Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-01-19

and lido not need any Bible to tell US that
! bad habits are wrong, that blasphemy and
evilspeaking are wrong. But am talking
of sinful nature, the source of all bad
| thoughts as well as of all bad actions. The
Apostle Paul calls. their roll in the first
chapter of Romans. They are regiment
of death encamping around every heart,
holding it in tyranny from which nothing
but the grace Of God can deliver it
Here for instance is ingratitude. Who
has not been guilty Of that sin2 II q man
hand us glass of water we say: Thank
your But for the ten thousand mercieS
that we are every day receiving from the
hand of God, how little expression Of graft
tude-for thirst slaked, for hunger fed, for
shelter and sunshine and sound sleep and
clothes TO wear-how little thanks! ! sup
pose there are men fifty years OF age who
have never yet been down on their
knees in thanksgiving to God for his good
ness. Beside that ingratitude of our
hearts there is pride-who as
not felt it?-pride that will
not submit to God that wants its own way
"a nature that prefers wrong sometimes
instead of right; that prefers to wallow in
stead OF to rise up. do not care what You
call that; j am not going to quarrel with
any theologian or any man that makes pre-
tentions to theology. do not care whether
you call it total deprayity' or something
else; simply make the announcement OF
Gods word, affirmed and confirmed BY the
experience of hundreds of people in this
house. The Imagination Of the heart OF
man is evil from youth. There is none
that doeth good; no, not one" We have q
bad nature. We were born with it. We
got it from our parents they got from their
parents. Our thoughts are wrong. Our
action is wrong. 0nr whole life is obnox-
ious to God before conversion; after conver-
sion not one good thing in us but that
which the grace of God has planted and
| fostered. "Well" you say, II can't believe
that to be So" Oh, my dear brother, that
is because you have never looked into this
laver of the
Looking. Glass.
If you could catch a glimpse Of your
natural heart before God, you would cry
out in amazement and alarm. The very
| first thing this gospel does is to cut down
our pride and selfsufficiency. If a man
does not feel his lostand ruined condition
before God, he does not want any gospel l
| think the reason there are so few conver-
sions in this day is because the tendency OF
the preaching is 10 make men believe that
hey are pretty good auyhow--quite clever,
only wanting fitting up-a few touches OF
niviue grace and then you will be all right,
instead Of proclaiming he broad, deep
ruth that Payson and Baxter and Whitfield
numbered to race trembling on the verge
Of infinite and eternal disaster. Now,
saws some one "can this really be true
Have we all gone astray? Is there no
| good in usY' In Hampton court saw a
room where the four walls were covered
with looking glasses, and it made no differ
ence which way you looked, you saw your.
self. and so it is in this gospel of Christ. IL
you once step within Its full precincts you
will find your whole character reflected,
every feature Of moral deformity, every spot
ofmoral tsint. II understand the word OF
God its first announcement is that we are
lost. care not, my brother, how magniti
Gently you have been born, or what may
have been your heritage or ancestry, you
are lost by reason of sin. But you say
what is the use Of all this-of showing Q
mans faults when he can't get rid OF them?
None! What was the use OF that FURNISHED
surface to this cover of looking glasses
spoken of in the text, if it only showed the
spots on the countenarce and the reed o.
washing and there was nothing to
wash with? Glory be TO- God
II find that this cover o.
looking glasses was filled with fresh water
every morning and the priest no sooner
looked on its FURNISHED side and saw his
need of cleansing, than he washed and wa'
clean-glorious type Of the gospel of ny
Lord Jesus that first shows man his slr
and then washes it all away!
Fresh Salvation.
want you to notice that this laver il
which the priest washed-the laver cf look
ipp-glasses-was filled with fresh watel
every morning. The servants of the taber
nacle brought the water in buckets and
poured it into this laver. So 1t is with thu
gospel OF Jesus Christ it has fresh sal
vation every day. 1t is not stagnant poo
filled with accumulated corruptions. 1t IL
living water which is brought from the
eternal rock to wash away the sins OF yes
terday-of one moment ago. "Oh, say!
some one, 81 was Christian twenty year
ago. That does not mean anything to me
What are you now2 We are not talking
nv brother, about pardon ten years ago
but about pardon nova fresh salvation
Suppose time OF war should
come and ! could show the GovGrnmen
that had been 10y al to it twelve years ago,
would that excuse me from taking an oatl
I. of allegiance now? Suppose you should ash
me about my physical health and / should
say was we'll fifteen years ago, that does
not saw how / am now. The gospel o
Jesus Christ comes and demands present al
lepiance, present fealty, present mora
health; and yet, how many Christians thertt
are seeking 10 live entirely in pas! expert
ence. who seem to have no experience o
present mercy and pardon! When wa
on the sea and there came up great storm
and officers and crew and passengers al
thought we must 60 down, ! began 70 thIn'
of nv life insurance and whether, It l wer'
taken away, my family would be cared Tor
and then / thought: Is the premium paid
And | said yes, Then / felt comfortable
Yet there are men who in religious natter
are looking back to past insurance. Inc!
have let it run out and they hav'
nothing for the present-no hope nor par
dor-tallinr back on the old insurance pol
icy Of ten, twenty, thirty years ago II
want TO
Find Out How
a friend feels toward me, do ] 60 TO tn
drawer and find some old yellow letter
written 10 me ten or twelve years ago
No; go to the letter that was stamped tn
day before yesterday in the postoaiee and
find how he feels toward me. 1t is rot u
regard to old communications We had Witi
Jesus Christ, il is communications we nav
now. Are we not in sympathy with bin
! today and is he not in sympathy with US
% Do not I spend 50 much Of your time in hunt
; inc in the wardrobe tor the old Worn-ou
; sboes Of Christian profession. Come no,
and take the gIlttsring robe OF Chris,
righteousness from the Savior s hand. 70
Il. N..s4 -