THE great transformation which Christianity early effected had its inception deep and unseen in the hearts of Jesus' disciples and early followers. They had become convinced of the reality of God's creation and of the infallibility of divine law. This conviction soon manifested itself in purer thinking, the influence of which on their actions was not to be stayed. The first followers of the Master distinguished themselves by qualities which we know as Christian.
These qualities and their practical fruits constituted the appeal by which Christianity won men's hearts. Thus Jesus proclaimed to his disciples their further activity in his prophecy, "Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." As his witnesses they testified of him not with words only; but in and by means of their consecrated lives they proved themselves servants of God.
Is there still today a duty for the Christian to be a witness for God and for Christ? Most certainly there is. We are not relieved of this duty to bear witness to God and His Christ; it exists now as then. Christianity needs present-day true witnesses. Why? Because what may be called orthodox Christianity is no longer the Christianity whose life breath is the spirit of Christ. This living Christianity has in the course of time become chilled by dogmas and doctrines, ritualism and ceremonies, traceable to a mistaken sense of Deity. But the true Christian qualities which were the glory of the first Christian communities cannot be destroyed. The yearning for the Father remains.
