Morning journal and courier., 1883-12-06
The Second Advent.
Sermon by Rev. MT. Lines at Cf
 Church Last EveninR,

Sermon by Rev. MT. Lines at Christ Church Last Evening.
 Rev. MT. Lines at Christ church last even- ing preached from the text: Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not ap- pear what we shall be; but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is D The preacher said in opening: Two facts stand out in hu- man history in importance surpassing all others. one matter of record, the other of confident expectation. They are the first and second advents of Jesus Christ. The first is the central point in hu- man history, up to which in the providence of God all things do now work The second, no less surely placed by him who is over all, marks the closing up of human history as now we know it and the bringing in of which we may not too definitely speak. He who came once, bringing in 8 new dis pensation of the grace of God and new era in the life of the race on the earth, comes again to bring the end and consummation and to that end all things are working. Of the appearing of the Son of God in the old time we speak with certainty. We know for what he came and how he came. We fix the time the place, the circumstances of his ap- bearing. We know what he said ana WnaG Q0 Q1Q. M6mOrlalS or DIS hrSE advent remain with us in number and kind tsstifying beyond the shadow of 6 doubt to the reality of his appearance and his work His hcly church with her sacraments and holy rites, his teach ing with it's influence in manifold ways in the world, sacred institutions and sacred writings testify with convincing power to all open to conviction of his first coming.
 No less sure do we regard his second ad- vent, resting our faith upon the plain word of him who cannot be less than true, who cannot be deceived. It is a word from him before whom all human history is as but 8 quickly passing day that our Lord shall come and bring in the end. Of the time and man. ner of his appearance we may not confidently speak. Of it's certainty, it's suddenness, it's meaning we are expressly told. The main truth about sthe Lords appearing, stated in holy scripture, confessed in the creed, presented in the church services, is the general judgment. This disposition of the grace of God is to be closed by calling all men to account. The day is fixed when by Christ Jesus men shall be judged according to that law which was in Christ Jesus revealed. This is the great truth standing out in Gods word distinctly and by all Christians confess ed. The son of God has come once into the world to manifest the divine love- to reveal the will of God, to give men a law by which they make out of themselves what God pur- poses. He comes again to call men to ac count for their use of Gods grace, for their obedience to his law.
 The preacher further considered other truths involved in tho two great facts of the first and second ad- vents of Christ. He also considered the relation of sonship to God, our present re- responsibilities growing out of that relation and our hopes for the future, He said fur. ther: Let God be praised that St. John's last word is not declaration of ignorance, but an assertion of knowledge. ''We know that when he shall appear we shall be like him.'' This revelation of knowledge more complete, this higher spiritual development depend upon the appearing of Jesus Christ even as the knowledge we now have and the spiritual de- velopment we have now attained depend upon our Lords first advent. The Lord has spoken and his word standeth sure, his sec. ond advent as sure as if an already accom- plished fact. It is made the condition of the richer knowledge and higher de, veIopment to which the children of God are to come. It is made the condition of our being transformed into the likeness of Christ and of the clearing of the spiritual vision that we may see him as he is.
 Rev. Mir. Lines spoke further upon the thoughts connected with the great subject with telling power and earnestness. There was good sized congregation present