Morning journal and courier., 1884-01-21
Calvary Baptist Church.
Redemption From sIn-Sermon by Re
 MT. Samson,

MT. Samson.
 At Calvary Baptist church last evening Rev. Mr. Samson peached to large audience
 He selected as the basis of his remarks Luke
 18th chapter, 8th and 9th verses
 "And he, answering, said, Lord, let it alone this year also, till shall dig about it and dung it; and if it bear fruit, well; if not, after that. thou shalt cut it down"
 God made the soul as well as the body of man, and he acts upon the same principle in the spiritual as in the material world. He made the fruit tree to bear fruit If this ex- pectation is disappointed we cut it down as cumberer of the ground. God has created us with the design that we should bring forth in our lives the fruit of holiness If we frus- trate this design, he must, of necessity, cut us down as cumberers of his spiritual vine yard. This is the lesson of the first part of this parable. But the second part of the parable teaches us that God has intro duced new principle of action in his spiritual vineyard. The vine dresser in- tervenes in behalf of the unfruitful tree and this suggests to us the results which are con- templated and accomplished by the interyen. tion of the Christ in behalf of our race When the owner of the vineyard commanded the vine dresser to cut down the unfruitfu1 tree, he replied, 'Lord, let it alone this year also" Applying these words to the work of the Christ we are taught that by his interyen- tion 8 probation is granted to our race. So far as we know this probation would not have been granted otherwise. When God commanded our first parents not to eat of the fruit of the tres of the knowledge of good and evil he said to them, 'In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" If they not die immediately Because the in tervention of the Christ had already begun The promise of the seed of the woman who should bruise the head of the serpent was given then then and there. And so on down the ages of history, whenever generation or nation has been spared, it has been because of the intervention of the Christ. What is true of nations is true of individuals, and this para ble has an individual application. It is the parable of single fig tree, and it illustrates single soul.
 The parable also teaches that by the inter vention of the Christ new means for mans redemption have been employed. The vine dresser said, 'Lord, let it alone this year also till shall dig about and dung it." If tree has become fruitless beyond recovery nothing remains but to cut it down. Satan and his angels were cast out of heaven because there were no means available for their moral re- covery. But when man became corrupt the Son of God appeared in the character of a husbandman to red eem man by his life and death of propitiation.
 The parable also teaches that by the inter- vention of the Christ increased bles- sings are securedA to the renewed soul. A tree that has been reclaimed and made fruitful after special labor has been bestowed upon it acquires pecu- liar value in the gardeners eye. It has a value which even the thrifty and fruitful trees do not possess, and it may become more fruitful than those trees which have al- ways been productive. The vine dresser said, 'eIf it bear fruit we'll 'tIt is well with the soul that has been redeemed by the Christi It is an old dispute among theolo- glans whether it would have contributed more to the glory of God and the good of man If he had never sinned than it would if he had been allowed to sin and to be re. deemed. There are some aspects of this question upon which we are all agreed. A man who has always enjoyed prosperity is not so well prepared to appreciate 8 fortune as a man who has met with reversss and who knows what want and trial mean. The prod igal was better prepared to appreciate the advantages and comforts Of his fathers house than the elder brother. Abraham and Paul are better fitted to appreciate the joys of heaven than the angels who have never sinned.
 There is a reverse side to this picture, for Ia 1kCk k1,aa renewed. eff it bear fruit, well,' said the vinedresser, If not, after that thou shalt cut it down" Here was tree which had been planted with the expectation of fruitfuIness For three successive years, after the time when it should have borne fruit, the owner of the vineyard came seeking fruit aud found none. He was about to cut 1t down. But the Yinedresser pleads that it may have a longer lease of life and he an opportunity of retaining it. But his last effort failed What then2 You know. The tree represents you and me. If by reason of the interven- ton of the Christ we have not become fruit ful unto God, our destruction is certain. The Christ must not degrade himself to interpose for our salvation when it is evident that we are determined not to be saved. If nothing but his interpretation has spared us so long what shall avail for us when it ceases. After that, what? The text answers.
 Are we fruitful in our lives? Where is the instance of it? Let us not mistake capacity for goodness for goodness itself. The fruit full tree is not the tree that is capable of bearing the fruit, but the tree that bears it. With some Christians there is 8 morbid dread of the religion of doing. There is something aesthetic in the religion of feeling. but the re- igion of doing involves self denial and labor. But our Lord asks his disciples. ''What do ye more than these?" The first question in evangelical religion is, ''Lord, what wilt thou have me to do2" The spiritual brethren of V,nF vzh Nf God and do it. What ought we to do then In view of the truth taught by this parable? May God forbid that any of us should be com pelled to say in the reckoning time, stLord. here is thy pound which have kept laid up In napkin," and to hear him say, saThou 1 wicked and slothfuI servant" Rather, hay ing brought him ten pounds, may we hear l him say, "Well done, good and faithful ser. 1 want, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. l