In His Name

foreign [Music] [Applause] [Music] uh [Music] uh [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] oh [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] now now mrs swanson dr james i've been keeping house for you for the last five years yes i know you like the windows closed but i like them open well it's beyond me how you can work on your sunday sermon with all this noise that's driving me to distraction now now it's not about all that besides my address for tomorrow isn't a sermon what i'm working on is an appeal to the generosity of our members to support our missions now that i'm for too if you ask me we could use a mission right here in this neighborhood oh dr james can't you do something about the children playing out in the street do you realize how dangerous it is you mean uh for them or for your nerve both but i think you should do something about it well now i know the street isn't the best place for youngsters to play but where else could they play [Applause] [Applause] i wonder what they're running from the police no doubt poor little ragamuffins taught to run from the law almost as soon as they learn to walk what a pity if you ask me i think it's a blessing at least we'll have a few minutes of peace peace isn't always a matter of physical quietness mr watson real peace comes from within oneself sometimes a person's mind may be an utter turmoil amidst deadly silence while another may be completely at rest in a boiler factory well be that as it may doctor me i'm a woman that likes a happy medium well there goes the sexton toward the church with the flowers now if you've got your mind set on having everything just right at the service tomorrow i'd say you better go fix things yourself before he gets them all messed up beyond vixen maybe you're right mrs swanson [Applause] how are you getting along hello doctor what'd you say i said how are you getting along fine fine how's that pretty good eh that's very good but uh you won't mind if i help you a little will you you see vivins tomorrow is a very special day is it yes indeed tomorrow this church and i start a new life our denomination needs more missionaries so i must arouse our members shake them out of their apartment that's why i'd like to have everything just right the music the flower [Music] oh no [Music] so that's what they were running from the stained winter of christ now how do you suppose it oh i always said those boys ought to be chased away yes yes mrs swanson has said it too but that doesn't help now [Music] can i really blame those children am i not just as guilty perhaps even more so after all what have i ever done for those youngsters oh sure i've invited them to sunday school and i visited their dingy flats but have i really demonstrated to them the love and compassion of jesus have i ever challenged my congregation to help those needy people to do something for those children in the shadow of our own church pardon me doctor oh yes there's a boy out there left a message for you oh thank you oh he's gone now he wasn't dressed fit to come in not dressed fit mrs swanson don't ever say that again i'm sorry but you should know by now that any boy with any problem can come here at any time of the day or night excuse me doctor he left this note for you oh thank you mr swanson dear preach i smacked the ball through your window i didn't mean to i'm sorry they say you're a right guy and you won't squeal but even if you sick the cops on me i'll pay for the window eight cents is all i got i'll send more soon as i get some your friend eight cents poor kid wasn't it mark who said and jesus sat over against the treasury and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury and many that were rich cast in much and there came a certain poor widow and she threw in two mites yes hers wasn't much of a contribution either and he called unto him his disciples and saith unto them verily i say unto you that this poor widow hath cast more in than all only eight cents but can i make a contribution just as worthy [Music] [Applause] [Music] i have chosen for my text this morning a few words from the teachings of jesus words which are well known but which we take too lightly too often you'll find them in the 25th chapter of matthew they read as follows and the king shall answer and say unto them verily i say unto you in as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me my friends i've had a very strange experience something has happened to me something which i'm sure will color what i have to say today i shall give you no platitudes no pretty phrases today we'll get down to earth down to smelly apartment houses and boys playing in dingy streets i've noticed how many of you have been looking at that broken window wondering how such a sack religious accident could have happened in a house of the lord perhaps some of you would like to know who is responsible for this i'll tell you we are you and i yes we are responsible because we've been too complacent too smug and self-satisfied no we didn't actually break the window this ball did it and when it came hurtling through that window it ripped out the beautiful head of christ let us contemplate this headless figure for a moment then ask ourselves if christ is the head of our church should we not be a serving church ministering in his name to the spiritual and physical needs of our neighbors and friends such as the boy who threw this ball my friends that boy isn't responsible for this broken window we are because we've given too much lip service and not enough of the christian spirit we've neglected our spiritual obligations to that boy this ball and this window have jarred my soul and i hope it will jar yours and make us all