The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1877-09-13
ELEMENTS Of a L,ViNG Gospel.
A Sermon Delivered in the First Pres.
byterian Church in lcavem W. rlls. by
the Rev. ". n. Page. sunday Morn
ing, September 9til. 1871

| "For our gospel came not unto YOU i'm wort
| only; but also in power, and in the Hoi y
| Ghost and in much assuraDce."-I. Thess.
/ Ii.
| The use of the pronoun hcre-.sOur gospel
does not infer that raul originated IT, but thai
| he brought il 10 the Thessalonians. 1t oiD,,
| infer, however, that there may b.. Oih,r Cos
| pels, or that there may be- different methods
| Of presenting the same gospel.
We hear much to-day Of an cBldscildfed Cos
pei, /. e., form or shape from which All that
| Is strong has been taken. And there is or has
| been, a great -dcil OF IT, IL fits the worldly
| age better as Ia its fashions and tastes. The
| r. al, unadulterst.d gospel OF Christ, which
requires self-dcnial, Integrity, and IA full exer-
| else of the principles of the golden rule, ~
well as ia IN, il 10 IA certain degree unfasiIiOu-
| able. II rather works against modern views
and desires. Yet We all want To be religious.
We have 10 desire To TIE rid of church and
chaplain, prayer or preacher.
But in many places Intentionally, in others
insensibly, the vital, sin conviciing, seIf-de-
nying elements OF Cnrist's gospel have been
lad aside in the pulpit, ignored in the pew /,
drawn out OF the badly OF religion: and what
is left il "A soft, yielding, formie>s, emdscBittcd
gospel-the name and the form without the
Lille and elements Of power.
But in the true, pure living gospel of Christ
dlone Is there any abiding power of good,
growth or salvation. Men can have about
any form of religion they please. But if they
want a sound, saving, sincere system theymust
take Christs IN its entity. IL will not do to Top
of "A part here or add "a part thsre-neith-
er will il be Wise 10 take the heart out of IL,
set up its corpse, and say We are religious
We have a church, We have Christian
church.
Paul touches on the elements of a sound,
living gospel in this we're of our text He
sures them that they are tine elect OF God, L.. 9.
really chosen aud redeemed of God, because
the gospel lac brought them, and by which
they found peace in believing, was true,
pure, genuine. compile. Hence, trusting in "A
complete, living gospel, they Were sure OF, or
elected 10, a living salvation
Now, are there persons here to-day who de-
sill To- ia lao.
are not content with form and show? With
an emasculated religion but who must have,
and will have this true, pure, living gospel, at
whatever cost, and however much II may in
terfere with or go against their worldly de-
sires and pleasu-rs and passions. II SO, l ask
your CAREFUL, critical attention To this verse:
for here. Paul applies fhe acid to the gold
the gauge 10 the form-he probes the profess
sion 10 rnd the heart-the soul, the lie of il
all. And by comparing your own religion
my nearer, or If you have none to speak Of
your theory of religion with Paul's as here
stated. yen can tell If yours is genuine.
First: The real, living gospel does not con-
Tip religion nowadays. IL the gospel did
come in the word alone, as Paul says it does
not, but if il did, We would be sure the mil
lsninm was near for there never was "A time
when preachers and preaching abound-d.
Men OF both high and low degree, and of all
creeds and crowds are mp in the pulpit or oa
the peculiar tene:s of their own faith, and
Calling IL gospel" II the gospel came in
the word only, it would have been here and
every whers long ago, Tor there has been
preaching enough in the last quarter centu-
ry 10 convert the world, II preaching could
do II. But even where the true gospel has
been preached and taught and nothing more. |
Where clear, doctrinal, exegetical, spiritual |
practical sermons have been givenc until IL |
might well be said, the people had been fed |: |
Yet II all had stopped there. il has been a
failure. The gospel cemeth not by word |
only, although tine word Is 50 vitality neces- |
sary.
there has been much preaching, there has al |
so been much hearing of the word P,.ople
have throns.d the halls and the churches TO |
hear. And theyl hare heard and criticised \
and discussed, and affirmed and denied
Take this cfty. What an amount OF Preach
ing. and what hosts of hearers. Yet, who can
say that Chri>t's gospel has done its work
here: has had It's Influence here has had
It's due influence that the seed has sprung up
and born even a small percentage OF the fruit
il ought. Surely il the power of the gospel
came To US in the speaking or the hearing OF
he woid merely, this would not be So Bar
il does not! The speaking and the hearing
has lacked something as we shall see. Too
much of IL has been as the prophet Ezekiel |
was warned of God, his preaching would be.
Dr. rather received AS his was.
EzEK. a,:s3: And 10, thou oyf unto
hem rs a very lovely song of one that hath a |
pleasant voice, anu can play well on an 10. |
.;rument; for they hear thy words, but they
10 them mott
The preaching has been q lovely song per.
maps: and the preacher had pleasant Voice:
md the people heard the words, but, s.they do
hem not" Yes, all preaching and hear
ng. all religion that stops with them, goes no
urther, is a dead failure. But, not thus came
he gospel TO this church in Thessalonica.
They heard the gospel onesunday. and~th.y
lid il on Monday.
second: The gospel then, that Paul carried
o Thessalonica and preached there, had
naul, in his text, is giving the secret Of iis
Irength. Ii did not consist of word only. in
i'd not simply lie in has preaching o. ih>ir
tearing, but, In the second place, and pox,
lively, there was poscer in this gospel: .not
n word only, but In power" It was The story
{ the cross. II was the oplan Of God to save