"RE-DISCOVERING THE GOSPEL"

People often wondered if amid ruins of an­tiquity there lies buried a lost gospel! What if there are manuscripts buried in some ancient sanctuary? What we would not give if we could bring to lighta fifth gospel. Our present gos­pel is so inadequate and fragmentary. What we would give to know something about the "Hidden Years". Perhaps there might be some clarifica­tion of the Mind of Jesus and His message of the kingdom. Rather a vain hope of course.

But many stories and legends grown up round that hope. Fascinating story told by Arthur Train. Tells how at outbreak of First World War Trent, an American and Harnach-Hulsen, a German, found a startling manuscript in some ancient ruins in Egyptian desert. Purported to be Fifth Gospel, written in Latin in house of Pontius Pil­ate. Written by Roman gentleman, Silenus who had interviewed Jesus to see if his teachings were treasonable. Silenus wrote down answers of Jesus in respect to ownership of property, war, and other matters of controversy.

Trent, american archaeologist overjoyed and wrote home "This 'WOnderful manuscript going to change everything". Harnach-Hulsen reacted dif­ferently. Ideas opposed to German concept of culture. ~vanted to destry it. Quarreled. Trent killed and Fifth Gospel burned by his partner.

Breathtaking - but pure fiction. Futile to hope there is such a manuscript. There is no Fifth Gospel - there is one gospel. But there is a lost gospel - not lost in desert of ~gypt but lost in sands of indifference and neglect. And it needs to be re-discovered.

Need to Re-Discover Gospel of Urgency

Impressed by sense of com­pulsion and urgency about New T s t ament and gospel

s t ory . Ministry of Jesus completed three years. ~ver upon His way - other cities; other people. Hurning sense of compulsion; "Work while day".

(There are) millions who claim adherence to faith in the Living God, but who would be ashamed to get excited about it. That would be bad form. The faith is harmed far more by such timid upholders than it is by violent enemies. The worst blasphemy is not profan­ity but lip service.

Our ancestors believed a gospel which involved the note of urgency because it was concerned with damnation and salvation. It had a mas­culine vigor about it. Ours has become a Christianity and water with both the urgency and the vigor gone.

In any case, the problems of the world are so great that they cannot be solved by those whose convictions are half-hearted. The crisis is too deep for that.

- ~lton Trueblood

(There are) millions who cltiim adherence to ftiith in the Living God, but who would be ashamed to get excited about it.. That would be bad form. The faith is harmed far more by such timid upholders than it is by violent enemies. The worst blasphemy is not profan­ity but lip service.

Our ancestors believed a gospel which involved the note of urgency because it was concerned with damnation and salvation. It had a mas­culine vigor about it. Ours has become a Christianity and water with both the urgency and the vigor gone.

In any case, the problems of the world are so great that they cannot be solved by those whose convictions are half-hearted. The crisis is too deep for that.

- ~lton Trueblood

"RE-DISCOV.ffiiNG THE GOSPEL"

People often wondered if amid ruins of an­tiquity there lies buried a lost gospel! What if there are manuscripts buried in some ancient sanctuary? What we would not give if we could bring to lighta fifth gospel. Our present gos­pel is so inadequate and fragmentary. What we would give to know something about the "Hidden Years". Perhaps there might be some clarifica­tion of the Mind of Jesus and His message of the kingdom. Rather a vain hope of course.

But many stories and legends grown up round that hope. Fascinating story told by Arthur Train. Tells how at outbreak of First World War Trent, an American and Harnach-Hulsen, a German, found a startling manuscript in some ancient ruins in ~yptian desert. Purported to be Fifth Gospel, written in Latin in house of Pontius Pil­ate. vvritten by Roman gentleman, Silenus who had interviewed Jesus to see if his teachings were treasonable. Silenus wrote down answers of Jesus in respect to ownership of property, war, and other matters of controversy.

Trent, ~~erican archaeologist overjoyed and wrote home "This wonderful manuscript going to change everything". Harnach-Hulsen reacted dif­ferently. Ideas opposed to German concept of culture. 'danted to destry it. :)uarreled. Trent killed and Fifth Gospel burned by his partner.

Breathtaking - but pure fiction. Futile to hope there is such a manuscript. There is no Fifth Gospel - there is one gospel. But there is a lost gospel - not lost in desert of ~gypt but lost in sands of indifference and neglect. And it needs to be re-discovered.

Need to Re-Discover Gospel of Urgency

Impressed by sense of com­pulsion tind urgency ~bout New Tes t dment dild gospel

s t ory. Ministry of Jesus completed three years. ~ver upon His way - other cities; other people. Burning sense of compulsion; "Work while day".

