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4 THE PRESBYTERI
"CONFORMED TO CHRIST."
Methinks I hear the reader say, "Ah, here is another lecture
on purity of life." But wait a moment. Mayhap
there is in the text more than some men would perceive.
The text that is in our minds is in the first chapter of
Ephesians. There we are told that God has "predestinated
us to be conformed to the image of his Son." What is
the image of his Son? In the same chapter Paul tells us
that God "raised him from the dead, and set him at his
own right hand, in the heavenly places, far above all principality
and power . . . and hath put all things under
his feet, and gave him to be the head over all
things." This is the "image of his Son." And to this
uod nas predestinated us who believe.
1. Can it all be true? Is such glory as this in store
for me? In the twenty-fifth of Matthew, Christ says
that at the last great day, he will invite all the redeemed
to seats on his right hand. Does not this mean just the
same ihing? He who sits on the right hand has not indeed
the same, identical, glory, but certainly the image
of the glory. And in this invitation every believer has a
share. Is it worth having?
Consider for a moment the greatness of that glory. We
used to sing, "I want to be an angel," but as we read this
text we find that our place is to be "far above all principality
end power." Higher than the angels is our place
in the kingdom of heaven.
But there arises the question, What are the elements
of the glory of Christ? Upon what is his glory founded?
The glory of Washington is based on his faithfulness
and self-denial during the Revolutionary War. So the
glory of Christ is based upon his faithfulness during his
period of trial on earth.
In Revelation we read the ascription of glory by the
Redeemed, in these words, "Thou art worthy to take the
book, for"?note the force of the word "for"?"for thou
wast slain" and because thou "hast redeemed us by thy
blood." Those singers understood that his glory is the
outcome of his work on earth. If therefore we would be
conformed to this image, we must be sharers of the
grounds of his glory. This includes?
1. His love. We are to be conformed to the standard
of his love. The one chief glory of God is love, and the
love of Christ, the Redeemer, is even more conspicuous
than the love of the Son of God. Are we making ourselves
perfect in love?
2. His self-denial. The chief glory of Christ is because
he "made himself of no reputation," and "for our
sakes he became poor." His glory comes out of his self
denial?; our glory must come from the same source.
3. His sufferings to save others. In the second chapter
of Philippians we read that because he became obedient
even unto death, the death of the cross, "therefore"
God hath highly exalted him. Sometimes we groan under
sufferings, simply forgetting the fact that sufferings are
the stepping stones to the seats of glory, to which we are
called.
4. His holiness. If the life of Christ had been stained
with anv sin. all tllis orlrvrxr mrAnl/1 1.~ ? 1 T?
j , b'^"J nuuiu navt uccii llldllCU. Ill
order that his love and self-denial and his sufferings
should shine, it was imperative that his life should be
^without stain. Is it not true also of us? If we would
AN OF THE SOUTH. January 27, 1909.
be panakers of his glory, we must keep our characters
like that of our Redeemer, absolutely pure.
5. His submission to his Father's will. Over and over,
we read of Jesus as suffering disappointments. Read
especially the eleventh of Matthew, in which Jesus recounts
his disappointments, till he concludes with the
words, "Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy
sight." To this also, must we be conformed if we would
"be c 1 <ngcd into the same glory."
But when we have followed these steps, then it shall be
ours to meet him when he comes in his glory and to sit
with him in his glory. "In the regeneration, when the
Son of man shall sit upon the throne of his glory, then
shall ye also sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve
tribes of Israel."
THE CHAPMAN-ALEXANDER MEETING IN
RICHMOND, VA.
It is in midwinter, January 6 to 24, that the evangelistic
campaign is in progress, with rain, sleet and cold. Preparation
there was in the cordial co-operation of all Protestant
churches and ministers, in thorough organization, and
in a hundred household prayer meetings, simultaneous,
once a week for a month before. The evangelistic corps
numbering about twenty-five preachers, singers and
workers, came, with Dr. G. Wilbur Chapman and Mr.
Alexander, the great leader of song, at the head.
At the city auditorium Dr. Chapman preathes each night
to three or four thousand, and Mr. Alexander leads a
fine chorus of a hundred or more who lea/1 tho n-r?f
...V - -y ? 4V1*V? n?v gl vat A3"
sembly in gospel songs that are new, but easily learned.
And Mr. Naftsger sings in solo with great effectiveness.
Simultaneously in six large churches in all sections of
the city and in Manchester evangelists preach to assemblies,
often with overflow meetings in other churches. Dr.
Chapman preaches at 10 a. m. in large central churches?
the Centenary Methodist, St. Paul's Episcopal, and the
Second Presbyterian?to overflowing congregations,
with" many to hear who could not attend the over
crowdd night meetings.
Personal workers, who are minister*, church officers,
Sunday school teachers, usually persons of maturity and
character, under the guidance of Mr. and Mrs. Norton,
are in every meeting to watch for souls, to lead the inquiring
and to gather cards with names and addresses.
Mr. and Mrs. Ashe devote themselves to work in missions
among the lower classes and preaching at shops, in saloons,
billiard halls, in prisons and reformatories.
The Gospel has been preached at all of these manv
J
meetings without levity and without denunciation. There
is no criticism of ministers and churches, but everything
is done for the support of the pastor and the strengthening
of the churches. It is the same Gospel message needed
by all, rich and poor, high and low, of sin, of God's hatred
of sin and mercy to the sinner, of the divinity of Christ,
of the Atonement of the Cross, of rpncntanfouv.
of regeneration by the Spirit of God. The Word is magnified,
and divine authority declared.
A meeting of marked power was the luncheon-reception
given by the business men of the city to Dr. Chapman
and his corps of assistants. The mayor of the city, the
governor and lieutenant governor gave hearty approval of