THE STTNDAT OREGOXIAX. PORTLAND. JTJjLY 25, 1920
PORTLAND FEDERATION OF CHURCHES HOLDS SERVICES TODAY
Impressive Religious Ceremony Scheduled To Begin in Laurelhurst Park at 3:30 P. M. Rev. W. G. Eliot Completes Course.
THE Portland Federation of i
Churches will hold a special re- i
ligious service in Laurelhurst I
park this afternoon at 3:30 o'clock.
The programme is as follows:
Congregational singing under the leader
ship of Professor J. A. Holling-sworth.
Prayer. Rev. Dr. J. J. Staub.
Solo, Mr. Gordon O. Onstad, Sunnyside
Congregational church.
Scripture and sermon. Rev. tr. Eugene
C. Hickman, pastor of Wilbur Methodist
church.
Congregational singing.
Benediction, Rev. Dr. Homer L. Cox.
The music will be led by a union
chorus composed of the choirs from
the Sunnyside churches. They will
be supported by C. J. Seifarth from
Ockley Green United Evangelical
church, on the cornet. The presid
ing: officer wlli be Ralph C. McAfee,
executive secretary of the federation
of churches.
The meeting will begin at 3:30 and
will last one hour. All who are in
terested are cordially Invited to be
present.
- Minister Completes Course.
The- Rev. W. G. Eliot has com-:
pleted the course at the Harvard :
cummer school of theology and after
a vacation to be spent in Hood River,
Or., will return to the pastorate of
the Church of Our Father about.
August 1. Mr. Eliot was one of 103
Unitarian ministers from all parts
of the United States and Canada who
accepted the invitation of the Uni
tarian Laymen's league to attend the
The laymen appropriated $10,000 to
defray one-half of the tuition fees
and traveling and living expenses of
their ministers.
Song: Book Published Here.
From the printing house of A. E.
Kern & Co., Portland, there has just
been issued "The Realization Song
Book." The author and compiler 'is
H. Edward Mills, founder and leader
of the Realization league. Mr. Mills
has written many of the 30 songs,
and composed part of the music.
A unique feature of the new book
lies in the fact that it was not sent
east for publication, but is one more
"Made-ln-Oregon" product. The art
work consisting of the actual notes
on the musical staff was done by
Mrs. May Van Dyke Hardwick. The
plates were made by the Portland
Engraving company. Frederick W.
Goodrich edited the musical com
positions. Sunday afternoon, August 1. at 3
o'clock, "The Realization Song Book"
will be formally dedicated at a public
concert in Lincoln high school.
Several of the numbers will be sung
as solos, others will be rendered by
a chorus under the direction of
George Hotchkiss Street, while sev
eral others will be sung by the
audience led by the chorus. Harlow
John Mills, son of the compiler, will
play an accompaniment which he
composed for one of the songs
Natlon-Wldf Campaign Planned.
A nation-wide trnited evangelistic
campaign of the Protestant churches
has been decided upon for the coming
year by the leaders of 18 of the larger
denominations, the Federal Council of
the Churches of Christ in America an
nounced yesterday.
The directors of evangellsmfor the
Methodist bodies, the Baptists,.'-pres-byterlans,
Lutherans, Congregation
ailsts. Disciples, the two Reformed
groups and other bodies met in New
York City and decided upon tne -common
programme to he carried out
during 1920-21.
The fall campaign will be opened by
a series of all-day rallies for- minis
ters in a dozen strategic' centers. - A
party composed of the directors of
evangelism of the co-operating de
nominations will accompany Dr.
Goodell of the Federal council to
Buffalo. Cleveland. Cincinnati, Indian
apolis, Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis,
SCOFFERS OF CHURCH ARE CHALLENGED BY DR. H. L. BOWMAN
Presbyterian Pastor Say's Those Who Do Not Understand Chris tianity May Find Within It Flood of Joy, Blessed Peace and Elevation of Character of Which They Have Never Dreamed.
(Delivered by Dr. H. L. Bowman, pastor
of the First Presbyterian church, last Sun
day morning.) .... j
"And they cast him out of the city, ana
stoned him: and the witnesses laid down
their garments at the feet of a young man
named Saul." Acts vli:58.
"But there came Jews thither from An
tloch and Iconlum: and having persuaded
the multitudes thev stoned Saul and
dragged him out of the city, supposing
that he waa dead." Acts xiv:19.
THERE is nothing else more' in
flammatory than the soul of man.
Tuch, In either praise or blame,
that which a man holds dear and his
spirit will flame forth In response or
resentment. Beneath many of somber
face there Is a glowing spirit which
betokens the hot passion of either
loyalty or hate.
Two souls flaming In a crisis we
study this morning. One Is Stephen,
the Christian, a simple man whose
cold heart Christ had kindled and
who now lived with but one purpose,
to witness for his master. Stephen's
bold testimony had called down upon
his head the wrath of the Jewish
enemies. Their false accusations he
answered In terms that radiate with
flaming loyalty to Christ. Ineed. as
they looked at him, his very face
seemed to shine like the face of an
angel. But to his determined judges,
' evidence and argument were value
less and Stephen was cast out of the
rltv. hurled to the base of a cliff from
which a hooting, jeering, hateful mob
cast upon him their death-dealing
stones.
That Is one figure. Now for the
other Standing dignified on the
cliff was a young man of Stephen's
age. It was Saul, under whose leader.
