The New York herald., 1870-11-07
SERVICES IN WASHINGTON.
T0vRTH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
The Higher Life In Jesus-Sermon by the
Rev. John q. smith.

The Higher Life In Jesus-Sermon by the
Rev. John q. smith.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 1870.
In the morning the pastor. the Rev. John c. Smith,
preached the llrst OF o series or sermons on "The
Higher Life" taking for his text John ", 39:--
search the Scriptures for iii them yc think yc have
eternal life; and they they which testify OF me.n
Whence ana who am !, ana what Is my future, are
questions OF Importance to all. Is life in original
or is life derivedf III other words, are seli-ex-
istent created9 we hold that all are crca-
lures OF Divine power and being creatures are not
sell-eSstent The Bible alone. OF all books tells us
whence we are, who we are and whittier
we we are e,o going; Our life rs derived from
The same power that created Is necessary
| TO continue life and beng ana TO prevent re-
turn OF all things TO chaos. The Saviour says
'earch the Scriptures.n Tae Word of God is called
the scriptures, because at tnat time they wr,t
ten with the pen and we're the revelation OF Cod
We nave now these Scriptures IN type, and they
have been furnished ~ tho VIII ole world and our
duty Is to search them carefully and prayerfully
Here ID the Scriptures we have The record OF lie-
wnat 1t Is ana whence it came. 1t is the duty or
every man to combine all his energies TO make the
most out OF lie While he Is here on the earth. and he
wili learn how to do this rom the Scriptures. Wh-
out this book the human mud would lie cropping IN
ignorance and darkness. Midnight darkness with
oul IL Wouiu rest upon the soul.
THE NATURAL LIFE IS IN US.
But the spiritual, the eterna HE y In Christ and He
win give II 10 all VINO search the SCRIPTURES We are
directed 10 search untL we know This eternal life
and md it, The law OF the Lord is perfect. il We
only searchsthc Scriptures shall 90 on to perfec
ton. Iney are In our hands ana we TO search
them. The disposition oil mankind is TO listen more
TO oral testimony. No man can read the Word of
God and feel that they are the words OF man; they
have IN themselves the evidence OF their diyinlty
| II we search the Scriptures we viii have
THE MIND OF CHRIST.
What Is called inward experience cannot be de.
pended upon because OF the contingencies and nn-
certaintcs OF our mortal condition, but the ScIip-
lures are an unerring ruie The power OF the
scriptures Is ielt ~ We give ourselves TO their
search. The deeper and higher we go the more
blessed Is our experience The search OF tile Scrip
lures leads US into lie anu light and gives higher
experience Oh what God has revealed. Every man
that hath tins hope IN him purineth himself as he IS
pure. Eternal life Is set forth Ia these Scriptures
and If we search them we are wise In these things
Eternal life Is the git OF God, ana IN tins spiritual
life there IS growth. Christ ID the vlne we are the
branches. Paul writes TO Timothy, in the Second
Epstle third chapter, fourteenth and fifteenth
verses "But continue thou IN the things which thou
hast learned and hast been assured OF, knowing OF
whom thou hast learned them; and that FROM a
child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which
are able to make thee wise, unto salvation through
faith which is in Christ Jesus.r DR.. smith gave
notice that he would preach the second sermon OF the
series next sabbath morning.