STUDY IV. THE DISTINCTIVE MESSAGE OF CHRISTIANITY. "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matt. xi. 28-30.) For Be "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. this cause the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. loved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is." (1 John iii. 1, 2.) "Rejoice in the Lord always: again I will say, Rejoice." (Phil. iv. 4.) PART 7. DOES THE CHRISTIAN LIFE SATISFY THE HUMAN SOUL? JESUS CHRIST believed that he could lead men into such an acquaintance with his Heavenly Father that this new fellowship would meet all their spiritual needs. He recognized that the supreme need of the human soul was fellowship with the divine. He therefore made provision for removing the barriers which keep men from such fellowship, and made such a revelation of God as has enabled men ever since to find a new and growing friendship with a Father God. Has Christianity satisfied men? Is there anything to prove that Christ was not mistaken in his claims? One of the marvels of history is the spirit of buoyancy and joy which pervades the apostolic writings. Here were men living in the midst of persecution, hardships, privation; and yet every page of the New Testament glows with the splendid spirit of rejoicing. It was a real rejoicing in tribulation. Now this is no stoicism. It is no hardened endurance of that which cannot be escaped. It is an enthusiastic rejoicing which indicates that these men have something within which fairly lifts them above physical discomfort. It is the victory of a satisfied soul over the inconveniences and suffering of a persecuted body. I have in my library a beautiful print of Max's "Last Token," the original of which is in the Metropolitan Art Museum, New York. It is the picture of a martyr girl in the den with the wild animals. A monster tiger is just coming out from his bloody lair by her side. The girl is completely oblivious of the animals, and in her face is written that glorious victory of the inner life which made the martyrs great. A religion which can give such a peace as is written in that beautiful face is the religion for the restless souls of men. Ever since Christ came into the world, men have somehow felt that they could have communion with him and with God; and through that communion they have come to find joy and peace and blessedness. The new gospel of redemption which is being written day by day as men come to know Jesus Christ is a gospel of rejoicing. If one had space one could cite literally hundreds of cases where men have found a life of joy and peace through the gospel of Christ. The testimony of those who are competent witnesses is that Christianity does satisfy, and this is the final test of reality. I see thee not, I hear thee not, Yet art thou oft with me; And earth has ne'er so dear a spot As where I meet with thee. Like some bright dream that comes unsought When slumbers o'er me roll, Thine image ever fills my thought And charms my ravished soul. -Roy Palmer. STUDY V. CHRIST'S METHOD OF EXTENDING THE KINGDOM. That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we beheld, and our hands handled, concerning the Word of life (and the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare unto you the life, the eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us); that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you also, that ye also may have fellowship with us: yea, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." (1 John i. 1-3.) PART 1. INTRODUCED INTO A VALUE THROUGH TESTIMONY. MEN enter into the appreciation of values through the testimony of those who have already experienced such values. The sum of the world's truth would be small indeed if every man had to discover for himself through experience each new truth. Through the testimony of experts from a thousand different fields, I enter into the possession of values which I then verify by experience. If I wish to know the facts about electricity I will go to Mr. Edison. He tells me that he has in his laboratory proved that by using certain chemicals he can produce an electric current. By passing this current over wires properly connected with transmitters and receivers he can talk to me one hundred miles away. I at once accept his testimony and, taking down the receiver, call up my friend one hundred miles distant. I enter into this value through the testimony of another. The testimony must come from a competent witness. If an African from the Upper Congo told me about the marvels |