, 1876-04-10

&Q0 lUF1 11ln HQW tuAA NA4 A1oUE1 ~ SFb HE
casae tbs victory in Antioch Of corintii. when
frat p.osehed. 30 long ~ roligton continues to
change this world for tho better, tho Holy Spirit
will bs Ito agent in et1ectlng tho change: -
he.1tily, u: nors % practically why - it sbat. 10
frequently, Christian men abandon labor also-
gst6er. n II thoro wete no hope that Coils
truth will tr.umpt, OF else engsgo In It In spir.
4 81 =. + hs5 r." own ,,anhin SdHa
Christian people arc chertshtng some
sentiments, 4 the present time, which
repscaa faith In tho Holy Spirits work
Tho most obvious Of these must bc eEamlned:
ia Too often regarded snorely - divine intlu-
ehee rather than q neraon. believers sra not
sufficiently accustomed TO think Of HIN ~ the
personal representative OF tho 0odhend in ro-
eSoy havss oss tsas 81 IT, e @ 1 Z eas ysa
them to ignore His Agency Altogothor. and 10
think Of religion ~ proErossing. II At all by tho
general and {udo1ntta blessing Of God, bestowed
Dut Scripture soscl,os that the Holy Spirit il ~
much q person a. either tho Father OF the Bon.
Iio Is namnd with them In the baptismal for1nu-
ia. ue t. represented - distinct agent arar.
f5om both tho ether psssons& & 81 TIE Trinity
grioved or plessod. Il Ia In The norsoa Of The
2ioly Spirit that God IL with Ills people. In
His person, Chriat overmore sbdes in 1lis
Church. The whole act!v'tr Of graco In tho dis
penBation Of tha Gospel IL dependant upon Him.
Cn.y let this bo,iof obtain, aud thon wliatavor
convictions Christisna havo that divine
power is m acting ia s,rnt2s fsv1s q fon rogiOa
~ i porsou. having been charged viii
tho truss Of making religion prevail, is exoc,lt-
ing TINT trust. and will bs true to II to tho tri-
un1phant end
serving The regularity Of natural lau. 1noy SEQ
tic heavenly bodies nloys with such precision
TINT tho oclipsos aud the positions OF tho atsrB
can b accurately foretold for ages' to come.
Tho LAWS OF light, heat, and electricity, 30 far a.
known, have shown themselves as truo and reg
ulnr ns II executed bv tho hand OF Fato. Now,
this precision OF Law In nnturo eoems to have be-
cotton In aoma minds tho notion that tho Law ia
solf-opsEativo, automatic The idea, once formed,
goes oyer into tho reh1m Of spirit, aud mon aaT,
and ovon some Christian mon. though Of course
thoy do not hold any auch theory formally. fall
into 11abtt Of tacitly. 1uppcafng that spiritual
changes, like natural oncs, are to be classified
only. not accounted for; TINT spiritual laws en-
for any agent behind tlem.. Docs humanity
progress toward tho Divine ideal from ago to
ago? Progress Ia a Law OF Humanity, NO are
told. Is = soul converted aud q base lifo
hand. Tho aonl and tho lio havo boon
brought under influences Which nct by Law
for tho mural improvement Of mon. This 8ooms
10 bs enough to satisfy certain minds. Prayer
huu p4OfANHlCcs LUf4f4l1 u 4o1lEADut AuN I'LL tH4
blessed manifestations Of God's especial grace,
nro rilcd Of thoIr charm. sWl tho whole service
Of God becomea ~ uuaatisfyiug and tnonotonous
a. eau we'll be imagined. Tho Holy Spirit has
utterly ropudlatea. bocomos ontIro!y cold and
moauluglcss.
Thlrd-lt Ia Gods PLEASURE to operate IL this
world through mennH. Provisions for CTR plya-
tcnl subsistence do not present themselves at
tho bidding Of tho Almighty, all ready for the
As$f1 IN ~ tn Tfr -HH~
which comes into our Aold OF Wow there ia a
long chan Of causcs sad effects between puE-
poso and rc91lt-
Tho saus is truo in tho spiritual universe.
