Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1871-03-24

itself. All are to-day feaplng III SorroW anu
main perhaps the results of setting ut naught
the privileges once granted to them from
above. In the consciousness that the great
est good of the soul has been sacrificed and
in the inner assurance that there Is realized
no participation in the benefits of PARDON
ing mercy and of redeeming graGo, those
who improved their divine opportunities
received their merited recompense.
III. God holds men responsible for the
privileges he vouchsafcs them, because ev-
cry privilege of grace constitutes part of
his great redemptive scheme. Again, eve
nv Christian privilege is itself an iniunc-
tion-a command. God intends that it
should be employed to secure the end it
has in view. Therefore, those who neglect
any privilege, whatever be its character or
design, arc guilty Of perverting the Divine
purpose, and of dsobeying the Divine
commands; and for each guilt none can cs-
cape the just recompensc.
In the Baptist church, Sunday morn
ing March 10, Rev. l.. j. Matteson, pastor,
preached on the Parable of the Lost Sheep.
LIKE 10. This parable and that of the Prod
are two companion pictures. Together they
set forth the whole plan of redemption. The
first presents us the Divine side of saliva
tion-a loving God is revealed, seeking lost
man. The latter parable reveals the hui
name side-a pentent wanderer, arising
and seeking his fathers house. Both are
essential. God must seek man and man
must seek God, or there is no salvation.
I. The strayed sheep typifies man since the
fall. a. In his separation from God. Man
once walked with God in the green fields
and by the still waters of Paradise. Buthc
sinncd, and hid himself from his Friend.
He went afar from God. "All we like
sheep have gone astray." (2.) In his dam
ger. The sheep in the wilderness is in
deadly peril. SO is man. His way is
"broad,' but it ends in "dcath." Satan,
like roaring lion, goes to and fro in it.
The soul separated from God dies. 49, In
his bewilderment. The sheep was lost
knew not the way to a place of safety. So
men need not be told they are lost. They
know that. Pilates question, "What is
TRUTH" expresses mans spiritual Devil
derment They run this way and that, try
now one theory and now another seeking
in vain for way of escape. Alas! 1.-THE
world by wisdom knows not God" The
Divine Christ revealed the way of life and
salvation.
II. The good shepherd typities Christ.
~ In his compassion the shepherd did not
think harshy of his sheep, nor does Christ
of sinners. Jesus does not look unfeeling-
/ ltr gin To
does he say, at is no more than they
| deserve" He pities them. He takes
"no pleasure in the death of him that
dieth." (2.) In seeking the lost, Christ,
| like the shepherd, did not content him
self with plying. He left the green
fields of Paradise and sought after man
amid the thorns and pits and precipices of
| the world. Many were the encounters he
had with the "raging lion" 49, In his
success. The shepherd found his sheep.
Christ found men. He found Peter at his
nets, Matthew at his post in the custom
house, Mary Magdalene on the street, and
the lost woman of Samaria at Jacobs well.
Paul he found on the way to Damascus,
Newton he found on a slave ship; you and
me he found in our sins.
III. The rejoicing of the shepherd, and
/ of.his friends, typiies the joy that is felt
1 whenever a sinner is saved. a. Christ re-
ioices with JOY infinitely greater than
the shepherds. 1t was for this 'joy' that
he endured the cross and despised the
shame" (2.) The angels rejoice. "There is
joy in the presence of the angels over a sin
gle sinner that repenteth." 49, The church
rejoices. In times of refreshing their cup
of blessing is full a. The sinner himself
reioices. His joy is "unspeakabe and full
of glory Tongue can never express it,"
Be impressed now with three practical
thoughts: l. God loves you. "But I am so
troubled and afflicted" No matter. The
shepherd loved the sheep when straying
and torn. .. God wants to save you.
Christ came into the world for no other pur-
pose but to "seek and save the lost" ale
is not willing that any should perish HE
is able to save unto the uttermost. 3.
But the companion parable teaches that
there is something for you to do. The lost
son repented, arose and sought his fathers
house. This is the important truth for you.
You cannot be saved with your arms folded
must seek God. "In the day thou shalt
seek Him with all thy heart He will be
found of thee"
Centre church, March 10, 1871, A. NJ.
Rev. o. C. Dickinson of the American Sun
day School Union, who has been laborine
acceptably in the vicinity of Brattleboro for
several months, preached from Deut @: 3, G.
The Importance attaching to the earlier
years of human life was emphasized and
illustrated. The consequent necessity OF
care and effort that correct inscriptions may
be early made upon the imperishable tablet
was then portrayed: one hour, one lesson
one dollar, will tell more in influence upon
early life than the same hundred times
repeated at n later day. 1t was said that the
Christian church is unwise in that it leaves
the child too commonly until ne is enlisted
under the banner of anti Christ, rather than
seeks to improve the advantage of tender
years for Christ. The course of Roman
Catholicism with the children, and the eff
! feet upon infidelty of the training of chill
dreu in an acquaintance with the Bible
were described.
The importance of giving the Bible to the
child was then insisted on for the well-be-
ing of the child. The childs' nature is Won
derful; so is the Bible: bring them togeth-
err. The Bible meets the yearning Of the
SOUL and supplies wants which the round
of created things is impotent to crafty. The
Bible contains the instruction, the salvation,
which every soul needs. The claims of the
Sunday School Union were then briefly
presented. This society has founded more
than a thousand schools for Bible instruc-
ton during each of the forty-seven years OF
its existence. 1t has reached nearly three
million children. Above thousand church
es have grown from schools planted by the
Union. The number OF conversions in CON
nootio, with tho afnrfc of thiu enpiptv had