Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1867-06-20
asliuIous MlIsrellanp.

young Christian belonging to family
of wealth and influence, "but the
world thinks lightly Of Christians
who indulge in such amusements, and
wish to have my piety unchallenged
allow long will your people listen
with interest p said astrange preach, /
er 10 pastor. al have never tried
them, and would advise you not to,
was the reply. If your sermon IS
good, don't spoil it by overgorglng |
lfitis poor, they will want less Of it.
Sodependents the Christian church |
upon the Holy Ghost, that there new
er was an acceptable sigh heaved by
penitent apart from him; never did
holy song mount to heaven except he
gave it wings never was there true
PRAYER or faithful ministry except
through the power ard might of the
Holy Ghost.
To educate a soul for heaven is as
much a divine task as to emancipate
soul from sin To comfort a de-
spending Christian, to strengthen his
weak hands and confirm his feeble
knees, to brighten the eyes Of his hope,
and to give him nerve TO hold the
shield of his faith-all these are the
work of the spirit Of the living God
1t is not by regretting what is ir
reparable that true work is to be done,
but by making the best Of what we
are. 1t is not by complaining that
we have not the right tools, but by
using well the tools we have. Where
we are, and what we are, is Gods
providential arrangement; and the
wise and manly way is to look our
disadvantages in the face, and see
what can be made of them. Life, like
war, is a series of mistakes, and he is
not the best Christian nor the best
general who makes the fewest of false
steps. Poor mediocrity may do that;
but he is the best who wins the most
splendid victories by the retrieval Of
mistakes. Forget mistakes; organize
victory out of mistakes.
If our religion were one of mere
inteIlectualism, we should only need
we'll trained minister, who had
passed through all the grades Of hui
man learning, who had stored himself
with the best biblical criticism, and
was able to instruct and illuminate
our understandings, and we, if we be
men of Judgment ourselves, could prof
it exceedingly well. Our faith stand
ing in the wisdom ofman, the wis
dom of man could be easily found,
and our faith could be confirmed.
But if our faith standeth not in the
wisdom of man nor in the eloquence
of human lips, but in the power of
God then in vain do we make a pro
fession, unless the Holy Ghost dwelleth
in our inner man.
Now, Christian brethern, disdain
TO sneak out of trouble Disdain to
send out engineers to see which way
you can 60 and keep out of the forest
Straight and narrow is the way.
Take direct line, and follow it with
out turning to the right or left. If
God sends you trouble, say! 81 was
built for trouble, as much as the ship
that goes to sea is built for storm
1fsuffering comes upon you, let it not
daunt you. Conquer It. And with
pride wear the scars which you receive
in conflict The lines and wrinkles
on mans face are Gods handwriting,
and the charters Of the mans glory,
FIVE only knew how to tointerpret such
writing.
From old twas decreed, "The Lord
hath laid on him the iniquity of us
ALL Jehovah made to meet upon the
head of the Substitute all the offences
ofhis covenant people but each one
of the chosen is brought personally to
ratify this solemn covenant act of the
Great God, when by grace he is ena-
bled by faith to put his hand upon the
head of the "Lamb slain from before
the foundation Of the world" My
fellow believers, do you remember
that rapturous day? My soul recalls
her day of deliverance with delight
laden with guilt and full of fears, /
saw my Saviour willing to be my
Substitute, and l laid my hand, timid-
ly at first, but courage grew and conf
dence was confirmed, ! leaned my
soul entirely upon him and now il
is my unceasing joy to know that my
sins are no longer imputed to me, but
laid on him.
man may worship through awe,
or through a sense of duty, and i
think there are hundreds of men in
the churches now who are only Teli.
gious men, and not Christians. A
man who feels toward God, only awe
or fear; who obeys merely from duty
who is under the dominion of con.
science rather than love, may be re-
ligious, but he is not Christian.
Such live by conscience, they live by
bond, bound by tie, by fear.
Their life is literally one OF service
they are fatally servants of God, not
in the sense in which the words arc
largely used in the Scriptures, mean
ing simple disciples of Christ, but
they are most literally Gods hired
men, or worse, Gods bondsmen.
Men must learn no longer merely to
tear God, no longer to tremble as be.
fore a tyrannica master of despot.
ic governments but come unto him
through Jesus Christ, and say, 'Iord,
| love thee, | trust thee, and will
serve thee because l love thee"
The church of Christ was designed