USA > Pennsylvania > Allegheny County > Pittsburgh > East Liberty Presbyterian Church : with historical setting & a narrative of the centennial celebration, April 12-20, 1919 > Part 19
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church that had become national, that belonged to the people, that was at once democratic and self-supporting. The native church is the most outstanding fact in all the non-Christian world in the year 1919. It has become nationalized. The essence of the religion of Jesus Christ is that it is not racial, nor national, it belongs to no age. It is for all ages and all men, and is adapted to all sorts and conditions of men. This is the tremendous advance of the century.
III. When the United States went into the war, Lord Curzon said in the House of Commons: "The entrance of the United States into the war stamps the character of the struggle as an uprising of the conscience of the world." We have a new world conscience.
The conscience of the world has been horrified, shocked by the war. The brutalities of the war have awakened the latent conscience of the world and revealed that after all, down in the human heart, crushed by the tempter, feelings lie buried which grace can restore. The very alliance of the East and the West is significant. It is an alliance based on self-interest, but it is an alliance based on justice, on righteousness, on the uprising of human personality against wrong and evil in its hydra-headed aspect as presented by the Central Powers.
Whatever may be the outcome of the present struggle in Korea, I do not pretend to prophesy, nor do I know how much of it is political and incendiary. Of this, however, I am sure, the conscience of the world is so aroused that if the Korean is being oppressed by monarchical Japan, the world will not per- mit this for any long period of time. The day has gone by- when a strong nation can oppress a weak nation without pro- test and, finally, without armored opposition. No such govern- ment as Turkey can exist again on the face of the earth. In an article written by William T. Ellis, of an interview which he had with the Sultan Mohammed VI. of Turkey, it is stated that the Sultan made a plea for the League of Nations in order that Turkey might get justice. One of the great events of this Easter Day is that Turkey will get justice, and if she gets jus- tice never again will such a diabolical government be permitted to rule on this earth. It may be a utopian dream to say that no
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such government will ever exist, but we do state that an awak- ened world conscience will not permit a Turkey of the past, on the specious plea of a balance of power, go on with its work of murder, rapine, lust and cruelty such as we have witnessed the last fifty years. The fight against slavery, opium, liquor, were indeed mighty battles, but only skirmishes beside the fight now on against avarice and selfishness and racial animosities.
It is well on this Easter Day to look for a moment at a bit of history. Some years ago, less than twenty, Germany stole a great section of Shantung, Kiao-chau Bay and Tsing-tau, on the specious plea that two German missionaries had been mur- dered. At the beginning of the war Japan as the ally of the Entente forces captured this choice section of China. Will she relinquish it? I do not know. I do know that the uprising conscience of the world has to be considered by the Japanese and by the League of Nations, in this as in all other matters.
I have no knowledge as to what will become of the million square miles of territory in Africa taken from Germany by the Allied forces, but on this Easter Sunday morning I am proud to assert that I believe the conscience of the world will not permit the exploiting of these poor men of Africa's jungle by any power, France, Belgium, Great Britain, or the United States. My hope is that there will be a guardianship, an over- lordship, that will so protect the rights of these enfeebled races that will enable them to rise in the scale of manhood and develop the wonderful resources of their undeveloped continent. Think of how Africa has been exploited in the past. Think of how China was parceled out by Great Britain and France and Italy and Germany until John Hay came in with his Golden Rule policy, and today the Golden Rule policy of statesman- ship is dominating the conference at Paris, and must dominate the League of Nations if it is to be permanent.
Last Easter Day it looked as though Germany had tri- umphed, as though evil was dominant, as though force and might should overcome reason and right. So it looked on the first Friday, on that Good Friday when the howling mob cried to the crucified Son of God, "He saved others, Himself He
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cannot save." Easter morning then saw triumph. This Easter morning sees a great triumph in an aroused world conscience that bodes well for all future years.
IV. No single event is more impressive in all the great advance than the development of world philanthropy. The Christian Church has always been philanthropic. Humanity has had a philanthropic strain. It has been reserved for our day and generation to exhibit colossal philanthropy. I wonder how many of you realize what is going on in India today. In a statement issued by one of our missionaries, Miss Marie L. Gauthey, some startling facts of the famine in India are pre- sented. We are told that if the ghosts of all the British sol- diers killed in the World War should march down Fifth ave- nue from 59th street to Washington Arch, ten abreast, they would require seven days and eleven hours before the last one who left 59th street reached Washington Arch. But if the dead of India who have lost their lives since May, 1918, should make the same march, it would take fourteen days and twenty- two hours. Yet the Christian world is not daunted at such an array of famine, of plague, of "flu" and desolation. The Chris- tian missionary is meeting this situation in a way at once worthy of the highest traditions and noblest endeavors of the Gospel.
