The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1862-01-02
For he Journal

Mn. EDITOR - The following Is sketch Of q
sermon preached at the Maumee City NJ. +. Church,
on Christmas Eve, by Rev. J. A. Shannon,
Text. Daniel 9th 24th.-" Seventy weeks are de-
termned upon thy people and upon thy holy city,
10 finish the transgressiOn, an to make an end OF
SIM and to make reconciliation for iuiquity, and to
bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up
the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most
Holy"
In these days we not unfrequently hear it said
that Christianity is a failure. The effort is made
to impress upon the popular mind, the idea that the
Christian religion has outived the age of its uscinl-
ness To meet these objections, propose to consider
these questions, viz
lst. Is the Christian religion what tho prophets
foretold it to be aud 2nd, Has 1t accomplished
what the scriptures Of the old Testament declare i
TO be sent TO do2
The text is supposed TO contain in small compass
all that the prophets - through the spirit - hat
promised Of blessing in the coming of the Savitr
In answering these questions, consider the items o
this prophecy " TO finish the transgression." The
marginal reading is " to restrain transgresSon,
and in this case is the better translation.
Christianity does restrain transgression. That is
indeed, shameless vice. and not contagious, which
is not restrained, by the presence OF its rites, OF
representatives ltexerts its restraining power in
all lands where il has gone. Enlightened civiliz
ed, and barbarian ieel its influence.
| But, il is Z" to make an end Of sins" But,
you say" it has failed them for sin still exists.
! But so does Christianity For eighteen centuries i
! has struggled with sin, not with war nor battl,
sound but with the "Swurd of the spirit, the breast
plato of righteousness, the shield of faith" it ha.
struggled, and not in vain. He who rejects the Cos
pei because ii has not yet accomplished all that
is sent TO do, or refuses its blessings because al
others have not received them, will yet be found
! it may be-refusing the light of the sun becau 81
it is not always at meridian splendor and rejecting
the sprig, not oak because it has not the gian
! proportions of the monarch of the forest. Chris
! tianty operates on individuals. Person by person
existence by existence, il seeks TO draw men from
! vice to virtue. Inindividua hearts it makes al
end of SINS"
But it is again "to make reconciliation fo
iniquty." Jesus has done all for us, that the Law
required us to do, and suffered all for us that thu
| law required us to suffer. Hence in this aspec
Christianity is not failure. Mans effort to atom,
for himself is failure A confusion equalled only
by that which put sudden stop to the cont ,mplat
ed building on the plains of Shinar, is fount
amongst men; as to how they shall redeem them
selves, and as to what price they shall pay TO
their souls redemption. God, in Christ make
reconciliation for iniquity," and thus brings il
everlasting righteousness" the righteous one
who is everlasting, and all they who are His ar
like Him.
But, the vision and prophecy, are to be "sealc
up" The vision ceases, and Christ exemplifes ant
accomplishes in his life and in his church, the pro
phecies
Then, he is anointed Priest and King forever.
MAUMEE CITY