St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-02-25
DEDICATION SERMON.
BY REV. C. L. GOODELL, d. D., OF ST.
LOUIS.


or Cephas, the world life, or death, or
things present, things to come, all are yours.
And We are Christ's; and Christ is Gods.-l Cor.
B. 2123
st. Paul in this passage, sums up the
possessions of the Christian and makes
a comprehensive inventory of his spir-
itual wealth.
First, the general proposition sail
things are yours Earthly riches and
comforts come and go, but the Chris
tian's inheritance never changes. "All
things are yours" We are apt to think
that some things really desirable are
not for us, and that many things are
against us. But nothing is left out in
the text that is helpful and good. Ev-
erything is included which is not harm
full and bad. All things are yours,
made to be your servants and subjects
not you to be theirs. All things
are yours and for you all, as
Christ's heirs. All things are not
for the excellent Christians only,
compelling the poorer ones to shift for
themselves. But to every least and
lowest child of God if the life of faith
and love be there, it is said, ''all things
are yours To the Pauls who are learn
ed and gifted and strong, and to the
poor and despised who cannot so much
as lift up. their eyes to Heaven, and to
the needy and destitute and desolate
and unfortunate who have not where to
lay their heads, the unspeakable riches
of grace, alike belong to the whole
| family of the Lord Jesus Christ.
"All things are yours now" Notice
the present tense, not shall be yours by
and by. The believer has come into
possession already, although the full
ness is not yet reached, as David was
Amounted king by Samuel some time
before he got his crown and throne.
TO the penitent and believing it is
said, ''Be of good cheer, your sins are
forgiven YOU" Not shall be, sometime.
"He that believeth on the Son hath
everlasting life" The germ of that life
is already planted in him and unfold
ing and the powers of the world to come
have gotten hold on him and stir in his
soul.
If We are Ch,ist's, eye are come unto
Mount Zion" Mark the wording, the
beauty and significance of which is SO
often missed. The Christian faith is
not alone in that which is to be, but in
that which has commenced already and
now is. eye are come unto Mount
Zion Time is joined to eternity. The
branch already has the life of the vine
into which it is grated. Christ has rent
the partition and brought spiritual
things, the things of Heaven, through
into this world. The kingdom of God
is within you, accompanying you with
its love and light, and bringing to you
daily its cassia and frankincense. The
great line of Christian development is
begun. The soul is allied to the Divine,
and made partaker now and here of the
nature of God.
The streets of heaven begin at our
feet, and the marriage tables of the
Lamb, extending through eternity, are
spread on the earth. This is the broad
statement of the believers riches.
Then the apostle descends to details
and illustrates the proposition he has
laid down, by the specification of six
particulars which cover all possible
ground. "All things are yours, wheth-
er Paul, or ApOllos, or Cephas, or the
world, orlife, or death, or things present,
or things to come. All are yOurs.n The
study of these points shows the infinite
scope of the possessions and privileges
anu Joys Oh llle OellcNel.
Convened for the first time in this
beautiful temple, sitting tOgetheS in
these seats in heavenly places with
Gods benefits on us like dew on Her
mon, | propose to take account OF
some of the riches with which God has
crowned you i'll this suspicious hour.
|. Whether Paul or ApollOs or Ce-
phas, all Gods children are yours. Some
in the COrinthian church were narrow
ly following Paul-others were bigOted
partisans of Apollos, and others still,
were stcklers for Cephas, admitting
the light which came through one small
keyhOle only.
The apostle flashes a higher truth
upon the question of sects.
The good in every believer is yours,
in Paul and ApollOs and Cephas alike.
All worthy members in each church OF
every age and land, of all ranks and
orders, who have lived to bless the
world by their life and light, are yours
No single sect can claim the legacy OF
their example and worth, no one party
of believers can appropriate their ex-
cellence. Their virtues and their achiev-
ments are like the air and the light, fol
mankind. Denominational lines cannot
contain them. Sectarian limits cannot
narrow and circumscribe them, within
their little exclusive borders. What
walls of mans making can mark of
Christian love and brotherhood The
Joy and fellowship of the saints is broad
as the world. Every faithful AMI true
soul in Christ offers its contribution tC
the general stock of good. They are
all brethren in the one kingdom. Ce-
phas, Notwithstanding his faults, has
something worthy to give to humanity
accept it, but do not stop there.
Apellos, in spite of his imperfectiOns
makes a donation to the great fund Of
truth. Receive it, but do not assume
that you have found it all in him. Paul
with still fewer weaknesses, adds a still
greater increment of spiritual knowl-
edge and power. Take all he has tC
give and rejoice, but let your vision
sweep farther than any human being,
and take in Christ alone, as the sum to-
tai of truth.
The whole vast stOrehOuse of person.
al Christian attainment is yours. There
are no partitions that divide on the
higher plane of Christian living. Al
the saints that have been eminent il
prayer aud toll, in sacrifice and suffer.
ing for Christ, on whatever field, under
whatever name, are yours. The richie:
of their service constitute part of the
worlds treasure. Because they have
lived, we are all enriched. Chrysostom
and Augustin and Anselm do not belong
to the early ages of the church, but tt
all ages. Calvin is not for Geneva only
Germany has no exclusive right to Lu-
Their nor Scotland to John Knox. Then
worth is the property Of all Christians