Khio. these executioners came forth
Saul of Tarsus, a young man of noble
lineage and of extraordinary religious
zeal. An inborn intensity combined
with the enthusiasm of youth made
him an outstanding figure among the
religious leaders of Jerusalem, r irm
Iv rooted as he was In the Hebrew
faith he felt that the Christian com
munltv In Jerusalem was a menace
on Incubus on Jewish society. Its
founder Jesus, was an Impostor and
hla followers fanatics. They were
not onlv grossly misled, but they
were maliciously subversive to the wel
fare of the true Jewish. religion. They
were spiritual anarchists not to be
tolerated for a moment, and so with
all of his eager intensity this young
man threw himself into the effort
tn stamD out the false faith and all
Its followers. It was this flame of
fanatical energy that was burning In
the heart of Saul as he stood there
outside the city consenting unto the
Will vou trv to imagine the min
gled feelings of irritation and antip
athy with which that young Jew
must have accompanied Stephen, the
ranting religionist, as the maddened
mob swept out of the city? As the
etonlng proceeded, some such thoughts
as these must have' been In the mind
of Saul:
"It is strange the way in which that
man still adheres to this belief; what
can prompt him to do It? He Is los
ing his life, but he Is not gaining any-
. thing. Just one word of submission
,,and he can be restored to safety, what
can keep him from saying that one
Louisville. Pittsburg, Harrls-birrg, i
Philadelphia, Washington and Balti
more. Theological Faculty Increased.
The strength of the Harvard theo
logical faculty has been increased by
the addition of specially recruited
experts in their several fields, among
whom are President George E. Horr
of Newton Theological Institution:
George Grafton Wilson, professor of
international law in Harvard; John
Graham Brooks and Champlin Bur
rage, authors of note; the Rev. Henry
Sloane .Coffin of Union Theological
seminary and Professor Louis Ginz--berg
of the Jewish Theol-oglcal sem
inary. New York; John F. Moors,
president of the Associated Charities
ai.d member of the Boston finance
commission, and the Rev. Samuel
McChord Crothers of the First church
(Unitarian) in Cambridge.
Dr. Stansfield to Preach
Special Sermon Today.
Talk to Be an Appralsment of the
Christian Ministry and Polplt.
AT the First Methodist church to
night at 8 o'clock Dr. Stansfield
will preach a special sermon, "The
Ministry, the Highest .of High Call
ings." " This sermon will be an honest ap
praisement of the Christian ministry
and pulpit, and incidentally a reply to
reasons recently given In a published
sermon in the Oregonian from a
Congregational preacher of Portland
on resigning the ministry of the
church.
In the morning at 10:30 Dr. Stans
field will preach on "Religion Worth
While." Miss.Goldie Peterson is solo
ist for the day.
Rev. W. S. Gordon, pastor of the
Sellwood Methodist church, will speak
today at II A. M. on "The Christian
Soldier's Equipment," and at 8 P. M.
on "the Unusual Friendship of David
and Jonathan." D. S. Manney will
superintend the Sunday school which
meets at 9:45 A. M.. ind give his
chalk-talk at 10:30 A. M.
Mrs. Charles Howard is In charge
of the primary department during
the summer. Professor F. C. Strey
feller will sing in the morning and
Miss Evelyn Lawrence in the evening.
The pastor will be away for the
first three weeks In August, but the
pulpit will be supplied. Mr. Gordon
Is a member of the faculty of the
Epworth League Institute which con
venes at Jefferson. July 26.
At Woodlawn Methodist church, the
Scotch evangelist. George Wallace
Scott, will speak and sing at the
morning service. There will be no
evening service that all may attend
the Chautauqua afternoon and even
ing. This church has generously vot'td
the pastor. Rev. J. H. Irvine, a va
cation during August, which he will
spend -with Mrs. Irvine and eastern
friends among the la. es in the woods
of Maine.
"What You Were; What You Are;
What You Will Be:" will be the sub
ject of Rev. E. Sutton Mace's sermon
this morning at the Clinton Kelly
Memorial Methodist Episcopal church,
corner Po -ell and East Fortieth
streets. -'' '
. .
At the First Norwegian Methodist
Episcopal church, corner of Hoyt and
Eighteenth streets, the pastor. Rev.
Elias Gerdinr. will- speak at the
morning service today at IT "A. M. on
"A Man Approved of God." The even
ing service will begin at S P. M. with
a short talk, followed by stereopti
con pictures furnished by the cen
tenary office, the subject being "Chil
dren of Mission Lands.".
word? What a folly that religion of
his Is, anyhow: the worship of a
crucified malefactor! What nonsense!
and he thinks that criminal divine!
Why doesn't he recant? Surely the
approach of death will bring him to
his senses; yet his face seems to be
strangely radiant. Now he is-talking
to the empty air as though that Jesus
of his were present. What an Idea!
And he is asking for our forgiveness.
What strange paths for the human
mind to take. Surely he must be in
sane. But it is all over now. One
more fanatic has gone."
The pith of the situation Is this:
Saul, the Jew. could not comprehend
the motive nor the ideal which car
ried Stephen triumphantly through
his martyrdom. Saul saw the conduct
of Stephen, but from the understand
ing of the flaming spirit which
prompted that conduct Saul was ex
cluded by bars of reasoning and
prejudice that were stronger than
steel. Saul was a bystander as he
stood there gazing upon the stoning
of Stephen. As he stood by. he saw,
but be did not comprehend. But he
was a bystander in a spiritual as well
as a physical sense. lor tne space
which separated him bodily from
Stephen was as cohesion compared
with the space which separated him
from understanding the man. Steph
en s radiant faith was an insoluble
mystery to Saul the bystander.