In September, 1918, thousands of poor Syrians were driven out of Urumia and fled south toward Bagdad, led by that prince of missionaries, scholar, diplomat, statesman, teacher, author, preacher, friend, William A. Shedd. He died saving these poor outcasts. Forty thousand of them today are at Bakuba, a day's journey north from Bagdad. With funds fur- nished by the Red Cross from America, the missionaries, led by your Dr. Allen, are bringing help and health and hope to these thousands. Twelve thousand are employed in knit- ting, sewing, planting, digging, building. An entire new city has sprung up, sanitary, hygienic, healthful, under the able administration of the British government. A wonder- ful colonizer is Great Britain. Order has come out of chaos, peace out of war, purity where devilish lust made it impossible for a decent woman or girl to appear in any town or village. Now all is changed and a wondrous blessing
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has come. For four years the Syria missionary has been able often to distribute something like $200,000 per month in grain, in clothing, in medicine, sent by voluntary contribu- tions through the Syrian and Armenian Relief. It is phil- anthropy on a colossal scale. I do not speak of what the government has done and is doing to feed the starving mil- lions in France, in Belgium, in Russia, or even in Germany. There may be political and secular reasons why this should be accomplished, but pure philanthropy, with a Christian dynamic, is what is prevalent in India or Persia. Possibly the most bril- liant illustration is that of Syria. For the last three years of the war no word came from Syria from the missionary. When word came it was found that simply to care for the mission- aries and the native workers the Mission had spent $300,000 above the appropriation. The Board approved it. The Church will approve it. But what is of more importance is that during that period their entire time practically was given up to cloth- ing the naked, to feeding the starving, to caring for the sick, to ministering to the dying, to comforting the sorrowing. Your great treasurer at Beirut loaned hundreds of thousands of dol- lars to well-to-do men and women who without it would have been bankrupt. By a genius, phenomenal, he was able to re- ceive hundreds of thousands of dollars to purchase grain, to outwit money lenders, to circumvent unscrupulous government officials, and to bring relief to thousands. No such marvelous exhibition of Christian philanthropy, coupled with efficiency, tact, sagacity and statesmanlike use of every opportunity have we seen in our day and generation in any mission field as that shown by the Syria missionary during these dreadful days. 'Their nerves were unstrung, their hearts had been rent. Even shown by the Syria missionary during these dreadful days. thousands of weak, sickly bodies to be nursed back into health and strength, yet none of them talk of home-coming or speak a note of pessimism, but look upon this great calamity as an open door for great opportunity. It is a sort of heroic philan- thropy that gives money, time, strength and heart life in order that a blessing might come both for the life that now is and the life which is to come.
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It is said that a petition signed by a hundred leading men of the world has gone to Paris. The petition requests that the formal announcement of the signing of the peace treaty between the Central Powers and the Entente nations shall be first pro- claimed in the city of Jerusalem, and that in addition all the Allied powers, which means the world powers, shall by proper legislation make that day a great world peace holiday. This may be an utopian dream, but its mere possibility awakens a thrill in the heart on Easter Day, 1919, such as we have never known before. It would seem that already we began to realize just the glimmer of the dawn of that day when He shall rule whose name is called "Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." Prince of Peace! That is the Easter message for the world today.
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PROMISE AND POSSESSION THE REV. GEORGE M. RYALL
"Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that I have given unto you, as I said unto Moses."-JOSHUA 1:3.
HERE was a great task to be accomplished here. A mighty nation was to be transported over a river at its flood, and then that nation was to proceed to conquer a land with fenced cities, with soldiers, with giants in it. And this people that was to cross over, had their wives, and children, and flocks, and herds, and baggage. It was surely a great task that was here to be accomplished. But God had ready a man whom he had prepared for that task.
