The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-12-24


ploys for its production.
j. The hoppe the Christian man Is
SPECIFIC and we'll defined hope
q hope about which he can give
an answers hope which he can trace |
to its origin, and the operations OF which !
he is able, In some measure to explain. |
This NAV be seen from the use made of
the word (which" in the passage before
us. There is nothings loose, vague, and
indeterminste-"whic hope" What
hope? If you will turn to the preceding
verse you will read, "that by two immu-
table things, IN which 1t was impossible
for God to lie, we might have strong
consolation, who have fled for refuge to
lay hold upon the hope set before
us; which hope we have as an an
Choir of the soul, both sure and steadtast,
and which entereth into that within
the veil" The hope, therefore,
of the christian man is specific and well
defined, it is obtained by believing IN
Christ and retained by believing in
Christ.
2. We notice that this hope, derived
from Christ, relates to a condition OF
the veil. Now who can tell US what
there is within the veil? Who can con-
ceiYe what it Is to have Christ entered in
amongst these things within the veil, as
our fo:erUnner and representative?
w hist thought of ours can get up, even
remotely, towards the fact? What mind,
even If ali the minds in this congregation
could be consolidated into one great mind,
what mind could get up towards
realizing the fact of that which is
within the veil? There is the
inheritance of the saints IN light"
There are the "many manslons;" there
are the Lords redeemed ones, with their
white robes, golden hsrps and golden
censorsl But, above all, JESUS is there
as our forerunner, and has removed the
obstacles out o: our way and made all the
necessary preparations for our safe de-
parture from that which is seen and
temporal to that which is unseen and
eternal. 81 go to prepare q place for
you"
3. This hope acts as an anchor TO the
soul. 1t is called "the anchor of the
SOUL" This leads US to think of the sea
Of storms and tempests, and OF some gal.
liant vessel which, in order to be saved
from the storm, must have all tho appfi-
ances OF deliverance, safety and defence.
Have you never seen such vessel when
suddenly = storm has come down upon
her, and she has been unable to get out
TO sea? They then let go the anchor
as the only hope, the sole remaining
chance of escape. Suppose the anchor
drags, what then? Suppose 1t parts rom
the cable which unites 1t to the ship?
Suppose the anchor breaks? The doom
If the ship is sealed, for the anchor is
everything, and this hope which is so
beautiful compared to the anchor, is
everything to the Christian. Your trials
and perplexities are not only like storm,
but as storm from which yon cannCt
ge away. What could you do under
such circumstances, but for your hope
10 Christ? do not wonder that the
Bible call t u living, blessed and
glorious hope
4. This anchor of the soul aoiH neUeT |
taa. It is "sure and sieadisst" Look |
1T these two words: the word "sure" re-
feTs to hope itself, and the word "stesd-
fast" 10 that to which the nope relates.
Hence, then, We have the anchor, and the |
anchorage. Inc hope OF the good man
is sure, no matter what the strain upon 1t,
tor it was originated by the "God of |
hope, is sustained and guarded by Him,
and there ore II cannot be broken. 1t Is |
! sure thing. The believer mav be so |
much cast down Us to cry out why art
thou cast down, . my soul? and why art |
thou dlsqujeted within me?' But he |
Will soon take up that beautiful solio-
guy, Hope thou Ii God, Tor | shall yet
praise Him"
Moreover, it is no. only sure" it
is also "sleadtast" The former, as | have
said, referred TO the anchor Itself; this |
latter related TO the anchorage, "S.ead- |
asst that is, it has laid hold of that |
which will not let go. This seems to
have been the apostles thought
Now the anchorage of your hope will |
never let the anchor drag. If / were
asked what it is that constitutes this |
anchorage of the believers hope-thst is
to say, what will be the resisting force TO |
act against the stress and strain TO which |
v.
lsld hold of the "eXseedingly great and |
precious promises, which are ali yea and |
amen III Christ Jesus" 1t has laid hold |
81 the everlasting covenant which Is !
"ordered in all things and sure" 1t has
laid hold of the tree of lie which is in the |
midst of the paradise o. God 1t has IL d |
hold of the Rock OF Ages. 1t had lsld |
hold OF the two immutable thirg IS by |
winch God swore and cannot lie. Ii has |
laid hold o! the foundation of God, which |
standeth "sure," and against which "the |
gates OF hell shall not prevail" 1t has
eT tered into that which Is within the |
veil, and embedded Itself deep down into
the divine purposes, aud enwrappcd it.
self around the divine sil-sutiic,ency, and |
taken hold with its firm, broad, seven
told, gigantic grasp, OF the great high |
throne of God and of the Lamb, ard that
throne Itself must drag ere your anchor
will come homel
The last opportunity of using this an
Choir will speedily come. And what
:hen? You will get up your anchor,
and, like u ship in full sail, with
all her crew and passengers IN safety,
OSdTlu8 lnueCO lhhnlloll indications o.
fierce storms and tempests undergone,
but safely westhered, with everything in
proper plsce-in this condition YOU will
have An entrance ministered unto you
abuudantly, into the everlasting king
dom OF cur Lord Jesus Christ.
THE GERMAN PROT EsTANT ST. JOHNS
CHURCH.
Rev. +. Noss, tor his remarks yester-
day morning, took for his text the words
"Io would not" st. Matthews 1887.
This, he said, is perhaps strange text
for Christmas eve. We make prepsra-
tions for Christmas, the birthday of
Christ, but we are not worthy TO cele
brate this day, If Christ is no. born IN US
snd for US "Ie would noLr These
tew words had been spoken by Christ to
the leaders OF the Jews short time be-
fore His death. He called in their mind
ali the blessings which God had given
them: the beautiful country IN which
they lived, the prophets which were sent
unto them to tesCh the truth. But We