We shall let Saul the bystander be
for us a' type that represents a great
many people with whom we rub
shoulders day by day. They look upon
certain phases of thought with that
same unconcern which Saul mani
fested at the death of Stephen. Like
him, they look on. analyze the situa
tion, weigh its merits, determine its
value, and pass Judgment upon It.
They rest calmly assured that theirs
is the true judgment because they
have the perspective of distance. They
possess the intellectual isolation and
calm judgment which are Impossible
for those actively involved. Is this
claim of the bystander valid?
I wonder if the bystander realizes
In what company he finds himself?
Does he know that he is traveling in
the same train with the one who
knowing nothing of art, condemns all
art as silly and meaningless and,
visiting an art gallery, madl rushes
through it with condescending pity
for the poor artists who spend all
their lives at mere painting? They
are with the lady who complained to
Turner, the English painter, that she
did not see In nature the colors which
he put Into his pictures; the artist
replied: "Madam, do you not wish that
you could?
The bystander, to be consistent,
must travel through Palestine with a
party for two weeks, stopping only at
the Jarge . European hotels and then
write an exhaustive treatise on the
customs -and the character of the in
habitants of the Holy Land. Without
any knowledge of music he must at
tend the programmes of a symphony
orchestra so that without prejudice
he can judge the quality of their
music. He must be like Sir Robert
Peel who. when he conferred the
poet-laureateship on Tennyson, con
fessed that he had never read a line
of his poems.
The bystander, to gain a true judg
f j M- V.."- I 11 With -r - : . f m 4
Portland ministers engaged In special summer religious work held here, throughout state and In rastt 1 Dr. W. G. Eliot Jr., pastor of the Church of
Our Father ( Unitarian), who has Just completed the "religious Hlattsburfc" training; course given during the Harvard summer school in Cam
bridge under the auspices of his denomination. S Dr. Eugene C. Hickman, pastor of the Wilbur Methodist church, who will read the scriptures
and deliver the sermon at the special services to be held at 3i3o o'clock this afternoon In Laurelhurst park by the Portland federation of churches.
8 Rev. H. Edward Mills, founder of the Portland Realisation league, who has just published a song book containing SO selections written by
himself and many of them set to music of his own composition. 4 Rev. Jacob Stocker, pastor of the Clay-street Evangelical church, who will de
Ilverthe first sermon at the camp meeting and conventions of the Oregon conference of the United Evangelical church to be held July 29 to
'August 8 at Qulnnby Park, seven miles north of Salem. I
Oregon Presbyterian Synod
Closes Annual Session.
Plans for Religious Work In Uni
versity and Agricultural College
Discussed.
EUGENE, Or., July 24. J(Special.)
With a vote to meet at Corvallls
next year, the synod of the Oregon
Presbyterians, In session here for the
past 10 days, closed Tuesday. For
several years past the synod has
been meeting in Eugene during the
session of the summer school of the
University of Oregon.
The closing session was given
over to various reports of educational
committees an9 the discussion of
plans whereby religious work in the
University of Oregon and Oregon
Agricultural college at Corvallis
might be started under the leader
ship of a college pastor.
A solution of the plan of religious
work among the students of the two
institutions is yet to be worked out
A plan for various religious de
nominations to maintain in Eugene
avstudent pastor to work among Uni
versity of Oregon students in the
Interests of the churches was dis
cussed Tuesday at a luncheon given
by President P. L. Campbell to 16
guests, -including all the pastors of
the city. This need has long been
felt in Eugene, says President Camp
bell. By three or four churches co
operating, a student pastor may be
supported for next year, the funds
for the work to be provided by the
churches.
A building to house the work may
be erected some place on the univer
sity campus, and in this will be a
lecture hall and offices. It Is planned
to provide 'also a room for a library
and reception hall.
The plan does not include the Idea
of bringing church services to the
campus, but rather to supply the
student ' pastor as a nucleus for de
nomination Interested ' "
Dr. R. C. Hughes, secretary of edu
cational boards for 18 denominations,
who has been in Eugene attending
the Presbyterian synod, was present
at the luncheon. Rev. William Moll
Case of the Eugene Presbyterian
ment, must remain outside the ex
perience. To judge poetry, he must
never have studied it. To appreciate
music, he must be unable to read
notes. To enjoy nature, he must never
have studied natural science. To be
delighted with art, he must never have
considered Its laws or technique. To
judge food, he must never have eaten
it. To swim, he can hang his clothes
on every limb, but never go near the
water. To learn to walk, he must
always remain In bed. That Is the
fiasco to which we come if we follow
the philosophy of the bystander to
its logical conclusion.
That Is why we must .-sontend this
morning that the bystander is an in
competent judge. As a witness to life
and truth he must be ruled out of
court. He Is irrevocably disqualified
and this Is the reason he draws his
conclusions from only part of the
facts. He may be sincere but because
he is a bystander and is not within
the circle of .experience he knows
only half the truth. He sees only the
appearance and does not know the
reality. He sees the gold on the
brick, but cannot determine whether
it Is superficial or genuine. He sees
the outside of the building, but
whether the furnishings within are
munificent or scanty he cannot tell.