In May of 1870, before the Franco-Prussian war in which France lost Alsace-Lorraine, Count Von Moltke came to King William and asked for a leave of absence from his post. The king, seeing he looked tired, granted him that leave. A few days later the minister of war and the king had a conference which led the king to desire the opinion of Von Moltke on the subject of discussion. But though they sought in all direc- tions, by letter, and telegram, and by messenger, they could not find the Count. Ten days later he appeared before the king. "Where have you been?" said the king, "for ten days we have been searching all Germany in vain for you." "I was in France, sire," was the answer. "Amusing yourself in Paris?" "Not at all, sire; I was at Metz and Belfort. We have very good plans of the fortifications there, but I wished to see with my own eyes their strong points and weak points; and so I went over there." Two months later in the Franco-Prussian war Von Moltke put to very good purpose the information he had per- sonally gained through his vacation. A great task was in con- templation and a great man was ready for it.
It is wonderful in his plans and purposes how God, though He buries the workman, still carries on the work. Joshua was not a Moses in any sense of the word. And yet the work that Moses had done, as it fell from his hands, came into the hands of Joshua. And can we say that the work languished or fal-
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tered because of that transfer? The successor of Moses was a Joshua. He had different qualifications altogether. He was not the brilliant man that Moses was at all. Yet he made a most glorious success. Each man to his own work, in his own way, with the gifts that God has given him. Oh! that we might learn this lesson well! Here is a minister that comes into a congregation. He is in marked contrast to his prede- cessor. But because he is not a duplicate of the one who has preceded him, the people are lukewarm, and indifferent or hostile, and the work of that servant of God fails because Aaron and Hur do not hold up his hands. What a pity it often is that we do not learn that no two of us work exactly alike. We must do our tasks in the way in which the Lord has endowed us.
Joshua appears early in the Exodus. He led the armies of Israel against the Amalekites. Tradition tells us that he was the son of Miriam, the sister of Moses. But we have no other basis for this statement. Joshua was of that powerful tribe of Ephraim, and was twelve generations removed from Joseph, the head of that tribe. As one of the twelve spies sent into Canaan at Kadash-Barnea, he and Caleb alone had faith to believe that Israel could take the land. For their faith, they alone of all that generation entered the land.
Joshua was the minister of Moses. He thus became his un- derstudy. He is not often mentioned in the forty years of wanderings, but comes into prominence at the Jordan. Moses dies and Joshua succeeds him. Under him, the Jordan is crossed. He receives new assurance of his call from the Angel of the Lord, and the Lord reaffirms all the promises made to Moses. Our text is a very precious one among these promises. It is a promise with a condition implied. The feet of the host of the Lord must actually rest on the Promised Land to possess it.
There is an incident in the life of Israel just at this time that is illustrative of the thought that is found in the text. The river Jordan was at the flood. All the waters from snow- capped Hermon, under the spring sun and rains, were hurry- ing down through the Lake of Galilee and the gorge of the Jordan. That precipitous and tortuous river had overflowed
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its banks. It looked like, and was, a formidable thing. It was a defense, a barrier against an invasion into Canaan. The people of Jericho and Ai and others must have had this belief. But God revealed unto Joshua that Israel was to cross over the river. Joshua got the people ready. They sanctified themselves. Then they followed the ark, on the third day, to the brink of the river. Then, when the feet of the priests that bore the ark were entering the river, the waters fled away and dry shod the host of the Lord passed over the river's empty bed. But the waters did not flee until the feet of the priests were on the river's brink. So also the land of Canaan would not be delivered unto them and become their land, until their feet had pressed upon it. They must actually go up and possess the land in order that they might have it.
What a wonderful land that was! It was the land of their dreams! We often speak of building castles in Spain. These people of Israel had many such built as they dreamed over the land of promise. In Ur, God had told Abraham to leave all and go into a strange land that he would show him. Abraham followed the instructions. Soon he was in the land. God said, "This is the land." Then a little later he said, "I am going to give you this land and to your seed after you. They shall be as numerous as the stars in the heavens." But Abraham never owned any of that land save a cave where he buried his dead. Isaac, his son, owned no more; and Jacob, the son of Isaac, apparently little if any more. Yet they had faith to believe that sometime that land would belong unto their descendants.
It was a promised land, but none the less an actual land. There are promises that have no substance. They are like dreams that come in the night and are gone with the light. They are like the promises of the overthrowing of old estab- lished orders, which are destructive without being constructive. But the promise of a land was based on an actual land, and on the intention of the all powerful God to give that land unto His people when the people were ready for the land. God's promises are all of that kind. They are based in his love, and power, and intention on that which we can actually possess, if we meet His conditions. Take up this Book of promises. Read
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it from beginning to end. Every one of these statements has God back of it. Let us lean upon the promises and prove that they are things of substance. God wants us to test them.
