Article August 21, 1902 Issue

Religious Items

with contributions from T. E. Vassar, F. M. Bennett, Parker, I. Mench Chambers

J.H.W. Stuckenberg, D.D., LL.D., says in The Homiletic Reriew: "The social ideal which Christ introduced is best expressed by the kingdom of God which he estab lished. The character of this kingdom must be determined; its relation to Judaism and the world; its doctrines and its laws, its citizens and their relation to Christ the King, to one another, and to those outside of the kingdom; and the mission of this kingdom in humanity. As this kingdom is divine and yet human, not of this earth and yet in this world, so it includes In its operations the soul and the body, and has significance for all human affairs and relations. Christianity as a great social power is the world's salt, and light and leaven; it affects edueation, economics, politics, and amusement; it transforms and spiritualizes whatever it touches; and instead of calling anything that is proper, common or unclean, it claims for the Lord the earth and the fulness thereof, and says with the apostle Paul, 'Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." "I LIVE;YET Not 1.—This is one of Paul's somewhat puzzling expressions: and yet it is not so puzzling to many a Christian, for he knows experimentally precisely what the utterance signifies. There was an old "I" of which the apostle once had an exalted opinion. and considered of the highest consequence. That shriveled and perished, as at the touch of celestial fire, when Jesusmet the haughty Pharisee, the arrogant zealot, as he went on his mad way to Damascus. Since then a new "I" had been in existence and now was taking control of all the life. Christ was its source; consecration to him was its keynote; to "be found in him" was its supreme aim. Substantially the same is every convert's transformation in kind, if not in degree. Substantially the same is his testimony. The old self-sufficient, self-seeking, self-loving "I" has been crucified. It may not be uttenly dead yet, but the Holy Spirit has begun and is developing a new personality. Rev. T. E. Vassar, D.D.

Rev. F.M. Bennett says, in The Christian Register:— "Some men are the victims of their own sanguine dispositions. They look forward to some great opportunity, and neglect the little opportunity which lies close at hand, thinking it not worth their attention. But the great opportunity does not come as they expect, and it does not come as they expect, and it does not come because they have neglected the little opportunities which were close at hand. If they had used these little opportunities, they would have been able to fulfil the great task for which they have

The great opportunity is always with us. It comes to us every day in the little opportunities, which are very essential parts of the great opportunity. There is something wrong if we are wont to look only after the main chance and let all the rest go. We may gain our end, indeed, but the end will use us instead of our using it. as we had intended. The great opportunity has worth for us only because we have made good use of the little opportunities which led to it."

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