The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-10-15
CHRISTIANS AT WORSHIP.
Visiting CIergymen in the Pulpits of
Several of the Churches.
Sermons by Revs. HoughtOn, CIutz, Agnew,
Wells and Goblin Olive Branch Synod
will Call New Pastor.
CHRIST. THE POWER OF GOD.

CHRIST, THE POWER OF GOD.
Year at Roberts Park-His Evening Dis
course.
Rev. Ross G. Houghton began his second year
as pastor of Roberts Park Church yesterday,
and at both services large congregations en-
joyed the sermons. In the morning he preached
on the relative duties and obligations of pastor
and people, this discourse being full of practical
thought and well considered suggestions In
the evening his subject was "Chrisr the power
of God" taking his text from First Thessalo-
mans, i, "a: "But unto them which are called,
both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God,
and the wisdom of God" In the course OF his
sermon he said:
Power is the ability to act, the faculty of doing
or performing something. This faculty, either
latent or put forth, belongs to everything that
has life. Power is a condition of life. Divine
power is that attribute or perfection of God,
whereby He can do whatever He purposes to do.
God reveals Himself to US an infinite being,
therefore HIS power is infinite. Moses, in open
ing the nrst book of the Old Testament, says:
Gin the beginning God created the heavens and
the earth" and st. John, IN commencing of
the GOSPELS of the New Testament, saws: "Iu the
beginning was the word, and the word was
with God. and the word W2s GOO. Allthings
were made by Him, and without Him was not
anything made that was made" The same I'M
erring spirit spoke through Moses and the evan
gelSt, therefore Christ is God. the creator.
We are lOSt IN wonder as we look upon THIS eartn
as the work of Christ's hand and as an express
sion of His power. The perfection OF design
which it displays. its exact adaptation to all
human wants, the beautiful machinery which
provides food for our sustenauce, Taiment and
fuel for our comfort, and all things for our con-
venience-a these are the multiplied exhibit
tons of divine power and wisdom Look at the
variety that appears in nature look at the per-
lection of Its details. Remember that our earth
is but speck in the great universe of God Look
out beyond our system to the vaster systems
which go to make up creation almost infinite
in its extent Look then, upon Jehovah's mas
terpiece, man, so fearfully and wonderfully
made, in che direct image of God, and by the
breath of His power; man, with his ever increas-
ing capabilities and possibilities, man, whether
speaking or silent, a mark OF Christs
power stands forth the cearest of His witnesses.
Ii Christ appears as the power of God in the
work Of creation, that power Is still more won
defful in sustaining nature. His uphold1ng in
fiuence is felt and seen in everything that ex-
ists frcin the insect that floats like speck in the
sunlight to the almost infinite systems of re-
volving spheres. Let this influence be with
drawn and instantly this stupendous universe,
with all its glory departed, would return to the
dismal chaos that existed when "the earth was
Without form and void, and darkness was on the
face of the deep" The sacred writer declares
that Christ, by whom God made the worlds,
"Upboldeth all things by the word of His
power" He spoke, and all things we're created;
He speaks, ana all things are sustained But
CArlst's greatest power appears in the develop
ment OF the redemption scheme. Especially is
Christ the power of God unto salvation, "'Twas
great to speak a world from Daught, but greater
to redseni."
Ia creation CHrlSE5 phySlclal power Is seen,
but Ia redemption His moral power appears. 1t
is an easy thing TO destroy a mans character, to
overthrow his virtue or even to destroy his lite.
1t needs but devil to ruin the SPIRIT but 1t
needs divinity to redeem it. None but
niscience could have devised the scheme of re-
demptiSl-none but omnipOtience could have
executed IL. Only in just such a being as was
Jesus Christ could the great design have been
consummated. The nature that sinned must
suffer, and in the work of redemption, with that
humanity a nature must be united that would
give to the person and to the sacrifice a merit
which would render it acceptable to God. 1t
therefore remained only for GOO manifest in the
flesh to undertake the mighty work. The stern
and memorable law took man by the throat and
said: "Pay me what thou OWest," and because
he could not it cast him into prison and would
have delivered him over to the tormeuters. But
Christ, mans brother and Gods son, paid down
the price to the very last farthing, and the re-
deemed sinner was set at liberty.
The scheme of redemption is eminently Illus
especially that of power. Its development from
the very first records of the Old Testament is
crowded with stupendous miracles. The waves
of the sea are stayed, water gushes from the dry
and solid rock. the Inhabitants of heaven de-
scead to walk the earth, prophets bid defiance to
glory in fiery chariots on the Sea of Gailee
walks human form, stepping lightly from bill
low to blllow; water turns to wine, the llfeblood
courses anew through withered veins and pal
sled frames, the deaf are made to hear, the
dumb are made TO speak, and the blind per-
been brought back to life. And
amid all these wonders SO Illus
/ trative of the presence and power
OF God, the most wonderful is Christ Himself,
our Jesus, our Emanuel, God with us, the mys-
terry Of Goodness, even God manifest in the
flesh. Ah this is the Lords dolngs, it is marvel
Gus in our eyes, The most exalted and COM
plete development of moral power appears in
the redemption scheme, and that is the power of
mercy and sacrifice. Christ submitting to the
rage of his enemies. bearing the sorrows and
grefs which sin has brought into the world,
Christ in the Judgment hall, Christ on the cross,
bleeding and dying that the reign of evil may be
ended and that sinners may be saved, ia, indeed,
the power of God. Here He shows God in self
sacrifice, God in love, God in the very fullness
of His almightness Through this He reaches
our human feelings, and comes into our hearts
with all His cleansing and new-creating in
huences Gods greatness eliminates in 5acri-
fee. All that the cross signifies was eternal in
the character of God; but in the life and
death of Christ this power is revealed TO us; it
is developed for the accomplishment of His low
ing and almighty purposes The wants of finite
humanity are fully met by it. Oh, the power of
GOD in sacrlfice-in redemption. Let us rejoice
in it. Let US never lose sight of the cross. Here
Is the true revelation of spiritual power. Here
Is Tor ns an endoE', v.v y. roWer lvv us take
up the Cross and follow Christ, on aud up, from
labor to labor, from suffering to suffering, from
joy to joy, from victory victory, until we shall
be glorif ed wlsh Him in the Fathers presence.
RrnVNrATN PATTERNS