He stands before the closed door and
discourses at length of what is with
in . but never having crossed the
threshold he is ignorant whether be
yond the door is a "room piled with
the fairy king's gold or a gruesome
chamber with the seven wives of
Bluebeard. He cannot know the inner
truth of things just because he is a
bystander. He is building his pyra
mid of evidence upon the apex, rest
ing his judgment on insufficient
knowledge. He must be ruled out of
court because he is a bystander.
Why do you suppose we have dealt
with this attitude of mind at such
length? You surely must see that it
Is In order tht we may have a firm
foundation upon which to base our
disclosure of the fallacy of the by
standers attitude towards religion.
If you had kept your finger upon
the pulse-bea't of our times then you
know the prevalence of this attitude.
Religion has, of course. Its opponents.
People who. like the foreigner that
landed on Ellis inland and asked the
first man he met If there was a gov
ernment In this country, and when In
formed that there was, replied:
"Then I am ferninst it!" Would that
there were more people opposed; it
would be better for us if there were.
The curse of our day is not opposi
tion. It Is indifference the attitude
of the bystander. In every commun
ity there are those who are content
to, remain apart from all religious
activity. They decline to participate
in any of the services of the church.
With a somewhat superior attitude
these people rather pride themselves
in being bystanders and from that
position of aloof superiority they feel
that they are Justified in judging
and condemning religion and the
church. And the really strange thing
is that men and women listen with
so much attention to the wild
opinions of these bystanders. Dr.
church, will serve as chairman of the
Eugene pastors, who will organize as
a committee to consider the propo
sition of student pastor.
Today is Missionary Sunday in the
Norwegian and Danish Methodist
church, Vancouver avenue and Skid
more street. The pastor will speak
on "The Church World-Wide Mis
sions." ' '
Rev. H. Edward Mills will address
the Realization League at the Modern
Conservatory of Music, 148 Thirteenth
street, at 11 o'clock on "Impression,
Repression. Expression."
'God's Use of Broken
Things," Sermon Topic.
Dally Bible Vacation School at
Italian Mission Will Bring Its
Work to Close Tuesday at 2 P. M.
IN the East Side Baptist church this
morning at 11 o'clock Rev. Her
bert T. Cash will preach from the
subject "God's Use of Broken
Things," and this evening at 7:45 his
topic will be "The Vision Splendid."
The daily Bible vacation school,
which has been conducted at the
Italian mission for the past six
weeks, will close Its work Tuesday
at 2 P. M. with a program and ex
hibit, and on Wednesday there will
be a picnic in Sellwood park at 10
A. M.
"Weeds In the Garden of God" will
be the theme at the Arleta Baptist
church at 11 o'clock. Under this title
Mr. Day will discuss the parable of
the tares and give to it a practical
application. In the evening at 8
o'clock the subject will be "Consist
ency in Religion." The usual song
service will precede the sermon. - The
Young People's society will be left by
Ralph Belmore at 6:45.
. .
This morning at 11 o'clock at Grace
Baptist church. East Seventy-sixth
and ASh. the- pastor, F. "W. Starring,
will speak jon "The Church at Jerusa
lem." His subject at 8 P. M. will be
"A Critic for the Times."
- The vacation Bible school has been
successful. The school has two more
weeks to run.
Selby has said, "It is only in religion
and theology that the opinion of the
amateur meets with much respect."
. Consider minutely the true mental
condition of the religious bystander.
The vital facts of the spiritual life,
prayer and sacrifice, faith and un
selfish service, are simply outside
the circle of his comprehension. A
young friend of mine, who is prepar
ing for the ministry, was working
last summer In a machine shop. The
young men with whom he worked
could not understand any possible
teason for his choosing that life work.
"Why are you going into the minis
try? There Is no money in that." Any
motives of life service were simply
outside their ken. It was something
in which .they did not participate and
which they could not comprehend. A
minister was once speaking on invi
tation to 200 union labor men. They
attacked the church and denounced
her ministry, while he was contend
ing that the church was making a
contribution to the solution of the
labor problem. He challenged those
who had been attending church ser
vices at any time during the last 10
years, except to go to a funeral or a
wedding, to stand. Five men out of
the 200 stood up. Behold the judg
ment of the religious bystander, based
on insufficient evidence! Hear him
speak again: "Why will people go
into a stuffy church on Sunday when
there are parks and amusements on
every hand?" "Religion is only super
stition, prayer Is a foolish self-deception,
the minister is a parasite in
the community, and all this talk of
service and sacrifice Is fanatical non
sense. Oh, religion may be all right
for the wife and the children, but it
is nothing for a man." So he stands
by, while his wife and children attend
the church and the Sunday school.
Sometimes It Is with a smattering of
Tom -Payne or an overdose of Ernest
Haeckel, or merely a case of elephan
tiasis of the ego, that makes men
feel they can just as well hold them
selves aloof from the frumpery and
superstition which are called Chris
tianity. But why multiply instances,
we all have met too many of them
already. Each of them Is simply an
other version of the old story of the
bystander. Each one is condemning
sometning tnat ne coesn t understand
passing positive judgment on that of
which he Is Ignorant. Though they
do not realize it, they are like Parsi
fal in Wagner's opera. Fresh from
the wild wods, this Ignorant youth,
under the spell of the old hermit,
comes Into the presence of the
Knights of the Grail, as with an over
awing solemnity they are partaking
of the Lord's Supper. For almost an
hour does the Ignorant Parsifal stand
there looking on, wondering, half
amused, half disgusted, but totally ig
norant of the meaning of the service.
