New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-09-17


to bond and to free-the same gospel O
\ salvation, glowing with the love Of God and
atfiuent in hope and happiness to all whose
heart should open to receive it; and while
to some it came as ''the power Of God" t.
others it was ''foolishness! thing scorned
and turned from as an idle tale-a message Il
provoke a slnIe-tO make the philosopher
exclaim, paul, thou art beside thyself,,
and to provoke the rude and illiterate t<
jeer and curse and even to stone him! And
now, as he reviews these opposite results
he writes, "the preacher Of the cross is tt
them that perish. foolishness.'
Let US now pass to consider
II. The two classes to whom Paul
preached-them that perish. and those who
| are saved.
Them that perish " How sadly solemn
is that language! 1t is like moan from
the graves Of the departed! Them that
| perish! 1t sounds like the sealing up OF
! the destiny Of a ruined sOul-the closing and
the clasping of the book of life against those
who count the gospel "foolishness.' And
that word perish" is go crowded with sad
] associations that one can scarcely hear or
| speak it without feeling Of depression.
| We think Of men drowning in ocean waters,
| altar from succor, where the tempest bowls
! through the air, and the sea is dashed into
fury-wrecked, helpless, hopeless men, they
are perishing! Or We think Of the traveller
lost amid Alpine passes, where the driving
| snow has obliterated every vestige Of his
| path, plunging alone through tie deepening
drifts, while the icy blasts chill him through,
| calling aloud for help, but calling in vain
still struggling on, till bewildered and hope
less, he clasps his hands in an agony of de-
spair. and falls prone amidst the heavy
drifts-he is perishing! 1t is something
more than death; it is to expire amid pro-
Jnv vaI &c <A cfrf or
against the terror which assails. yet to
do so vainly; to have life wrenched from
| the grasp which clings to it with the energy
of despair-this is what we think Of when
we read the phrase, them that perish
But what wonder it would be should we
read of one who persisted with the
means of safety at his side! of wrecked
should be hailed by the lifeboat's crew. and
vet refuse the extended hand that would
draw him from the waters Or Of trav-
eier, who should be met as he struggled in
the snow, bewildered, cold. perishing, met
by sturdy guide with proffers of help and
directions to a place Of safety, but who
should turn deaf ear to the friendly prof
fer. repel the offered help, and die with life
and comfort. in his reach. Would not we
thus when they might ive-might, if they
woulds Yet such suppositions only illus
trate the Apostles meaning in the text,
''they that perish" do so with the means of
rescue at their eide. 1t is not that there is
no hope. for have said that the preaching
of the Cross is the preaching Of hope, and
that cross is held out to them. 1t is to the
perishing soul what the lifeboat is to the
sinking mariner, and the call which comes
"Lay hold upon eternal life ~ Is not it
strange that any situated thus will perish.
and that age after age should merit the
complaint of Jesus to the Jews, ''Ye will
not come unto me that that We might have
life - Thinking Of this willfhl infatuation
one feels (how can he help go feeling , like
pleading with the perishing upon their own
behalf. pleading as did he, the apostle Of
my text, who besOught men even with
tears, pleading as did the pathetic Wesley.
who wrote the touching hymn, Sinner,
Turn. Why Will Ye Die :" But, alas! to
hearts in love with sin, 1.-The preaching of
the Cross is fOolishness.'
How pleasant it is to turn to the other
class named by the Apostle-"Them that
are saved" To them, he says. the preach
ing of the Cross is the power Of God They
see in it truth which convinces. a wisdom
that charms, and tenderness which wins
their hearts. 1t seems that Paul, in this
language. places the Cross foremost amongst
ploys the definite article as if to single it
out from all besides as The power Of God"
Creation exhibits Gods power. That
mighty system Of worlds, suns universes
which ELL the fields Of space-all called into
being by 1.-The word of his power proclaim
the Almighty one.
All nature about us displays power
lodged in the sunshine, bealning in the
stars, breathing in the wind. and flowing III
the streams. But never are any OF these
declared to be the very power Of God,
described. God has lodged in it match
less energy, go that it does what is possible
for no power besides to all who are saved
by it. 1t is a subduing power: breaking
down the opposition Of the WILL laying the |
pride Of the human heart PROSTATE in the |
dust. and bringing the soul in childish sub |
mission to the feet Of Jesus. The infu- |
rated Saul of Tarsus no sooner felt that |
power than he surrendered every purpose.
aueror Of his soul. Like child crying to
its parent for direction in its felt ignorance |
and weakness, he cried 70 Jesus. Lord, |
what wilt thou have me dor The enmitv |
which rlazed so fercely but an hour be- |
fore is all quepched now, and at the Mas |
ters direction he seeks out and sits at the |
feet Of one Of those disciples whom he had |
come to prosecute and destroy. What but |
the power of God could have subdued the |
naughty Saul! And the same power it was |
which smote our hearts Of pride and un-
belief, made US willing to take the yoke |
upon our souls and to cruelty the sins that |
were DESTROYING us: the power of God |
reaching us through the cross.
2. 1t is sanctifying power Staying the |
love Of sin, and leading the redeemed soul |
to loathe the evil which wrought such suf- |
fering to the Lord of loves.
3. 1t s saving power, delivering from |
The condemnation as well as the guilt of sin, |
and bringing the soul into light and liberty |
And this three-fold power, subduing, sancti- |
wing, saving, flows from the Cross alone
It is that which cOnqucrs, it is that which |
leals. The Cross. revealing Gods deep ten
lerness and Christ's unmeasured love, Opens
he heart to the entrance OF all good and
noble feelings, and changes the soul by it's
transforming grace. Who of US all, nav,
Who Of the whole family of the redeemed
,ut can adopt the language of Newton's
quaint but most truth-speaking hymn
I'm evil long took delight,
Unawed by shame fear,
Till q new object met my sight
And stopped my mad career
The text asserts that those who have thus
cit the power Of the Cross are saved by its
mercy. ITO us who are saved, it is the
'ower OF God There is no looking forward
o a future period-it is not written that
hey shall be, but that they "are saved"
md what a thought is that. Saved"
Yes. where the Cross has slain the enmity
Il the natural heart, and has become the
lay star, leading the soul TO the fountain
" cleansing, that soul is saved.
More happy but not more secure
The glorined spirits in heaven |
Over such a soul the second death can
AVE no power. Satan may disturb. but
AN not DESTROY. Sin NAV burden. but sh.U |