The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-11-26
THF SECOND BIRTH.
sermon Delivered at the First Presby-
Eerian Church, West Philadelphia, by
the Rev. DIR, Butler.

Services were held in the morning at 1890
o'clock. A very instructive sermon was deli
vered by Rev. DR.. Butler, upon the question
that Nicodemus put to our Saviour. 1t is found
il 4th verse, Sd chapter, of the Gospel accord
ing to JOhn-"NIcOdemus saith unto BIN, How
Can man be born again when he is old"
Except a man be born again" said Christ to
Nicodemus, che cannot see the kingdom of
God" Thinking only of natural, and not Of
spiritual birth, tie question sprang to the lips
OF the ruler. propose to use this question "a
applicable TO spiritual birth. 1t is question OF
power. Can the old man, Injured to sln, and the
man in his prime, be as easily brought under
the influence OF religion as the more Impressive
youth? large majority of Christians become
such in early lie. From that period onward
the proportion OF converted persons invariably
and greatly decreases through manhood to age.
The nrst positive hindrance to conversion Is
the pride, sel6shness, and depravlty which is
firmly rooted in the natural heart. 1t dem lrs
and chaes against Gods requirements, and is q
resistant principle exercised passlveiy and
actively towards the truth and the spirit of God.
There are also the Internal lusts, and perverted
passions and appetltes, and the lures of worldly
ambition that are always at work 70 stimulate
that ruling principle to action.
There are counteraCtng influences from God
human affection and authority in the family,
and law, government, and public sentiments,
and the oreaniZed Church OF Christ.
From our experience with unconverted youth,
the possibility of conversion dlminisnes IN IL
tearfully rapid ratio with every added year of
life. Good influences stir the Young nature
powerfully but often 1t resists and yields 90 evils
at first, shrink ngly, but, by constant habit and
growth. the evil is fastened on his nature with
rivets OF steel, and the resistance TO goo1 Is
more and more powerful. five trace the course
of the same soul or through manhood, how
necessarily must the result oil his natural acting
be the same How certainly must every thought
of good and evil presented to his mind, every
influence eXerted upon his heart, come lncreas-
ingly to have the one effect OF feeding and estab
fishing the evil principle, of warding of and dead
ening the force OF all that is good The hardening
| effect OF time upon stone and cement, or OF ire
| upon the minerals underlying the granite beds
| of the EARTH are but faint symbols of the hard
enlng effects on the heart Of so, 60, or 20 years
of wilful, defiant resistance TO the force of Gods
truth and spirit. 'Thy neck, is an iron sinew,
and thy brow brass" is the language God uses
| 10 show forth the hardness and obduracy of the
| sinner. And when we see the tremendous in-
| huenceS that are resisted by the dlsooedlent
| heart, we can see that the comparison is very
| striking one,
The Influences by which God seeks to disarm
! the sinners resistance are immeasurabe and
mighty His goodness alone would seem seem
| the beauty and grandeur Of nature, that pre-
longs his lie, and protects him daily from un-
nun bered dangers; that exerts a constant
| watch on the springs of lite itself. Yet the
| hardened heart casts all this aside.
| But stranger than all, he comes Himself, and
| suffers upon the cross self-endured shame and
agony and with his pierced and bleeding han Is
and feet and heart, cries out, in tones that well
might melt the hardest heart, IAN this have |
endured tor thee, to get thy love, to cleanse and
save thy soul, to give thee peace and Joy and
life forever" All in vain. He appeals to our
fears for the future. The loved ones depart,
and He afiiicts him with painful sickness, and
yet he laughs at these teIrors and 6ereavements.
We should see to it that we do not by our
power of example cast impediments in the way
ofsalvation of the young. il the old and hardened
sinner can be brought to feel his condition. he
! maybe born aealn-"how old soever he may be
born again of the Holy Ghost.'
In the evening there Was a temperance meet
ing, held for the furtherance of the principle
amongst the churches and the Christian com
munity. The Rev. DR.. Brooks spoke at lengtf
upon the subject what had been done, and wha
| thp Church