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8
Nazarenes." The friwi
with which they chara
events and movements <
not fail to find an appro
religious sect that was
sensation.
I. Significa
1. It evidences the
graphically and numer
lem ntul Tiiflpa
towns evangelized: the
in Caesarea and Damas
nahas had spent one v<
was coming into imme<
and it was making a pi
itself was soon to becoti
missionary enterprise,
tinct power and influen
a more definite designal
ers," etc. The beginn
marked by a new name
ing and must be poured
2. It indicates an ?
Church's mission and sj
conferred by aliens, she
erhood was no longer r<
Jews, but as a society
larger sphere. All nai
being freely admitted o
name fitly characterize:
neither Greek nor Jew,
cision, barbarian, Scythi
is all and in all." The
name became current i
Jerusalem, the city of
Jewish traditions, but in
and Roman civilization:
new dispensation of g
"Then and there the ch
its true and honorable 1
3. Jt points to Christ
and worship. He was t
ing and conversation,
was finally appropriatec
as most aptly defining
All former designations
word "Christian"; thev
their Savior, "hrftl-irpn"
and consecrated throug
Christ their Master. T1
of an old European tov
the form of a cross. T1
from every corner you o
pile. So it is with the
the midst," the focal poi
activity.
II. Thoughts S
1. What a wonderful
What a growth of the
doctrinal knowledge, sj
three centuries that li
hand grew to six mill
fifty millions; and froi
doubling in five hundr<
entv-five and forty, nui
* r
THE PRESBYTERIAI
lous and witty Antiochians
cterized the various parties,
>f the times, and they would
priate nickname for this new
beginning to make such a
nee of the Text.
n-mii.t K 1
ui me \^nurtn, |^coically.
Myriads in Jerusam
converted; the Samaritan
(lospel preached with success
cus; and now Paul and Barear
in Antioch. Christianity
liatc contact with paganism,
rofound impression. Antioch
ne the center of international
Christianity was now a disce,
and its adherents needed
:ion than "disciples," "believing
of a new era must be
; the new wine was fermentinto
a new bottle,
mlarged conception of the
>here. This distinctive name,
iws that the Christian broth:garded
as a mere sect of the
with a new missinn o
tions and classes were now
n equal terms, and this new
s a Church "where there is
, circumcision nor uncircuman,
bond nor free, but Christ
place and time in which this
s significant. It was not in
the old dispensation and of
i the Oriental center of Greek
>. And it was not until the
race was fully inaugurated,
urch received from the world
lame."
as the central object of faith
lie constant theme of preachllence
this term of contempt
1 by the disciples themselves
their character and mission,
were summed up in the one
? ?1 1! ??
wcic utuievers 111 t^nrist
in Christ, "saints" purified
jh Christ and "disciples" of
lere is said to be in the center
rn a lofty marble building in
le streets are so laid out that
btain a view of that cruciform
Church: it is ever "Jesus in
int of all life and worship and
uggested by the Text.
history that name has had!
Church in territory, numbers,
firituality and influence! In
ttle despised and persecuted
ions; in ten they numbered
n that time they have been
:d years, three hundred, sevmbering
now about six hun
M OF THE SOUTH.
dred millions. The mustard
tree and the Christian nation
The name once an epithet oi
the most influential in the w
2. How proud we should
It is an ancient and honorabl
it are Christ's namesakes, an
credit it are promised even
write unon him mv np?r 11a
citizenship in the kingdom
boast, "I am a Roman cit
prouder claim, "I am a Chn
in heaven" (Phil. 1:20). Let
own that name. A Roman e
build him a great theater, v
massacre of Christians. In t
of horror the architect stood
am a Christian," and was tl
"If ye be reproached for the
are ye; on their part he is expart
he is glorified. If any n
let him not be ashamed, but
this behalf."
3. We inherit the name; c
implies? Or are we only "
be a Christian is to be a Chi
sonal relation to Christ?fai
Saviour, loyalty to him as Lo
tion to his service and con
spirit. It is not to be a mere
believer in a system of doci
pure morality, but to have
Jesus himself that we may ti
is Christ"; so to witness fi
conduct and conversation thz
nize something different frc
quiring a distinctive term, "1
so that if we should settle ii
religion would be as recogni
or business, or politics, or so
4. Let us dignify and not c
words, once contemptuous e]
Methodist, have become enot
to whom they were applied
honor, have become debased
member of the Societv of T
almost a synonym of Christ
and abhorrence. The name
depreciated in direct ratio w
lives of those who bear it.
that nameth the name of Chr
Graham, N. C.
It requires supreme tact, a
nature, generous instincts, a
with a firm loyalty to the trul
to reprove, yet leave no lasi
who attempts such a thankli
quite superior to the infirmit
he animadverts and which
should always command the
the person he tries to influent
unimpeachable example of th
ommends; otherwise his cha
self and call down upon hi
"Physician, heal thyself."?J<
June 30, 1909.
seed has grown into a
is are the world powers,
t derision is now one of
orld's vocabulary,
be to claim that name!
le one. Those who bear
d those who do not disa
better one: "I will
me.'' It is the title of
of our Lord. The old
izen," gives way to a
istian ; my citizenship is
us never be ashamed to
mperor had an architect
vhich lie opened with a
he midst of the carnival
up and shouted. "I. too,
ung to the wild beasts.
: name of Christ, happy
il spoken of, but on your
lan suffer as a Christian,
let him glorify God on
lo we exemplify what it
called Christians"? To
rist man; to have a perth
in him as the divine
rd and Master, consecraiformity
to his life and
: member of a church, or
trines, or exemplar of a
such loving loyalty to
uly say, "For me to live
jr him by our ordinary
it the world must recog>m
itself, something re"hat
man is a Christian";
11 a strange country, our
zable as our nationality,
cial nature.
legrade that name. Many
pithets, like Puritan and
>led by the lives of those
; others, once terms of
. Jesuit, which meant a
esus, and was therefore
ian, now excites distrust
^nristian is exalted or
ith the noble or ignoble
Therefore "'let every one
ist depart from iniquity."
large knowledge of human
t fine moderation coupled
th, in order to criticise and
ting sting. Above all, he
ess office must himself be
ies and errors upon which
lip cApI'C f a li/>
confidence and esteem of
:e, and ought do be a high,
e quality or virtue he recrge
will recoil upon hims
own head the proverb,
:>hn Sparhawk Jones.