He was outside the realm of experi
ence. He was only a bystander.
Our earlier discussion will make It
apparent that we cannot justly trust
the opinion of the bystander. If not
In other realms, so certainly not in re
ligion. The man who does not go to
the church is no judge of the church.
He does not understand It. He is onlv
I Judging it superficially. John Spargo
made a sweeping -statement recently
"When Parallels. Meet" Is
Dr. Bowman's Topic.
New Pastor Occupies First Pres
byterian Church Pulpit.
THE First Presbyterian church, cor
ner Twelfth and Alder streets,
will have its new pastor. Rev. Harold
Leonard Bowman, in the pulpit both
morning and evening today. At 10:30
A. M. Dr. Bowman will preach on
"When Parallels Meet." At 7:45 P. M.
he will preach on the Prodigal Son
with the subject "Beasts and a
Father." There will be a contralto
solo at the morning service. "The
Holy City" (Gaul), sung by Mrs. Vir
ginia Spencer Hutchinson. At the
evening service a soprano solo. Gou
nod's "There Is a Green Hill Far
Away." sung by Mrs. Blanche Will
lams Segersten. The quartet will also
give an anthem at each service.
At 12:15 the Sunday school will
meet in the Sunday school auditorium
for an illustrated lecture on the gos
pel according to St. Luke. The talk
will be given by B. A.' Thaxter. '
On Tuesday evening at 8 o'clock, in
the chapel, the' church will give a re
ception for Dr. and Mrs. Bowman. All
members of the First Presbyterian
church and congregation are cordially
Invited. A welcome will be extended
by a representative of the Ministerial
association and also by officers of
the First Presbyterian church. It is
expected that Dr. Bowman will reply
to these messages of welcome.
Walter Henry Nugent. D. D.. pas
tor of Central Presbyterian church.
East Thirteenth and Pine streets, will
preach this morning on the topic
"Folks That Are Missed." This ser
mon Is what may be called a pre
vacatlon sermon, as this will be the
last Sunday for Dr. Nugent until the
first Sunday In September. Mrs. Maud
Belcher Pritchford and Mrs. Arthur
I. Moulton will sing solos. Dr. Nu
gent, during the few months he has
been pastor of Central, has been a
visitor In every home of the church
and has called. upon at least 75 fami
lies who live In1 the vicinity of Central
who have no church home. Whole
families have been received In the
church, with the prospect of a large
that all the sermons that will be
preached in America in the next 12
months would not do as much good
for America as one little red school
house, or one farmer plowing his field,
and then with a naive frankness, he
undermined the validity of his con
demnation by stating that he very
rarely went to hear a sermon. The In
competent judgment of the bystander!
Thomas Edison we may respect pro
foundly for his achievements in the
realm of science, but when Thomas.
Edison, wrapped in scientific study
and heedless of the moral and spirit
ual forces of life essays to speak on
the subject of immortality, he has
wandered from his realm. He is no
more fitted to speak on immortality
than I should be to discuss in tech
nical terms Professor Einstein's theory
of the relativity of space. And when
Henry Ford speaks slightly of the
church and then confesses that he
rarely , goes texcept on an occasional
Easter, we have simply another evi
dence In our growing argument of the
Invalidity of the bystander.
Yes. the man who does not pray Is
utterly Incompetent to discuss the
reality of prayer. The man who does
not devoutly study the Bible cannot
discuss Its inspiring power. The man
or woman who today dismisses reli
gion as a useless element In modern
life, who discards it as a superstition
of a past age, who peremptorily rules
it out of his own heart, that person is
judging something pf which he is
Ignorant as truly as were the Judges
who condemned Jesus or as was Paul
standing by while they stoned Stephen.
Bui what troubles me the most is
that within the church there are so
many of these bystanders, people who
are formally enrolled among the fol
lowers of Christ, but to whom that
fact has never brought any vital reli
gious experience. They have never en
tered into the joy and the power
which Christ has promisd. They read
of Paul's experiencing the "peace that
passeth understanding," or Peter,
"with joy unspeakable and full of
glory," they learn of John "enduring
even unto the end" through all perse
cution, but in their hearts there is no
Instinctive response that says. "Yes,
that was my feeling, 1 have known
that peace, that power has come to
me." You speak to them of these great
truths, they look at you In blank
amazement. You ask them If they
have ever felt the throb of Joy as
they give their missionary gifts to
carry out the glorious world-wide
programme of their Master. They have
never felt the thrill of world-wide
service! You ask them, "Have you
ever had a definite answer to pray
er?" And with a shocked haste, they
reply, "Oh, no!" You ask them If they
have ever talked with other people
about Christ and with an outraged
modesty they disclaim ever having
thought of such a thing. Power in
service! Constancy In prayer! Long
suffering In adversity! Sacrificing for
Christ! The strangeness of these
truths to our hearts reveals the ex
tent to which we are only bystanders,
the way In which we have failed to
share the experience of the full
Christian life. And Intense Christian
ity which thrills every activity of life
Is a remarkable, but a remote ideal.
It is one that we have looked at, but
we have never apprehended. We are
number coming In early in the fall.