The land was even now before the eyes of the children of Israel. Over yonder, beyond the swollen waters of the Jordan, were the green fields of Canaan. Over yonder were the palms around Jericho. Yonder were the walled cities, and the fields, and the vineyards. Yonder was the land flowing with milk and honey. The water was abundant there and the early and latter rains would produce abundant harvests.
They were on the border of the land which God had prom- ised, of which they had dreamed, and of whose richness they had heard. What a tragedy to come to such a land, and yet not possess it! Once before they had been on the border and yet had not gone in. 'T'hey saw the fruits of the land, yet had never tasted them. They did not possess the land because they had been afraid, and would not go in. And they only could possess it when their feet presesd it.
They must go in. They must cross the Jordan and walk about Jericho and overcome Ai. The Lord never gives any land to those who only view it from afar. Even the view from Pisgah's heights, wonderful though it may be, is not the same as standing on the land. One is a vision, the other is a realization. The land was there. Israel only would have it if she went in. And she would only have as much as she her- self was willing to take. Wherever her feet rested, that would be hers.
The law of promise and possession goes into all of life. What the Lord here said of the land of promise, He also says of any land of promise, that lies before us. You and I will never truly possess anything that we desire or that is worth while un- less we are willing to enter in and have our feet press upon it. Over a century ago in a rude cabin in southern Indiana, a mother lay dying. She knew that her last hour was near at hand and she asked for her seven-year-old boy. She pressed him close to her and whispered, "Be somebody, Abe." That mother was Nancy Hanks, and the boy did become somebody. For he was Abraham Lincoln, president of these United States. In after years, more than once Lincoln said that these words
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of his angelic mother had urged him on. It don't make much difference as regards who you are or what you do, so long as you decide to be somebody, and carry through your determina- tion with honor. In that famous speech of Lincoln's at Gettys- burg he said: "The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it will never forget what they did here." It is in the doing that we possess. The law is universal.
Here is that which makes up one's personality. Here is this body of mine. How can I make it a perfect vehicle for the expression of myself. Personally one must obey the laws of health, and follow such lines as shall give us beauty of carriage, health of organs, and the rythmic play of muscles. Here is a man's mind. How make it what it ought and can become? Only as man himself advances into the development and control of his own mind, can he possess that mind. There is no royal road to learning, but the old beaten path of self-denial, concen- tration, and midnight oil. Or what shall we say of that moral life that is beautiful? Do we not possess it more and more as we meet each sin, and each temptation, and overcome it?
Lately there died in Pittsburgh the president of the great Kaufmann-Baer stores, Marcus Baer, a man but 56 years of age. In those years that man had proven the truth of our text in the business world. From the humblest position in the mer- cantile life he had advanced until he was at the head of that great establishment. It was said of him that he knew the mercantile business through and through. To succeed here a man must enter the land and possess it by actual experience. It becomes one's by hard labor. We get the false idea some- times that only those labor who labor with their muscles. But brain sweat is the most severe.
When we enter the sphere of social life and intercourse, we find here again that we must experience what we want to make our own. He was wise who said that if a man wants friends, he must show himself friendly.
You will find the law true in all associations. If you desire to exercise power in any sphere in life, you must acquire that by becoming familiar by actual contact and experience with these things. In experience then, rests the realities of life that are permanent and satisfying.
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But does this law hold good in our spiritual life? Do we not say that faith is the great thing in the spiritual life? It is, but it goes hand in hand with its helpmeet, works. To be a real genuine Christian is to be a worker. A Christian must not and can not be a sponge. He must be an active, aggressive, busy soul.
You desire to know the will of God and His plan of salva- tion. You would become acquainted with what he has sent to mankind? Then you must become a student of the Scrip- tures. Only as you read and study and apply yourself do you learn to know.
Or you would become one who leads in public prayer? There is but one way in which that can come to you. It is not by wishing, nor thinking, nor planning, but by doing.
Or you would express your thoughts before your fellow men? You desire to be a public speaker? In but one way can that be done. You must speak. Wherever your feet tread, that becomes your possession.
To be efficient in any thing in life, it means that you are constantly striving after new knowledge, and then, just as actively putting that new knowledge to work. The law of promise and possession is here. We can possess only so much of what is promised as we are willing to go in and make our own by hard work. Our feet must press upon the ground.
But we must never forget the One who is back of the prom- ise. Neither can we, when we remember that, fail also to remember that He has not only promised, but He also comes and helps us in the Promised Land. God did not leave the Children of Israel at the Jordan. He crossed the Jordan with His people and helped them in planting their feet on the Prom- ised Land. Too many try to possess in their own help. Why not use God?