realize that this church must dedicate itself to a mission a mission not only unto the uttermost parts of the earth but right here at home a mission in the nearby parking lots a recreation hall a clinic a day nursery all of the things that this neighborhood needs for a better life and we must give sacrificially to such a program as sacrificially as did the child who sent me these these eight pennies came from the boy who broke that window i don't know who he is and we aren't going to find out the note that came with the pennies said that this was his first payment on that winter so here is that boys first offering truly given in the christian spirit i shall make the second toward the establishment of a definite program through which we can discharge our christian responsibility to the people of our community i have been offered ten thousand dollars for the house in which i live that will be my contribution and i pray that my gift may be as pleasing to god as i feel these eight pennies to be well if you ask me doctor i'd say you were out of your mind and if you ask me mrs swanson i'd say i never felt better in my whole life yes if this wall hadn't struck that window we'd still be in the same old rack but now now we're on our way i'll say you are now you're going to live in a dingy old flat and for what may i ask in as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me eight cents is all i got i'll send more as soon as i get some your faith mr arden the new owner of your house is here to see you doctor well i have him come in this way mr good morning come in come here good morning doctor i found i just tucked under the door doctor oh thank you hi [Applause] would you would you excuse me for just a moment sure sit down please thank you [Applause] [Applause] oh it's it's another offering from the boy who broke the window 45 cents this time i may be around to see that new window after all don't you worry you'll see the new window all right and many other things too well mr arden it looks like we'll be all packed and ready to move out by the end of the week uh that's what i wanted to see you about i know you've gone to a lot of trouble to move out hurriedly but well i suddenly find myself in a most awkward position yes my family refuses to move in now the way my wife puts it she feels if you can afford to give up your home we can afford to let you stay in it you mean you mean you want to cancel the sale no no i mean i'd like to have you stay as my tenant i know that you've paid a month's rent on an apartment but i could credit you with that mr arden i i can't tell you how much this means to me may i may i ask how much the rent would be well shall we say 20 a month doctor 20 a month quiet well you could rent this for 65 at least 50 any day of the year i suppose so but it's just like my wife says and if that boy can send you 45 cents i guess i can afford to rent you the place for 20 i hope that you'll stay i will but only on one condition the rent must be at least the same amount that i was ready to pay for the apartment all right doctor you've got yourself a new landlord thank you so much and god bless you oh uh i'll try to be a good tenant and uh have the rent on time i'm sure you will goodbye doctor goodbye all this work gone for nothing now we've got to unpack all these things and uh didn't you hear the good news what'd you say i said unpack everything we're not moving well i never thank you father doctor yes well if you ask me i still think you're crazy to a soldier house but well you're wonderful doctor god is wonderful mrs [Music] so and [Applause] you know i think the face is more kindly more compassionate than the previous one you really think so maybe not perhaps the difference is only in my own heart and yet looking at it now it gives me such courage i guess what you started will require curry's doctor yes uh how are you coming along with the project it's a much bigger job than it looked mr arden even though our members are responding generously there's so much to do so much to accomplish and so little to do it with sometimes it frightens me and then then i think of the words of jesus if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed say to this mountain remove hence to yonder place and it shall be i believe that mr odd it can be done and will be done in his name but this isn't for business tony we wanted for a recreation hall for the youngsters see see i know positor but i got to get to some rent to know you know we can't afford to pay rent tone hustler please i like it for be good the guy but if i know you uh you okay son yeah i'm okay oh why don't you kid stop playing in the middle of the street i am father's mustache where else we gonna play mamma mia those are kids they drive me crazy every day one of them is almost to get the kill tony you have a boy just about that age haven't you see he plays in the street too doesn't he not if i catch him but the summertime sign no catch that boy just a moment ago might have been killed and that boy tony might have been your son see see it could have been my kid okey dokey positor the starchy is yours thank you tony and god bless you the boys will appreciate your generosity too ambassador please i am not the journalist how i know maybe my kid he's the one who break at the window uh this [Music] she makes me feel good this is only a small beginning tony there's much more to be done and i might as well get on with it now i have an appointment to keep with mr mcgregor and i go right along with you you let tony make it the pitch huh i tell that skinny flint he started to listen all right come along tony why do you have to have this lot you already have a recreation center for the boys yes but that's only a small room mr mcgregor mostly for rainy days see silly the kids they have to have a nicer place to play when the sun shine the two i don't know about that but i this lot would be wonderful large enough for the boys to play all kinds of ball games and and perhaps later we can afford a swimming pool swimming pool well uh just a a small one mr mcgregor don't you see what this would mean for those boys and for our church mr james i've turned down a lease for a hundred dollars a month but since it's for a good cause you can have it for 50. 