Arthur F. Bishop, D. D., former pas
tor of Central, will be the supply pas
tor during the month of August. The
evening services have been discon
tinued until September. -
Ferdinand G. Strange will occupy
the pulpit of Fourth Presbyterian
church. First and Gibbs streets, for
the next four Sundays. Bible school
will be held at 10 o'clock and preach
ing at 11. Dr. Strange will speak on
"The Supreme Investment." There
will be no evening service. The pas
tor. Rev. Monroe G. Everett. Is spend
ing his vacation in California, where
he will supply the pulpit of the First
Presbyterian church of Modesto.
At Mlzpah Presbyterian church
Rev. D. A. Thompson, pastor, morn
ing service will be held at 11 o'clock.
the sermon theme being "The Day of
Gods Power. Evening ' service will
be at 7:4o. the topic being "The Re
ward of the Upright."
There will be no evening services
in this church during the month of
August. The pastor and his family
will leave Wednesday for the annual
vacation at Neah-Kah-Nie. The pul
pit will be regularly supplied during
the pastor's absence for the morning
service only.
At Piedmont Community Presbyte
rian church, Cleveland avenue and
Jarrett street. Rev. J. F. Morgan, pas
tor, preaches at 11 A. M., his subject
being "I Have Prated for Thee."
Sunday school at 9:45 A. M. There will
be no evening services until Septem
ber. At the Thursday evening prayer
and Bible meeting the subject will be
"Miracles."
"Jesus Christ Personally Responsi
ble" will be the sermon subject of
Rev. George N. Taylor, pastor of
United Presbyterian church of Ken
ton, at the Men's Resoat meeting today
at 4 P. M. Solos and duets will be
given by Mrs. Ella Hoberg Tripp and
others. Instrumental music will also
be a feature and the men will sing
favorite gospel songs.
... .
At 'vreStfrirnster Presbyterian
church Dr. Pence will preach his last
sermon before going on his summer
j vacation. He has chosen as his
theme: "The Man Who Made Good
With Mostly Bad."
During the month of August there
only bystanders, gazing, but not com
prehending. Now we have come to one climactic
truth. Saul did not remain a by
stander. One day on the road to
Damascus where he was journeying
to kill other hated Christians, his
eyes were closed, but his spiritual .
. t : - 1 .. , '
in the mountain fog who suddenly
sees the mist roil away and finds
that he Is on the mountain's su-mmtt
with a hundred miles of sun-gilded
and rainbow-dizened ' grandeur laid
out before htm just so it was that
Saul, the narrow-minded Jewish zea
lot, found the mists of prejudice
dissolving before him, and his eyes
gaining the' far focus, until he, saw
the glories of the God-life, the un
speakable riches of Christ. Yes. he
saw for the first time, Christ, Ste
phehn's Christ, not the crucified
malefactor, but the risen Lord, and!
the redeemer from sin yes. from his
sin. which rolled away with the en
trance of Christ. He saw a Lord
who meant so much to him that he
would be willing, not alone to follow
him, but to be Imprisoned for him.
to be scourged for him, yes, even to
be stoned to death for him
In Jerusalem we see Saul standing
when Stephen was stoned for the
sake of Christ, but let the scene
change and we behold at Lystra an
other great host of angry Jews ston
ing a fellow-countrymen, but Paul
Is not standing by and watching, as
they stone a poor follower of the
Nazarene, for Paul is now the man
they are stoning and they are ston
ong him for the same reason that
he helped stone Stephen because he
was a friend of Jesus Christ.
Wherein lies the difference? "We
need not searoh long. In the first
case we have Saul, the bystander,
outside the experience, and in the
second we have Paul, who has en
tered in and understands the mean
ing of Christianity. Not Saul, the
onlooker, but Paul, the initiate. Not
Saul, the opponent of the faith, but
Paul, the exponent of It. Not Saul,
the cynical critic of Jesus of Naz
areth, but Paul, the warm advocate
of the Nazarene. Not the Saul who
scoffed at Christ, but Paul, who said
"I know whom I have believed."
My appeal Is that those of you who
have endeavored to judge Christianity
from a distance will enter in there
by alone being able to understand:
I am eager that those of you for
whom Christianity has lacked a grip
ping vitality will enter Into the ex
perience. You never can really be
lieve in Christ until you know him
as you cannot swim until you have
been in water, or gain a financial
return until you have invested your
money. Why should you fear to
venture forth into the fullness of
Christian life? Christianity is not
a step In the dark;. It does not ask
belief such as the White queen de
manded of Alice in "Through the
Looklng-Glass" "You do not believe
what I tell you? Then close your
eyes; take a deep breath and try
again!" Christianity demands noth
ing like that: the message of our
faith is this "Taste and see that the
Lord is good." Try it and see. Do
I not condemn prayer until you have
prayed . as earnestly as those who
will be no preaching service as the
church auditorium will be repaired.
Bible school will be held during the
preaching hour, 11:00 A. M-, and its
programme will be of such a nature
that it will be an hour of real wor
ship.
Dr. Pence and family expect to
leave next week for Neahkahnie and
will not return until the first of
September.
The Young People's society of St.
Stephen's Pro-Cathedral will meet at
the main entrance of the Good
Samaritan hospital at 3 o'clock.
where they will sing in the various
wards until 4 o'clock. They will
then repair to Macleay park for a
picnic supper and the usual weekly
meeting. Lemonade will be furnished.