-2-

lfirst sermon - "This the acceptable year of the Lord". Same urgency in His teaching. Look at some of the parables. "Friend at Midnight"; "Wise and Foolish Virgins"; "Wedding Banquet". Jesus was urgent. Wanted men to recognize His Lordship and give themselves to God.

Same breathless urgency in Early Church -infected by His spirit they went out and liter­ally "turned the world upside down". Crucified of course. "Get out in front and they'll take a crack at you" says Stanley Jones. Not one of apostles died in bed - martyred. No indiffer­ence or complacency there.

\lesley - the world was his parish. Rough roads of England . Criticised by Dr. Johnson. Healey "never able to sit down and talk". Always on his way. "Evangelical Revival did more for Europe than victories of Nelson and '#ellington".

J).1essage of urgency. "Be saved now or be damned". Believed in imminent return of Christ and end of this world. An edge to the preaching. Have lost that sense of doom and urgency in our modern preaching. Yet there is a sense in whi ch we do face doom and corporate disaster unless we make our Christianity function. That is evident.

e either make our religion work or we perish. Listen to Elton T'rueblood.

In our time, Nazism, Shintoism, Communism have shown us what real commitment means. Mis­guided fanaticism, of course, nevertheless sense of mission and urgency and consecration. Dante's "Inferno" has a place for for those who shirked responsibility - neither hot nor cold. Leaves them outside heaven and outside hell. Unwanted.

Headline - ncHURCH IN FLORIDA REPLACES HARD PEWS VHTH ROCKING CHAIRS" Uncomfortable, hard pews never saved anyone but too much rocking chair religion - and too many rocking. I pray this church may re-discover sense of urgency and may realize the fun ct ion the church should be playing. Thank God, I believe the church is be­ginning to be concerned - the World Council s­sembly was concerned. And thank God Fremont has same sense of urgency - must do something for our generation and society. Are you with us?

Need to Re-Discover Gospel of Universality

-3-

The Early Church was a fellowship. Knew no boundaries and recog­

nised no essential difference between Jew and Gentile, Greek or barbarian, bond or free. All children of God within the fellowship; and 11 within the saving grace of Christ whose kingdom is universal.

How we are divided in our relationships. Our American society is full of divisions. llnly church has message of reconciliation. The church in the name of her Lord sits in judgement upon all systems and philosophies. There will be no national peace until men catch a vision of the Universal Christ and apply that spirit to every realm of our economic and political and social relationships.

Need to re-discover gospel of universality in relation to our divided world. Need to re­member there are 300 million Indians; 400 mil­lion Chinese; 200 million rtfricans. To s y nothing of thousands of displaced persons and suffering men, women and children - and they are all children of God - for whom Christ died . It is around the altar of the church that all men kneel as children of the Father - God.

But must get it down to where we live. asy to talk about these relationships when they refer to peoples thousands of miles away. Let us not forget the si millions of Negro Protestants who cannot worship with white people in Protestant churches. /hat would Christ say? I know Christ told about a certain man who went down from Jer­usalem to Jericho and fell among thieves .

Need to Re-Discover Gospel of Personal ACCount­bility .

·rl e ..1r s t ew rds. All gifts tm.d all graces are given to us by God - and to

God we shall have to render an account. Health, ba ckground, talents , opportunities all belong to Him - that is the Christian teaching. Cannot read half a dozen pages of gospel without running

into this idea. nTo whom much is given, from him shall much be required It.

I think of those who have worked this out in terms of service and accountability. Fritz Kreisler - "I was born with musi c in my system.

as a gift from God. I never look upon the mon­ey I earn as my own. It is public money - fund entrusted to me for proper disbursement".

George ':Jashington Carver. Eminent scien­tist. .!!'eels himself in creative partnership with God the Creator and spurns mere wealth.

Albert Schweitzer in Lambarene, Afri ca - a great scientist, musi cian, thinker, philosopher - with a deep sense of accountability to God •

..l£ne rson Marc ley - a farmer who caught a farmer who twenty years ago caught a vision of his stewardship and ever since has given his tenth to the work of the church and ministering to poor and needy of the world. Wherever ther is need his money is ready.

I think of a schoolteacher who has sent a ten dollar parcel of food to ~urope every month for some years.

I think of others, in this church, who have keen sense of accountability to God and who give and serve to best of ability.

isi t t o B rmingt on Congr g~ tionctl Church. Initials on boys' side of church. Heautiful old pulpit. ~d individual candleholders of wrought iron in the pews. Symbolism: if you were ab­sent then your light did not shine. The old church needed everyone. There was a responsi­bility. We need to re-discover that sense of personal accountability inthese days.