50. you crazy you wanted for someone to pay you to clean up your own dirty lot so your own kids have a nicer place to play now look your boy and the rest of the boys will be playing here too i only wish we could pay rent mr mcgregor for why he should get the pay huh look the mac you know that the big window in the church how much you think she cost well i don't know an awful lot i suppose you bet you and the mack how do you know maybe it wasn't one of your own the kids would you break it at the window well i don't know and listen to this a dumbac maybe you like a more better dissed dirty a lot than your own the kids maybe more better you like take a chance one of your nicer sweeter little kids get a kill in the street oh well for the kids and for the church you can have a lot thank you mr mcgregor thank you [Music] oh look at that one you know i'm mighty glad you talked me into this does my heart good to see the kids off the street we're in the passenger now you can relax relax tony could you relax if you'd receive [Applause] this you reader max i know read english is so good dear reverend i've been sick and i couldn't work that's why i can only send you two dollars i see that the windows been fixed but i still want to pay for it next month i start high school i'll get a better job evenings and send you more money your friend [Applause] no my friends we can't relax there's still too much to be done we need a medical clinic a day nursery mr james that that boy aren't you gonna look him up no he asked me not to see see but you should tell him he's a money you no need her so much and now like it before and deprive him of the inner satisfaction he gets from doing this no no tony someday when he's ready we'll know who he is in the meanwhile his little gifts will spur us on and keep us doing good unto all men in his name [Music] dear dr james sorry i can only send five dollars but i had to buy my graduation sweater this week it may take a long time but somehow i'll pay in full meanwhile the wonderful things you've done are a constant inspiration to me i'll be a better man because of you [Music] your friend [Music] my boy if only you knew what an inspiration you've been to me oh father thank you for the broken window and by it showing me your will please take care of our friends [Music] i'm not stopping you from anything am i no no not at all don this week is a little easier for me i have no sermon to prepare oh who's going to be in the pulpits on me or one of those young graduates from the seminary our congregation has to have some relief you know who wants to hear the same old voice see the same old face we love that same old face doctor thank you thank you be that as it may i'm going to invite more of these younger men and more often it's a big help to them it gives them poise and confidence it's good for us too they have fire and enthusiasm you're still hear from your little friend no not for a long while but i still pray for him and i shall always be grateful for deep in my heart i know that our people can never sink back into that old comfortable rut not while this ball is here to remind us of our christian obligation [Music] my friends today we have a guest in our pulpit a young man who's made a remarkable record at the seminary from what i understand god has used him in marvelous ways therefore i'm very happy to present to you the reverend john taylor please forgive me this is an unusual occasion my text is one short verse from the book of matthew one which i'm sure is familiar to all of you in as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me to me that is a memorable text because it was the turning point in my life when i heard it spoken by a certain minister you see i was converted in a mission near a great church it wasn't a great church because of its size or wealth but it was great because because it had a pastor who was possessed with the spirit of christ a man who was capable of imparting that spirit to his congregation yes it was that pastor who by his deeds showed me what christianity really means from him i learned that christ lived and died for all people including urchins who roam the streets yet i never joined that church because i was afraid afraid i'd be despised by the other members for what i'd done through the years i have carried a heavy burden but now i'm no longer afraid doctor would you please stand beside me i have a public confession to make to you and your congregation i was the boy who broke your window you oh my son tell me doctor was the one i broke as beautiful as this one in my heart this one will always be more beautiful doctor you you'll never know what a momentous occasion this is for me but for your ministry that shattered window would have broken my life but because you ministered unto one of the very least of these now i may minister today my friends this is indeed an answer to our prayer for years we have served and now here before us stands the proof that our striving was not in faith and as christ is the head of our church may his spirit so kindle our hearts that no sacrifice will ever be too great no task will ever be too difficult for us to do in his name [Music] you