Here we rest our faith in His promise, "I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me." Here we get our courage. In Him we can overcome. Here we get our strength. One with God will put a thousand to flight, and two with God will put ten thousand to flight. Here we put forth our efforts. Surely we have had enough of God to know that He is even better than His promises.
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CENTENNIAL MEMORIALS
R. JOHN G. LYON, chairman of the Centennial Committee on Memorials, reported the gift of four to the church, each of which is greatly appreciated. From Mrs. W. M. McKelvy and sons, a new organ for the church in memory of her husband, Mr. W. M. McKelvy.
From the Rev. Frank Woolford Sneed, D. D., and Mrs. Sneed, a bronze tablet in honor of the one hundred twenty sol- diers who responded to their country's call for service in the Great War, three of whom made the supreme sacrifice, all the names being inscribed thereon.
From the Misses Sallie M. Negley, Alice M. Negley, Georgina G. Negley and Mr. Alexander J. Negley, a bronze tablet in memory of their grandparents, Mr. Jacob Negley and his wife, Mrs. Barbara A. Negley.
From Mr. and Mrs. Joseph H. Runnette and family, a dis- tinctive and symbolic East Liberty Presbyterian Church flag, in memory of Miss Elizabeth Kerr Runnette.
CENTENNIAL ENDOWMENT FUND
Mr. H. W. Prentis, Jr., chairman of the Committee on the Centennial Endowment Fund, reported total subscriptions to the amount of $100,789.83. This subscription was received in reply to a fine letter of explanation and appeal issued by Mr. Prentis, expressing as the watchword of the campaign, "Every Member of the Church a Contributor." With this letter was enclosed a pledge card, and an illustrated folder, prepared by Mr. J. Clarence McCarthy, which has been justly termed a classic in its line.
The financial results of the campaign bear testimony to the strenuous efforts put forth.
Later three trustees were appointed as custodians of the permanent fund, Mr. R. B. Mellon representing the congrega- tion, Mr. Wm. M. Robinson the session, and Mr. C. H. West
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WM. M. ROBINSON Elder; Member First Trustees of Centennial Endowment Fund.
CHARLES H. WEST Secretary First Trustees of Centennial Endowment Fund.
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the board of trustees of the church, and plans were made for the judicious investment of the fund and the continuity of the board of trustees.
It is anticipated that this fund shall be largely augmented by gifts and legacies, in order that a sufficient amount may be invested to produce an income adequate to enable the East Liberty Church to meet the requirements of the extended serv- ice which its strategic position as a religious center urgently demands.
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A FORWARD VISION
YRIAD voices sing the praises of our God, and ever chant His omnipotence, His loving kindness, His justice and His truth.
On this momentous occasion which is now draw- ing to a close, we have listened with humbly grateful hearts to the voice of history.
What is its vital message to us today, as we "remember His marvelous works that He hath done," and turn our faces toward the future?
"We will not hide them from their children, showing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength and His wonderful works that He hath done."
"That the generation to come might know them, that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments."
To our forefathers came the call to construction, to us comes a wider but no more momentous call to reconstruction. By the grace of God, the foundations of this great superstructure were laid in humble faith by consecrated hands, and from this sacred spot has been faithfully proclaimed a positive faith in the Triune God and all those fundamental truths which accom- pany redemption only through the vicarious atonement of our Divine Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; with an unquestioning acceptance of the Word of God, as the only infallible rule of faith and practice-facts which we, of the East Liberty Pres- byterian Church, recognize as transcending the realm of con- troversy. The resultant of this positive faith has been realized in a century of constructive service.
How shall we respond to the challenge of the past?
We need not hesitate for the answer, but appropriate the inspired mandate, Speak unto the East Liberty Presbyterian Church that they go FORWARD! "Occupy till I come."
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So, at this critical period in the world's history, which we call the New Era, and which marks for East Liberty Church the opening of a new century of worship and service, shall this Church of Christ, wielding the rod of the Spirit, cause the Red Sea of her experience to divide, and with her Divine Leader going on before, as truly as in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, advance "dry-shod," hold- ing aloft the same torch of an unquenchable faith, and the same triumphant Banner of the Cross which our forefathers held, "Until He come," and the church militant become the church triumphant.
"So we Thy people and sheep of Thy pasture will give Thee thanks forever; we will shew forth Thy praise to all genera- tions."
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