Miss Myla A. Chambers will be in
charge. Dean Hicks will preach at
the morning service. Holy commun
ion will be at 7:45 A. M.
Truth Sermon in Christian
Science Churches.
Sunday Evening. Services Discon
tinued In All Churches Except
Sixth Church of Christ In July
and August.
esson-sermon in all the Chris
tian Science churches In Portland to
day. All the Christian Science
churches will hold services this morn
ing at 11 o'clock. Sunday evening
service Is discontinued during the
months of July and August in all the
churches except Sixth Church of
Christ. Scientist.
Wednesday evening meetings are
held In all the churches at 8 o'clock.
Testimonies of Christian Science heal
ing are a part of these meetings.
All of the churches hold Sunday
school for persons under 20 years of
age. Sessions are held in all the
churches except Third and Fifth, at
9:45 and 11. In the other two churches
at 9:30 and 11.
The churches u-nite in maintaining
free public reading rooms in the
Northwestern bank building and 266
Burnside street. Fourth church main
tains a reading room at 148 Killings
worth avenue. The Bible and author
ized Christian Science literature may
be read, borrowed ' or purchased at
these reading rooms.
Christian Science churches may be
found at the following locations:
First church Nineteenth and Everett
streets.
Second church East Sixth and Holla
day avenue.
Third church East Twelfth and Salmon
streets.
Fourth church Emerson street and
Vancouver avenue.
Fifth church Sixty-second street and
Forty-second avenue Southeast.
Sixth church PythliTn temple, 3S8 Yam
hill street.
Seventh church 403 Smith avenue, St.
Johns.
A cordial invitation to attend serv
ices and use the reading rooms is ex
tended to all.
Rev. Harold H. Griff is to
Be Heard Twice Today.
First Christian Church Pastor Will
Preach on "lUch Man In Hell."
THE REV. HAROLD H. GRIFFIS
' will speak today, both"1 morning
and evening, at the First Christian
church, corner of Park and Colum
bia. The service in the morning at
11 o'fclocK Will 'be a 20th-century ap
plication of Jesus' parable of the
rich man and Lazarus, the pastor
having for his specific topic. "A
Rich Man In Hell." In the evening
at 7:45 -the musical programme will
be led by a male quartet, with Mrs.
have found prayer a power. Do not
let religion go by the board until
you have given it the same trial as
have others who have found it an in
dispensable 'element of life. Treat
religion as you treat a text book,
a science, an art, or a business
as something that you cannot compre
hend until you have studied it and
with an open mind struggled to mas
ter it under the leadership of those I
who have had more experience with
it than you.
Religious truth is like Rbslyn
chapel in the lowlands of Scotland.
It is not exceptionally attractive on
the outside, but when you enter it
you find that it is one of the most
intricately carved and Indescribably
beautiful buildings that the hand of
man has constructed. So when you
Bee Christianity from within, when
you have placed yourself within the
scope of its infuence. when your life
has been brought within "the trans
forming influences of Christ, then and
then alone will you understand that
which from the outside seems to be
unattractive and dull. In a recent book
we are told the story of two men,
strangers, returning from a funeral.
One was a matter-of-fact business
man who scoffed at the idea of im
mortality: the other was a representa
tive, though not a typical one, of those
who believe in Immortality. Details
of their argument we shall omit. They
were both caught in the upper floor
of a burning hotel. The business man.
seeing that there was opportunity for
but one of them to escape and know
ing that he was without a family and
that the other had those dependent
upon his support, compelled his com
panion to take that one avenue of
safety. "But you will die," he
screamed as he descended. "I am to
live, but you will die." "No," called
back Thornton, above the crackle and
through the smoke. "I am up against
It and I have changed my mind; I
know I am here, and more than here,
more. I shall not die." The build
ing fell with a crash. He had sud
denly entered Into the experience. In
the crisis there had come a clarity
of vision which had not been his when
life was prosperous and disaster
seemed remote.
There is no greater tragedy , than
the life of him who never enters
into the experience, for whom Jesus
is always an enigma, for whom Chris
tianity remains an unsolved riddle,
who remains for all time a bystander.
An illustration of this tragedy If
found in an incident that occurred a
number of years ago, when Robert
Ingersoll was scheduled to speak in
Pittsburg. The day of the lecture he
received a letter from an old trlend
of his, a lawyer. This was the mes
sage: "Dear old friend: I see that.
ou are to deliver a lecture tonight
against Christianity and the Bible.
Perhaps you know some or my his
tory since we parted. Perhaps you
know that I disgraced my name and
my family, lost my character and all
that a man can hold dear In this
world. You know that I went down
until I became a poor despised out
cast, and when I thought that there
was none to save and none to help
there came one in the name of Jesus,
who told me of his power to help and
of his loving kindness and of his
Fred Newton at the organ and Miss
Ruth Collier as contralto soloist. The
pastor's evening discourse will be a
study in social salvation, his subject
being "Social Aspects of the Lord's
Prayer."
The congregation has recently ar
ranged with a religious printing eup
ply house for the publication of a
church directory and handbook. There
directories are now ready and will
be distributed on Sunday free of
charge. The booklet contains the
names and addresses of all members,
together with much information con
cerning the plans, purposes and plea
of the Christian church.
