and equipped houses of worship wor-ship in tho city. Dr. Younp spoko from Mark x:45: "For tho Sou or Man camo not lo be ministered minis-tered unto, and to clvo Ills llfo as a ransom for many " Dr. Young's Sermon. Amonfr other things, tho speaker said: "Jcaun came on the lower level ot our humanity, and In hla progress ho touched tho strugglo of human liro nil about him. This was ono of the strongest proofs of his divinity., The bitterness, sorrow and grief of men were his by reason of a common humanity. Some "peoplo llvo on stilts away above thciic who aro about them. Always above the ma9sos. they have signally failed In their missions, because be-cause they did not und could not reach men. thoy were up on stilts Though their messages we're helpful, they could not touch the human heart and move men. So they have fallen by the wayside. Central Figure of Ages. "Jesus, on the contrary, has been tho central llgure of tho age3. Ho touchod men ns ho touchod tho leper, and cleansed all who knew that blessed contact. Ho was a serving, ministering man among men, and that fact has ever been one of tho Gtrongest proofs of his divinity. Ho was the Son of God, and yot a common man. "Scrvlco Is tho' central Idea of all modern mod-ern theology; It Is Its koynote, and a reactionary re-actionary wave Is sweeping coir Christian lands that will bring a dogmatic and mediaeval theology buck into line with the teachings of Jesus, which had for their center tho service of our fellowmen. Must Be Lopped Off. "Tho experiences of theology must bo lopped off. We must have theology If we aro to know God, but human excrescences havo left It helpless. Servlco must bo the koynote of tho newer theology, for It Is consonant with Christ's life and work. If all our Christian people were holy nnd concentrated to service, what n mighty wave of power would pass through the agencies seeking to evangel-I20 evangel-I20 heathen peoples. Wc put too much emphasis on abstract things. We must como back to Chrlet and loving servlco to men. Jf wc could all be determined by this sense of service our lives would be beautiful, charming and helpful. Tho call to aervlco has caught the hearts of the world. Men who have made history havo dominated the thought and action of their times because they were mbved by tho high purpose of serving the mns3es. Great Crisis Passed. "The great crises which punctuate human hu-man annals havo been passed because the men of tho hour were serving their fellowmen. fel-lowmen. In paralleling Christ's life they were successful. That Christ died that we might havo life and have ft moro abundantly is the keynote of the New Testament. This church must stand on that rock of sen ice or a curso will rest upon It. Many Men Work by Proxy. Many men work by proxy. Many church members do this. Thoy lean on tho preacher or somo willing worker. Christ gave himself. Ho carried his own cross. We havo too much organized charitable work done by proxy. Men should give thomselves Wo must measure men by the service they havo givon. Not what they have got out of life, but what they havo put Into It Is tho true standard. Tennyson's seven greatest oongs are permeated with the Chrlstllko noto. Let us then put emphasis on servlco and forever for-ever put away doing our plain duty by proxy. God help us as a church, and as a Nation to reach out Into tho unhappy and tottering lives all about us. coming down from stilts and touching with a personal touch the heart we would help to help Itself. The central idea of Christian Chris-tian teaching Is the altruistic Idea. Christ gave himself, we who bcllevo on him should give our personal touch to bring mon to him." "Will Ee Fine Church. Some !60.rx0 nre being expended on the new building, nnd tho new pipe organ will cost $16,000. Bvery help and convenience known In modern church architecture are lavishly In evidence. In two months moro the great auditorium will be opened to tho public. |