Of His pouer. and fit each OF His sa.ns for glory
without the narrowing and ofttinea fearful dis
clpl!ue OF u probationary caEeot, but lie has
chosen otherwise. ffo works By means, and
have no more right to look for spiritual rosults
than We have to staud lido through summer mud
oxpect harrost in autumu.'
Now, Ito Church OF slur age. more than that
Of any other bus caugh; ths spI1it Of Iii. dlvine
plnn. Ihote 10. at pr: ens,. u practical beltef
among Christians that faith without works ia
dena." "We must uso tho tnoanB." says eAoh
active disciple. and tho Church wna nsyer 60
exemplary as now in tla application Of her sn-
Aopoful tendency. aud promtaes much good for
Tho future. Yotft has Its thraateuinR aspect.
Mon can zee tho tz1enns that are put forth for
tho accomplishment Of npirtsual ends; but the
Almighty Agent: IN whom a!ono resides tho
.needful energy to change nous hearts. Is ho-
yotld tho deepest penettstion OF human BiRht.
We can 100 Iaui plant and Apolos Wator tho
celestial seed, but tho power that gives tho in-
crense e,uaoH our kconest vtaion. lionco, with
out much prayer aud rsNsetion upon Scripture
tcaohinc. we shall forget that any such In
visible power lies bohind the puny
efforts Of our hands. and vaiply dream
tb"t tho esusa'' 9hange.efrectng energy ia with;
When tho Church shall como to depend upon
aersices and mcans Of grace. however regular
and wo!l-attcndod, upon systoms Of tolisious
| work, however olabor*to.-upon her charities.
ahe Bha! oxpsot The great uebsos tho worlds
salvation to 10 WoYeu by Christian 1nachinesy
alone, forgetting tho motive powor Of Gods
Spirit, tAeu shall ior heart grow faint and hcr
buk aerse but to augment the dlsastor OF her
lourils-TheEo is atlu another tendency which
demands its word OF caution. II Ia to loan too
much On What what NO ., tsrm 1 trAtb 1 Tsason sna tho
did advocate Of the Christian faith who does not
bolieve that hls FoltEion is in accordance With
roaaon mono but con4ldcra Christianity tho very
highest embodiment bf truth. but truth aud
might sud cogonoy Which feDdors thom iuvincl-
ble; and wo arc inclined to foet that yolglop,
cnsomatcd aud ison-clhd iu theso, is 80 suro Of
victory a. almost to bq lnsulted W suSSeetlo1
that hho uosds further Helper.
Truth, reason. md goodness, indeed, do pos
soHa 4 certain Unborn energy. man truly haa
snnk low il Ae IL lot in Bome degree mored
by tho powor Of truth and virtue. but strong ~
the nntiye force Of these Immortal qualities may
be, our evil p1oponsiteB arc atsll stronger. Tho
nobler and bsaYer Of two contonding parties ID
any struggle may be conquered IT 1t have not d
fair cllzpoo. Or II It be outnamhored. TAia III
the caae with viEtun and truth aud ali our bottor
fa ~
they have no fair ohanco and .ollgion. .htch
embraces them al, without tho potent grace Of
tlle Holy Spirit might lay down her armour and
1osire from . lost lold. Doubtless "tsutl Ii
mighty sud will prevail" but mol OF llorself,- =
not apart from God. Truth, right, 1eason. TO-
itglon bvcp, layo Inhabited the Garth, aud have
exertoa their power upon men from tho tlrss
but how nlany ylctorlos had they won WHOM
tho Sou Of God enterod tho arena ot
this world, aud. through Ills spirit, commenced
conqueting tho hoarta Of men7 The auswor L
sad but doclios conslaalve!y Which clement 81
draw.