" 'Why call ye me, Lord, and do not the t1Jings wbiciJ 1 say? "

IN A DAY when so many are wont to speak glibly of

"The Lord/' it is surely pertinent to ask, Who has a

right to call Jesus Christ his Lord? Certainly not every­

one who has a slight or passing religious interest . Rightfully

to call Him Lord, a person must recognize a very definite re­

lationship between the Lord and himself. That relationship

is suggested by Jesus Himself in the question, "Why call ye

me, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"

Mere lip service is not enough. Deeds according to His

Word are required. "He that doeth my Father's will" has a

right to call Christ, Lord. It is a sober thought expressed by

Jesus when He says, "Many shall say to me in that day,

Lord, Lord- and then will I profess unto them, I never

knew you. "

"The things which I say." The Sermon on the Mount is

a summary of these things. Through them is established the

relationship between man and his Lord. They embrace all

of life . By these sayings man is to live, to labor, and to serve .

Only in the spirit of love, faith and obedience can man

rightfully profess, " My Lord and my God. "

A.P. H. No . 891 l itho in U.S.A .

I"" •

1fl!ly L01rd

FREMONT STREET METHODIST CHURCH Gloversville, New York

September 19, 1948

ORDER OF MORNING WORSHIP

ORGAN - "Carillon11

CALL TO V;QRSHIP - By the minister HYI'!N 80 - "0 my soul, ble ss God the Father" RESPmiSALS :

Sower by

Stuttgart

M.inister: Create in me a clean heart, 0 God; Peopl e :

~ftinister:

People:

And renew a right spirit within me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; And uphold me with thy free spirit.

Minister: 0 Lord, open thou my lips; People: And my mouth shall show forth thy praise .

DOXOLOGY - To be sung by a.ll

* RESPONSIVE RF.ADU:G - 38th Sunday - page 605 GLORIA PATRI ::APOSTLES' CRF:ED SCRIPTURE LES SON - 2 Corinthians 4

* AHTnEM - "Irrunortal, Invisible, God Only Wise" Thima.n PASTORAL PRAYER :: LORD'S PPJl.YER ORGAN OFFERTORY - "Built on a Rock" Hokanson PRESEKTATION OF TITrffiS hND OFFERINGS HYMN 240 - "What a Friend we ho.ve in J esus" Converse SERMON - "RE-DISCOVERING THE GOSPEL" HYMN 182 - "O Spirit of the Living God" BEHEDICTION : : CHORf,L n .ll.I!EN ORGAN - "March" * Interval for Ushering

Rev. Fred Clarke, Minister

St. Leonard Danish

Handel-Best

Miss Gloria Ia.cone , Minister of Busic Mrs. Harvey Connor, ~J!inister' s J~.ssistant

Mrs. Keith Gifford, Church Secret a ry Mr. Lewis Cunning , Sexton

10:30

10:30 11:45

7:30

CALENDAR FOR TODAY

Morning Worship and sermon - ''Re -Discovering the Gospel 11

• Anthem by the Fremont Choir. Children's Division of the Church School. Youth and Adult Divisions of the Church School. Opening fall meeting of the Couples Club at the home of Mr. and !~rs. James Mullins, 21 James St •• Installation of new officers, Refreshments. Union Evenir.g Service at First Baptist Church; prea cher, the Rev, Lawrence Larrowe.

Tho f'lowors on the altar are given by Mr. a.nd Mrs. Robert W. Stewart.

TT!f~. ·wED .

11:00 8:00 .a.ill.Q 6:30

THlTRS • 6 :30

7:30 .§1:1.. 9:30

THROUGH THE lflEEK .' .. T FREI1iONT

Weekday School; grados 10 to 12, E.F.W. Cla ss moets with !.1rs, William Sigety. .Meeting of the Finance Corrunittee • Cover ed Dish Supper for Church School of­fic es a.nd t eachers and others who desire to attend. Following the supper the movie "THE WORLD 1§. RICH 11 will bo shown, The Werner Workers will meet for a covered Dish Supper at tho church. Fremont Choir rehearsal . Rehearsal for the Carol or Children's Choir, This choir is for boys and girls of ages 9 to 12 - members of the Junior Department. Cordial Class meets at the Ogden Camp.

• Miss l'!JD.rjorie Gensemer, formerly Minister of Music at Fremont was r ecently awarded a. Mary Wooll0y Scholarship by the Institute of International Education. The schol­arship provides for n year of independent music study in Paris, France, HElr address, Fonda tion des Etats­Unis, 15 boulevard Jourdan, Pnris, 14c , France,