The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-01-26


He loves us with 4 strong and lasting
| love.
AT THE BAPTIST CHURCH.
| Last Sunday was far more beautiful
| overhead than dry underfoot. n spell of
weather lasting some three weeks, has
made our otherwise excellent thorough
| fares almost a continent of mud Not
withstanding this, large congregations
| were found in most OF the churches. Es-
pecially was this so with DR.. Rogers con-
gregation. The usher there had his
hands full. The services opened with q
voluntary by a choir recently organized.
| some parts of which were sung tenderly
and with expression.
DIR. Rogers based his remarks on the
first eleven verses Of the second chapter
of the Gospel of Marx. These verses,
said he, cover one of the most remarkable
acts of the SaviOr's work when upon
earth. He had just returned from an ex-
tended journey around about Capernaum,
whitner he had gone, preaching and heal
ing. The news of HIS return spread
rapidly and in 4 very short time
he stood before an immense crowd.
Doubtless some were eager to hear him
preach, and many to watch for the per-
Torrance of some supernatural act. He
was not long in the midst of the thrOng
before man stricken with palsy was APP
preaching, borne by four men. What
who bore the stricken one laid him at his
feet! He surprised that multitude by
doing, first what they thought should
have been done last, il at all, namely,
f0rgivlng the sick man his sins before
healing his body. This act so astonished
the people that the fault finders among
the Jews, who were present in great
numbers, began to reason among them
selves. How is this: Should not this
man have been cured first of his diseased!
Then who can forgive sins save God:
Does not this man whom they call Christ,
blaspheme: Christ, then, to show his
power to heal as well as save. said unto
the palsied man, ''Arise, take up thy
bed and waikiki This further dis
play of ChriSt's power, bewildered
the crowd, and the Jews especially
They saw at once that Christ was a won
derful man. At His word salvation Is
bestowed, and withered limbs are filed
with renewed life. Here he called the
attention of his hearers to several mega
tive thoughts
/. That the salvation of a soul does not
depend urOn what man can do or what
men do for HIM. a man is not to be his
own savior, nor can any other man or set
of men administer salvation. The power
is divine, and is with Christ.
2. That salvation is not for sale. No
one can say that he WAS deprived of it
because he was not able to pay for it.
1t comes from one source, and by one
means. The wicked and wise, the rich
and poor, can receive its saving power by
applying for it to Christ.
3. That salvation cannot be inherited
Because Is Their is Il saint is no reason
why his son should be one, whether he
be willing or not. No handicraft work
can impart sufficient godliness to
parents, so that generations in their line
q ha Of
eral holiness does not enter into the
economy of God! Did Christ stop to ask
the palsied man whether his forefathers
were saints or sinners? Here the reveI
end speaker introduced some affirmative
thoughts; among them were:
1. That >ins can be forgiven only by
God. In His infinite mind mans great |
est need appears in a pardon, and sin be- |
ing so great, and reaching for the vital |
part of life here and hereafter, that moth
ing save the power that made man can |
restore him to state of holiness.
=. That all men, everywhere, are SIN |
ners! That as such they need salvation |
and a savior. No other book has taught |
this. No other book tells of savior or |
his power to do what man needs but can
not perform. Civil law has punishment |
for every violation of her authority. 1t |
does not say disobey my edicts and then |
seek forgiveness; but with sternness of |
power demands that he who disObeys |
shall suffer the penalty. But with God it |
is not so. He recognizes us as sinners
land some of us great ones) worthy of |
punishment, yet he has provided way
for those who desire to be restored to |
His favor.
3. That we find Christ alone vested |
with power to heal and to save. He re-
moves our guilt. Gives back to us our
lost peace with God. Yea, more, He
adopts lis into the family of God. Proof
of Christ's divinity lies in this. He DEM
Onstrated this truth overwhelmingly in
the case OF the palsied man.
We should like to give the entire SER
mon to our readers, especially the closing
part, but lack of space forbids.