Article September 25, 1902 Issue

Religious Items

with contributions from J. J. Morgan, Rodney F. Johonot, Russell L. Carpenter, I. Mench Chambers, Priscilla Maurice

Rev. J. J. Morgan is reported in the Kansas City Times as follows: —

"We stumble over Christ and his promises because of their greatness. He staggers us; we cannot comprehend him. His greatness made the disciples to doubt. The words of Christ are still a stumbling block to men. Multitudes stumble over his miracles. Men do not work miracles, therefore the man Christ did not work miracles. Men do not rise from the dead, therefore Jesus did not rise from the dead. It requires greatness to believe in greatness. Some are not great enough to take hold of the great Christ. We stumble over his promises. It is a rare man that believes in a practical way what Jesus said: 'Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do.' Are you equal to that? 'He that believeth on me, . . . greater works than these shall he do.' What will you do with that in your practical Christian life?

"Usually we modify his statements so as to in a partial way accent them. We limit and modify and trim down until we can take after a fashion. First we limit this promise to the apostles to get around it in that way. They were to do great things and great things were apt to end with them. But Jesus said: 'He that believeth on me, . . . greater works than these shall he do.' Just the form of expression that we have in the great commission when he said: 'He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved,' and this we say applies to the whole world; but that we limit to the disciples.

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