The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-18
"THE GRACE OF GOD"
DR.. McLeod's First Sermon to His People
Since His Return.

Rev. James Mcleod, pastor of the Second
Presbyterian Church. preached his first sermon
since his return from Europe, yesterday morn
ing, and there was an unusually large congrega-
ton in attendance at the service The text Of
his discourse was My God shall supply all you
need according to His riches in glory by Christ
Jesus" Philippians w. 49, and the subject was
The Grace of God" Philippi, DR. Mcleod
said, was the first place where the gospel was
preached in Europe A church was erected
there, and between this church and
the apostles there sprang up a
tender affection. 1t was the only church that
had ever expressed an affection for the
apostles. When Paul was prisoner in Rome,
wishing for some word of comfort, the church
of Philippi came to his relief, and sent him all
that he needed to supply his wants Besides
being acceptable and pleasing to Paul, it was
acceptable and pleasing to God and their act
evoked His blessing We are taught that a cup
of cold water given in the name of God viii not
lose its reward Paul's Master did not forget
Pauls benefactors. All needs of the Philippe
ans, he says shall be supplied and he specifies
the channels through which they are to be sup
piled. These words to the Philippians may be
applied to us-they apply to our
Importance than our temporal wants
Food, drink, raiment and shelter are common
blessings, bestowed commonly upon all
beings of God, but the greatest need
need God Himself we need to enjoy His favor
and possess His friendship, There is void in
the human heart which none but God can fill. 1t
has been true in all ages and lands from the fact
that where He is not intelligently worshiped
idoatry exists, and has existed. There may be
men who care nothing about Him. but this is no
proof that there is no need for Him. Man has
the power to SO debase his nature that he can
oil
pies in such men as Stuart Mill, and such
women as Harriet Martineau who reject every
thing that cannot be explained by reasoning, and
adopt the cold belief of the materialsts. Still
this does Lot prove that God is not essential to
the heart Theinstincts Of nature recol from the
teachings of Mill or of Martineau. We affirm,
upon the authority of the Scripture and upon
the authority of human experience, that the one
great need of the soul is God There is no salts
faction of the soul without Him. We not only
need God in the abstract but we feel the needof
a God who pardons our sins and gives us the
consciousness that we are pardoned We have
the promise that God shall supply all our needs
as he did the needs of the Philippians. We
need the sense of the pardon of all our sins be-
fore we can rest in peace Sanct
fcation is great step beyond justif
cation. To confess our sins is not
enough. We must have pardon. In every soul
there must be hungering after II ghteousness. as
we'll as after pardon. A man can no more make
himself holy than he can forgive his own sins.
There must be grace first and then glory; but
grace always. We need something more than
God. We need home. This world is not our
home. Paul was saint. and doubtless attained
higher life than any man who ever lived. yet
he was not content He longed for heavenly
happiness, and heavenly associations 1t is God
that shall supply ali our needs and sustain us in
all our trials, Our souls need not only the hope
of heaven, but heaven itself. God
sends pardon: holiness gives us heaven. We
can't tell the value of sunlight-there is enough
for all of the millions of beings in the world
and so it is with the riches of God We may
close our houses and the sun will not shine
there; and even so man may shut out from his
life the sunlight of Gods grace. God supplies
all our needs Z not wants It would require
many people want. Without the hfe-giving
power Of His grace we are unable to do any
thing