Omaha daily bee., 1883-03-13
PULPIT POINTS.
Sunday Services at thu Y, M.
U. A. Rooms,
An Interesting Discourse by
Rev. w. j. Hareha.

Sunday afternoon the gospe
meeting at the Y. M. @. A. was vel
attended and all present seemed to b'
very much interested In the service
After singing q few selections from
the Gospel Hymns, Mr.. Merrill, who
was at one time secretary for the Y
M. @. A., of st. Louis, took chare,
of the meeting, and spoke from Johr
ills, Except = man be born again HI
cannot see the Kingdom Of God" Ii
this verse we may make the following
points: 1. The necessity Of q new
birth. 2. How can q man be borr
again. 3. The evidences of Q new
birth.
Some may think that God IL 80 I'M
Just that he would cast any one int
outer darkness when there Is weeping
and crashing of teeth, although HI
has so many times and plainly statec
1t In His Word. Love, mercy ane
goodness they think are linked with
mans privilege Of freedom, notwith
standing the weight OF the dishonor
which Is thereby brought upon God
But this Ii a. unstable ~ the decep
tive q~uicksands, and there is . neoss
sity tor Q new birth--a new life il
Christ An 1t Is necessary to be guided
by the laws Of q free country. Then
are We free men In Christ, and no one
can gain heaven without this freedom.
While the faculties Of the mind
must be employed In searching after
Christ, it Is not . change of mind
amply that binds o soul to heaven TO,
eternity, but there IL Q new heart, q
new life, new affections, and ell who
stop short Of this fail In their attempt
after eternal life.
2. How can q man be born again.
It is something that he cannot do him.
self, per 30, and he cannot tell how II
Is done. "The wind bloweth where it
listeth and thou nearest the sound
! thereof, but canst not tell whence II
oometh or whittier 1t goeth; so Is every
one that Is born Of the spirit" As the
powerful Cyclone, In Its path, cause.
destruction to the Workmanship Of
man, SO the spiritual cyclone causes
destruction to the natural dispositions
of the heart. And when 1t is past we
guilty ask ourselves, What Is it2
Where did 1t come from7 Where Is II
going2 How is this new life attained
by man2 Pray to God daily and earn
estly until you get 1t, and If You are
truly in'earnest you. will truly obtain 1t.
8. Two friends In ST. Louis, on &C.
count of the power of spurious liquor
by which they were degrading them.
selves, took oaths before q justice Of
the peace that they would be temper.
ate men, but as many times as they
! did this they had reason to be ashamed
of their inability to resist temptation;
and thus 1t continued until they ex.
perlencsd the power Of the holy spirit,
who was their power and joy, and
herein lios the vast difference between
skeptics and true christians. The
christian tells of this change and thu
skeptic says, ~ do not believe It,
It il not . baptisml regeneration bnI
. baptism by the holy spirit. 1t Il
not works Of righteousness; all thu
works that man can do cannot saw
himself, much less . there be works
of superogation for the benefit o.
others. But the true evidence Is /,
change of heart. Accept Christ ss hi
directs In his word and you will b.
saved, reject him and you r lost
are the main points for any unbelieve
to consider.
DR.. Cardell spoke of the praotica
Importance Of q spiritual birth, o
which Christ spoke when he was Oh
earth. 1t Is truly doctrine, o dogma
an unintey esting statement, unfathom
able to the minds of thinkers; never
theleas eternity depends upon 1t.
General Howard said: There nigh
be some here who realize their condi
tion, and ask themselves, sam l
Christian 2" There may be q discon
tent which has followed them and vii
follow them until they find Christ
Some may have . discomfort and de
sire wealth, but wealth will not or
pease them, Some may have q desir
to travel, but travel will not Civ
them rest and comfort. And nothin
osn still the conscience but God. !
man said, "There was no SIM" but
said commit Q robbery or murder an
90 home, and "a the officers scare
for you and find you and lead you o
your way to the jail, 80 that you ma
face civil law, you will begin to reali1
there Is sin.
To the sinner there Ii no Sabbath
as q burden, 1t 10 cast as far 40 posA
BILE out of the way, and the though
are filled with the work and occup,
ton Of the other six days Of the wesl
and as we hear the wind among Il
leaves of the trees It reminds us
the great power which only q COL
vert the sinner. But the reason wi
many are not saved, they do not u
derstand what salvation IL. Let the
give attention to this important pa
of LIES duties, and the obstacles VI
be removed.
Rev. VIM. McCandlish spoke of Il
work being q work of God, becau
Q man accomplished II not by his ov
: power, but obtained 1t BY prayer.
Mr.. Marshall, of the devotion
committee gave much enccurageme
= to those who were interested In Il
work at the jail, and asked those vi
desired to witness the work of t
Holy Spirit to attend the meetin
81 held among the class of people W
a were not reached by the churches.
40 Rev. McCandlish dismissed t
meeting by benediotion.
g Various estimates or Christ.