Dr- J- F- Ghormley will speak at 11
A. M., taking for his theme "The
Seer and His Vision." at Kern Park
Christian church. Korty-elxth avenue
and Sixty-ninth street. At S P. M
there will be a song and praise serv
ice, followed by an Illustrated lecture-sermon.
The annual excursion of the Mult
nomah County Christian Endeavor
union will be held Monday evening.
July 26. The trip up the river will
be made on the boat Swan, leaving
the foot of Jefferson street at 7:45
P. M.. and returning at 11:00 P. M.
Cash prizes are being offered for the
society having the largest attendance
proportionately to their membership.
Games and demonstrations will also
be attractive. Cash prizes are of
fered for competing societies. Spe
cial music has been arranged by Le
Roy R, Robinson, who is in charge
of the excursion. One feature of the
trip will be the music furnished by
a special male quartet. Refreshments
will be sold on the boat. Tickets may
be secured either from society presi
dents or at Christian Endeavor head
quarters in the Y. M. c. A. for 55
cents.
Rev. Brinkman to Speak on
"Man's Unseen Helpers."
Sermon Planned to Show God's
Presence at Times and Places
When Truth Has Been at Stake.
"TV! AX'S UXSEEX HELPERS" will"
'- be the subject of the sermon
of the Rev. William E. Brinkman Sun
day at St. James English Lutheran
church at 11 a. m.
In his address Rev. Brinkman will
show how the miraculous of divine
interposition has attested God's pres
ence at peculiar times and places in
the history of mankind, when truth
and righteousness have been at stake.
The Sunday school will hold its
session at 9:50 o't-incif in , v, v.--i
The Y'oung People's Luther league
and the evening services will be
oiu'tted during July and August.
At St. Paul's Lutheran church. East
Twelfth and Clinton streets. Rev. A.
Krause, pastor, two morning services
will be held. The subject of the Eng
lish sermon at 10 a. m. will be the
question of "Would You Be Lost or
Saved Were You to Die Today?"
At 11 a. m. a German service will
be held and the topic of the cata
chetlcal Bermon is "What Body and
Blood of Christ Do We Receive in the
Holy Supper?" Sunday school meets
at 9 A. M. No evening service.
Trinity Lutheran church will wor
ship Sunday as follows: German serv
ices. at 10 and English at 11:15.
Sunday schoo! will be held at 9:15.
The church "Is situated on Williams
avenue, corner Graham. Everybody
is cordially invited. J. A. Rimbach is
pastor. .
"-'
"The Comforter" center holds Sun
day services in the assembly room.
Portland hotel. Topics are: 11 A. M..
"The Understanding Heart." Ethelina
Lord Camnirtn: R P M Without
I Smell of Fire," Florence Crawford.
tender sympathy, and the story of
the cross of Christ. I turned to him.
I had lost my wife, but I returned to
my home and gathered my children
together, and we are happy now and
I am doing what good I can. Now.
old friend, will you stand tonight
before the people of Pittsburg and
tell them what you have against the
religion that will come down to the
lowest hell and find me and help me
and make me happy and clothe my
children? Will you tell me what you
have against a religion like that?"
Ingersoll's comment on the letter was
this: "I have nothing to say that
will do for this man. I am here to
talk about the religion of the preach
ers!" Granted that much of the preaching
of Ingersoll s day dealt with un
worthy minutia while many of the
great truths were neglected, vet
what an unspeakable pity that he
should remain a bystander, a looker
on, utterly ignorant of the vital forces
of Christ, whose touch had empow
ered the lives of men. How truly did
he say that he-could do nothing for
this man. In the presence of a drunk
ard who is saved, a ruined home
which is restored, a broken life re
generated. In the presence of the mar
velous salvation of Christ, and the
Joy of eternal life, the bystander can
only gaze with a blinking amazement.
But do not be a bystander. ii,nter
Into the experience of righteousness
Be among those who are, as Bergson
puts it, "in the midst of life, feeling
Its warm currents, hearing sympa
thetically Its many voices, gripped
by Its manifold mysteries, playing aJ
man s part in its onward progress."
It is all gathered up In the great in
vitation, come to Christ! Give your
will into his control. Try the surety
of his guiding hand. Give prayer a
trial. Do a daring act of Christian
service. "Taste and see that the Lordl
is good." Investigate the rest which!
Jesus has promised to weary toilers
Seek the blessedness which he ha-J
assured to those who mourn. Do not
stand off in critical aloofness or irJ
stolid indifference. If you are a man
if you are a woman, give the master!
a chance in your life!
And we shall find, as Paul found
that however much we have mlsun-l
derstood or underestimated Christian-)
ity, yet within it. there is a flood o
joy, a blessed peace, an elevation o
character of whjoh we have neve
dreamed, and which must be expari
enced to be appreciated. In the ar
gallery of an eastern city there is
picture by Dagas-Bouvert, represent
lng the supper at Emmaus. wltH
Jesus and his two companions. Th.
artist has painted his wife and lit
tie son kneeling in the foreground o
the picture, reverently paying obel
sance to the Savior. But he ha
painted himself standing in the back
ground of the picture, half amused
with feet apart, arms akimbo. Th
mother and the son have entered int
the spirit of the scene, the fathe
stands indifferent and unmoved. Wd
cannot appreciate Jesus Christ whil
we stand with a jaunty, Indifferen
attitude, with arms akimbo. We cai
understand Christ and experience th
saving power of his love only wheri
we kneel and in humility and e-ur
render recognize his lordship in ou
lives