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THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
up this work w ith most' sanguine hopeful ness—this is the strong conviction of my m inisterial experience. ’’
CHR IST IAN ITY A CREED S.
DINSDALE T. YOUNG is
B r i t a i n ’ s most outstanding M ethodist m inister. He preaches 'to the largest congregations of
PARENTAL FA ITH We believe in the power of parental faith. The late Dr. A. J. Gordon tells a beautiful story of the mother of Christian Schwartz, who, dying a t the time of the b irth of her babe, lived long enough to beseech her husband to promise her th a t when God called the babe out to be a mis sionary he would not stand in the way. She could give no guardianship to the life of the. little babe, b u t the guardianship of faith . But is it strange th a t in an age when missionary enterprise was almost unknown th a t young babe, growing to manhood years, should come home from the university and declare to his fath er th a t God had called him to be a mis sionary? A fter three days of great soul conflict the fath er, recalling the promise to his dying w ife, gave him his blessing and wished him God-speed as he w ent forth to India, a pioneer missionary a genera tion before Carey. But while some m ight believe in the power of parental fa ith in influencing a call to a life-work, some haye been stag gered a t the possibility of claiming and continuing in fa ith for the conversion of the children. Jon ath an Edwards is said to have claimed, in a moment of closest fellowship w tih G6d, th a t none of his seed should be lost; and afte r several genera tions had come, one who made diligent inquiry could find no break in his issue, but all a t some time in life were brought to an acceptance of the Savior. Some m ight think the first Mrs. (General) Booth was over-bold in h er intim acy w ith God, when in prayer for her fam ily she is re puted to have said, “ 6 , God, I w ill not stand before Thee w ithout my children.’’ —Dr. Griffith-Thomas.
Methodists in the world, and has the larg est church in London. He is a preacher of doctrine, including th a t of the L o rd ’s coming. H ere are a few paragraphs from a recent sermon: “ We are often told th a t C hristianity is not a creed. I t ,sbunds plausible, bu t it is a sophistical assertion. Take the creed- al element, out of C hristianity and you leave nothing bu t an ethiealism or a social service—if you' even4, leave them u lti mately. ' • “ More and more I have heard dogmatism denounced. When a man does not like a doctrine he calls it a dogma, and so creates a prejudice against it. T hat dogmatism can be very narrow and very offensive we all know. But so can latitudinarian- ism be; of th a t I have seen abundant evidence. “ I t still remains th a t it is dogmatic C hristianity which wins men, and renews them, and affords them power to serve their generation, and furnishes them w ith peace, and joy, and rad ian t hope. “ And it is the dogmatic churches which succeed numerically and in every way. T hat is a distinct result of my observa tions during many years in many places, and under many varied circumstances. Emasculate your theology and you sooner or la te r emasculate your whole Church life and service.- “ All through my m inistry I have sought to be a theological teacher, and th a t espe cially to young men and women. Definite doctrinal preaching has always been a prom inent feature, of my ministrations.” And I wish here to bear a glad and th an k ful and decisive witness. Everywhere I have found an enthusiastic response. I am deeply-persuaded th a t there is no idler supposition than th a t young people are not interested in doctrine. I t is a slander upon them, and bespeaks ignorance of th eir real sentiments. Preachers may tak e
Presents Make the Heart Grow Fonder. See Back Cover.
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