The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-01-30
The Revival Meetings.

A large audience gathered at the First Bap-
| tisst church last evening to listen to Rev. Mr..
McWhinnie, who had been announced as the
| preacher for Monday evening. The choir.suDg
the hymn "The half was never told me-" and
Mr.. McWhinnie read the SD chapter of Isaiah.
DR.. Smaller offered prayer and the choir sang
| "Drsw we nearer
The preacher took his text from LIST Cor. Is
"For the preaching of the cross is to them that
| perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved
| it is the power of God" If ever there was an
occasion when the doctrine of the cross should
have been changed or held in the background,
1t was when Paul preached to the polished
Greeks1at Corin.h; but he determined to hold
to the simple, pure, unwelcome Gospel-repul-
sive though it might be to men, Is the offence
of the cross unknown at this period? By no
means! Let us look at what this assertion of
the text declares. First it declares the
entire sinfulness of our whole race 1t was not
as an example that Jesus died. The sacrifice
implies that there was some atonemert to be
made. The sin that was to be atoned for was
not mishap-an accident-t was the deliber
ate fault of man, without excuse; and to make
atonemenJ for that sin Christ died on the Cross
But this is all foolshness to the natural heart
Again the justice Of, God is set forth by this
sacrifice. God is just and holy Being and he
will inflexibly execute the penalty of that law
which man has broken. But this is foolish
ness to the unrenewed mind of man. Again
the utter helplessness of man to save himself is
shown forth by this declaration. The first i'm
pulse in man, when he has become sensible of
his sins, is to make some effort to save himself
instead of trusting to Christ's finished work.
But if man could save himself there would
have been no need that Christ should de- But
this is fQS..Saness 20 tno natural hesEs c.
and he cannot understand it. But look at the
other part of the text-"But to those who are
saved it is the power of God" 1t is only when
we can speak from the Apostles standpoint
that of perfect, finished salvation-it is only
then that we can rejoice in, and WELD with
power this glorious doctrine. The cross is the
power of God to those saved because it is Just
adapted to their wants Men know that they
are sinners against God The whole world
the entire race feels guilty before God and to
such the doctrine of the cross brings salvation.
Again it brings salvation to man in his help
lessness Man cannot do anything to secure
salvation. The doctrine of the cross tells of
finished salvation secured for those who would
be saved. The cross is a power because it sat-
isles the soul by enabling the saved sinner to
enter upon grateful service for God. 1t first
sets free add then calls to service; and this is
what the soul needs. Man must appropriate
this salvation; and this of his own natural
power he cannot do; but when he is willing,
then divine grace enables the sinner to do this.
The command is not given for us to try to
come, but to come, come believe, surrender
these are Gods commands. There are two
solemn words in the text saved-perish. Oh |
may all feel the solemn import of these words, |
and hasten to accept of that salvation which |
Jesus has died to secure
The congregation sang "Must Jesus hear the |
cross Alone" and Rev. Mr.. Clark pronounced |
tie benediction.