PREACHING THE CROSS.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14472, 28 September 1912, Page 17

PREACHING THE CROSS.

Dr. S. G. Smith, of. St. Pan], Minnesota, who occupied the City Temple pulpit last month, referred to his recent address at the Eugenics Congress. Ono single sentence spoken during the course of the debate, ho said, had attracted! more attention than the whole of the address. He happened to remark that if he were to choose his father he would rather have a robust burglar than a consumptive bishop. Most of the papers, however, from "The Times" to "Punch," ignored his additional remark to . tho • effect that he would wish immediately after birth to be adopted by some other pirent. HowevcT, this was perhaps tho greatest of all social or religious questions, so ho proposed on another nicht to speak on the problem of the child. Dr. Smith's sermon was full of striking phrases, and was a bold and independent exposition of tho words, "I am crucified with Christ." "We sometimes hear it said," ho observed, "that there must he a restatement of Christianity. That is not want. Our real need is a reincarnation of Christianity, a now miracle, a fresh passion, a modern Ca'.-vary. The. world is disgusted with tho Church because of the flabbine.ss of most Christians, because they don't live-as if they meant it. AVhat do we mean by tho Gross? Wo mean faith in the possibility of human gocdne.e. T)o they nrcach tho Cross at your church?' is a question sometimes- asked. Thero is one way to toll. If tho kind of preaching they give you gives you searching of heart, makes you feel uncomfortable until you aro a better man or woman, if it retranslates itself in service arid good deeds, if it makes you more careful in speech and-moro tender in your conduct, if, however dimly, it brings out the photograph of Christ upon your soul —then they are preaching Christ at your church. That is what the wor.'d wants." Dr. Smith, it may be added, is a native of Birmingham. Ho is pastor of tlio People's Church (Congregational) at St. Paul, as well as regent of tho .University of Minnesota, where ho was also for ton years lecturer on sociology. He pessrsses threo doctor's degrees, and ' has to his credit a long career of social : service. •■■_■■■■ j