Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1880-03-18

day evenings. There is but one voice
these discourses, that Of
praise for the subject matter as well
as the manner. We think these SER
mons have been productive Of much
good, even more than is now appa-
rent.
"I am the light Of the acorld: he
that folloaceth me shall not scdk tn
but shall hare the light Of
8: IL. -.
"And God said-Let there be lights
in the armament of the heaven to
divide the day from the night: and
it was So" That was in the begin
ming when the darkness of the ma
tural world was displsced by the
light of the natural world. Long az
forwards God again spake, and it
was doGe; again He commanded, and
it stood fast; again He said, "Let
there be light: and there was light"
The glory of the Sun Of Righteous
ness burst upon the world-the clouds
of moral darkness were scattered
the morning came-and the day fol-
LEVIED the night. Once again the
morning stars sang together, and the
Sons of God shouted for joy. Once
again life was king-Once again
death was dethroned; the stone was
rolled away and Lazarus came forth.
The Savior had come, and to men
walking in darkness-to men STUN
bling in the midnight--to men grow
elling in filth-to men reaching after
the truth, but .findingit motto men
looking for light, but seeing it not
to them spake Jesus, saying-"I am
the light of the world" Then He
began to lead humanity through the
wilderness of sin. Thus Christ be-
came, and continues to be, our Lead
er-our Captain-omr Example. We
find Him not only pointing out the
path Of duty, but showing men how
to walk therein. From His example
stream forth influences whose lustre
brightens every principle He uttered
every doctrine that He taught, every
command that He gave.
In presenting to You this great ex-
ample / would, In the first place,
urge you to initiate Christ in the
practical exhibition that He made,
in His life, Of His system Of truth.
True, we are justified by faith; but
just as truly, faith without works is
dead. Yet how many so-called dis
ciples seem more anxious to keep
their articles of faith pure than to
keep their own hearts pure. We
need, indeed, pure doctrines--we
need to defend zealously the faith
once delivered to the saints. But
when we have embraced and defend
ed the truth, our work as Christians
is not done. These doctrines must
work their way down through the
intellect into the heart.
Christ has furnished us with a
sublime system of moral truth-a
system that culmin ated on the sum-
nit of Calvary and thence spread its
effulgence over the mountains and
plains of Judea. Yet Christ said
that ye "must bear witness to the
truth" How? Ia a holy life, in a
career of unparalleled usefulness. 81
must work the works of Him that
sent me while it is day." Sublime
utterance, whose very words seem
vital with power! 3
And the message comes to each OF
us-''Work while it is day." From
the opening for usefulness all around
Us there come voices calling to Zion
awake, put on thy strength The
Church can't remain inactive with
out losing her power. What the
world demands, in order to feel the
force Of religion, is living examples
of its principles. There must be
such eminent virtue rs shall surpass
the power of Satan to produce, or of
men to initiate. There must be
in your lives that will
compel the attention of the unob.
servant to the fact that Jesus lives.
1t is not can't we want, nor sancti-
mony, nor bigotry, nor spiritual
pride; for these have no divine origin,
nor do they produce the fruits of the
spirit. What we want is natural
and real presence Of the spirit of Je-
sus In the hearts of alive want
nothing that savors of hypocracy or
gloom, or that hides its origin in
Understanding that will not en-
dure the scrutiny of that searching
Light which gives brightness to the
world.
We must initiate Christ in order
to develop fully onr individual pow-
er and erert a holy influence. A
church attendance or church con-
nection does not necessarily render
one an efficient laborer in the Lord $
vineyard. The courage of an army
is the courage that ia in the ipfiiyid.