New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-09
TIE NEED OF CLEANSING THE HEART
me Rec Bid,ceU Lane At he central Mehodist Epbep7

THE NEED OF CLEANSING THE HEART
me Rec Bidca Lane At he central Meihod|t hp""p''
Chmch.
At the Central Methodist Episcopal Church
at Scycutave. and Fourteenth-st., the Rev BdWell
Lane preached yesterday Psalms L. TO- Create IN
me "A clean heart and renew right spirit WITHIN me-
This ia wonderful book said the preacher placing his
hand upon the Bible For its preservation on the eafh'
martyrs have shed their blood, and If circumstances
should render It necessary there would be ionhd mull-
tubes in the laud ready to seal their love Tor IL
bv the shedding Of blood. We accustomed
to read it every day and gain comfort from II; but II IL
quite possible for he familiar with IT, to love H. ana
vet DE without just appreciation of Its sacredness We
quote texts without stopping to consider then OF 10
find ont the hidden meaning contained in them 20 they
may make more impression upon us or can OUT any
moro response from hearts than the nursery tales
we read aud learn in childhood For the Bible may be
said to De the body spirit the letter and light OF the
law As the body It may be familiar to us, and the spirit
bc entirely missed The head may contain the letter OF
the law hut the light may be wanting In the heart Inc
word Of God may clean and purify onr hearts ana cAa
the affections Just good literature win do but 20 have
the spirit of the word engraved upon our hearts we must
have something than the letter OF the Law" We must
have the spirit and light Of the Gospel.
We hear men say that they wish TO he living epses'
desiring the Spirit Of God to he ncarnatcd In them that
they live among the Spirit shall operate ON the
hearts those about them TO reach this we must nave
he
gous ives ''frye know how to give good gifts To your
children how much moro shall your Father in Heaven
give the Spirit to them that ask ;" You, out of your
limited and mcagre love- because OF sin, kno" no" 10
give good gifts 10 Your children; but the Father OUT OF
the richncs- Of Ills grace and compassion gives His spirit
70 those asking Again We are told that whatsoever We
asl, Of Cod believing that He viii answer our request,
ena he given Us But do realize the full force OF this
pronisel There is not dft Of grace that may not be
claimed bv the child Of God on Gods own authority
God says when two three gathered together IN HIS
name He will De present We think OF this when rev OF
us are gathered AT the hut do We FeaZe
that God is with two or gathered In His name all
over the globe and that bethel Of love Is there and the
angel of the Lord present. Our text Is prayer we
have ed over and aColn yet how rresoutey ana
with htc falth in the possibilities to which VIII
Who offers that prayerl 1t O man who has trans
crossed the law There is IN II an expression oI agony
OF ." mot I' ~ s tp ch Is peculiar to certain
state Of spirit when first come To Christ we IctlIc
forgiveness; but have not much of m ,dea 81 our
great depravity and Of the mountain heights OF orr
sin If We fully realized deprayity AT hIst We would
be plunged into depths o despair nnt te Sl Iesthc,
Ms that have sinucd and worked against COD ana tha
our must be orgIen bIf bn% nned
and had gone down into depths OF sin Etcn nc m"u
shIc Of c"inmitting such double sin he would have
cried out that morally impossible But yet when
dsHstnc to nim. In this fall he came 10 know the
moral possibilities OF his heart and nc prys the ~0Iu3
ID POI
~ forgive him. ami that the pOWcro God must penetrate
INF. Hrafi ;o prevent repetition OF the crime ..
W. haze al gone through this -bWe experience lol
have felt the QuckennH power OF Hnd III Eolr hcail
hIye gone down into the dungeon OF despair,
unJ Chri.t has knocked the letters IRON
v,tir feet You remember the JOY OF that hour, ana
how Won asked forgiveness Tor stnr Nmch you ihouE'V
ypuraelf Incapable or committing. am not going 10 uc
fin, eanrtiGcatiOn and the higher life II enough 10
r the realization OF text. GOu may say DID we not
r.Irn Il When regcncItcd Let vs. get back to me
sin there was not necessarily idea OF your depra't
Acr conversion the Importance Of means OF grace 10
huiLl Won up wac manifest and you wanted TcdIAa-
non Tint YOUR heart had been clcnHsed ~ Goa ms
every ono can realize, and ought TO pray earnest
for IT, We may perhaps be content WIN
Ittls divine love- aud not strive 10
reach the Pi,lah tops Of blessed experience
ana INC Bculah Land of faith We say tiht We 40 not
ror- much and therefore not much Is required OF uF
fuf Christ ia our standard ana whether we profess
much or Httc whether prefer much or e or mrs
tain at attainment the command II De ye pet.ect as am
perirct" Nay Jesus keep you from thAt delusloh thAt
| moi much Is required Of YOU "a.
think we often esteem sin OF less account trihing
Iur m those who have prOPssed Christianity than In
nc uBrcKcucratcd. We think, II We depart httc from
c straight way that II is not of so much account Re
member that sin is the same among us all God VIII
nIuIsb us for Sin us others. IL must
| 10 from the nature OF sin Itself.
We ten sinners TO look away from their sins to Cod and
mis- Is GOOD but Il Is necessary to scrunize our hearts
or n i'm order to realize Gods grace Every man ougnt
10 thoroughly examine himself. BE charitable to all
eycrnt Yourself afraid this i often reversed Al
Ter looking IN your heart, then look away to God
! ana YOU WillIpIay with the right spirit