Signs of the Times

with contributions from Robert S. Lee, Hermann N. Morse, Henry Geerlings, R. W. Stokes, Russell H. Hoy

Robert S. Lee in the Tennessean Nashville, Tennessee

There is a desperate need for the cultivation of "fruit of the Spirit." Now the "fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law." [Gal. 5:22, 23, Rev. Stand. Ver.]

Love is essential for right living. Love, or respect, for oneself is essential. A life that warrants respect of self must be free of evil and all that is wrong, but it must go further than that. To respect oneself there must be positive good accomplished in that life. No person can "love" himself unless he is aware that his life is a contribution for good to his world.

There must be love for others. A sincere, wholesome, positive desire of good for other people must be present. He must be aware of the worth of others and that they are making a positive contribution to their world. No man dare overestimate his own contribution or discredit that of others. We are not working alone for good. Other men are also contributing to the good and worth-while of the world.

Love for God must be exemplified in supreme expression. That which is highest in our conception must receive our highest loyalty. The plans of the Most High for us and for others can be realized only when we give ourselves completely to His high purpose for our lives. ... If we are to fulfill His purpose for us we must produce "fruit of the Spirit," which begins with love.

Rev. Dr. Hermann N. Morse in a sermon as reported in The New York Times New York

Since men have come to rely on the perfection of mechanical life as the ultimate and sufficient goal, a new challenge is placed before the church, he declared.

The problem of "how the Christian religion finds expression in our time" must be solved "not just by building institutions, but by impregnating the society of our time with the spirit of Christ," he said.

Henry Geerlings in an article in the Evening Sentinel Holland, Michigan

Against all opposition the true Christian must take a stand.

The testimony we bear will not be pleasant to everyone. There are those who will not like it when we speak the truth and testify against their evil doings. They may come back at us with the assertion that we have no authority for speaking the wax we do. ... Certainly we want to be tactful in standing up for the truth. But we cannot but speak. There is nothing that the world would like better than to have the representatives of law and order and decency remain silent when lawlessness and wickedness run rampant.

It is necessary for all of us to take a firm stand for God. ... We ought to admire the prophet Jeremiah. He did not trifle with questions of right and wrong. He did not yield when pressure was brought to bear upon him. He knew whom he believed and he knew where he stood.

The only hope of the world is for those who believe in God to be faithful in bearing witness to Him. If we believe in the church and the things for which it stands, we ought to say so. He is faithful who is full of faith in God and His cause, and he is faithful who lives this faith.

Rev. R. W. Stokes in Christchurch Times Hampshire, England

One of the greatest facts about the church is that it is not just an institution brought into being by the genius of men, but by the creative power of God in Christ. Through such ministry we believe that God speaks to us as individuals. In obedience to the Word of God we find strength and inspiration to live the Christian life.

We are conscious in the work of the church that it is essential that we should work together. Our work is varied, our folk are different in temperament, and are endowed of God with a diversity of gifts. All that we do is done that the kingdom of God may be extended, and His name glorified. We believe that our task is to seek, by the example of Christian living, to influence our fellow men to follow the Master, whom we love and seek to serve. To this task we give ourselves unreservedly, knowing as we go about our daily tasks that God will bless us and enable our lives to become a blessing to others.

Russell H. Hoy in an article in the Ohio Farmer Cleveland, Ohio

It has often been said that the followers of Christ [Jesus] are the only sermons that people ever hear or read. A good many things in this world have changed recently, but Christian action still speaks louder than words.

People hate to be preached at, but they cannot resist a sermon that is to be found in a life. Edgar Guest speaks for the average person when he says:

I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day;
I'd rather one would walk with me than merely tell the way. ...
The best of all the preachers are the men who live their creeds,
For to see good put in action is what everybody needs.

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