St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-08-24
A CLEAN HEART.
Bishop Andrews breaches an ElO-
queI,t sermon at the Grand.

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others to listen to a sermon by Bishop E.G.
Andrews, D. d., whose Episcopal residence
is in Washington city, but who is in Mime
sofa for the purpose of looking into matters
connected with the Methodist church in this
state. After the usual Introductory services
of singing and prayer, the bishop was in
trOdUced and announced a verse from the
B1st Psalm as his text: 'Create within me,
0 Lord, clean heart, and renew right
spirit within me-"
This, said the speaker was the prayer OF
David, who, while enjoying the reputation
OF being a righteous man, confessed him
self to have been a great transgreSSor
In this prayer he does not avow
his purpose TO become good man,
but appeals to God to make time so. The
main question involqed in this prayer is
termed by Christian people a change of
heart; and, without taking time TO discuss
certain phases Of the subject. as whether
this change is instantaneous or not, whether
all have the consciousness OF such change,
or whether when once made, it is perma-
nent, We come to consider this one
FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION:
Are we justified in appealing to God for
4 clean heart and is there encouragement
for men deeply involved in sin to hope that
by PRAYER they may receive such divine i'm
variation of power as to transform heart
filed with evil into one that shall bear a
likeness to its divine giver?
First-Such a change is conceivable.
Human nature is always changing, even
from hour to hour. and some OF these
changes, even aside from religious
aspect are wonderful. The drunkard
oftentimes is able to rise from the degrade
oil
chains which bound him, and recover all
the ground he had lost. The cold, heart
less chuTl may become q generous, thought
full man. beloved by all who know him.
Such transformations as these lead to the
cOnception that even more fundamental
changes may take place in human natures.
1t is conceivable that a man who simply
recognizes God as the creator Of this won
derful universe and its law-giver, may
eventually come to recognize that God Is
one to whom not only his alteration, but
his chief affections 20 out. The man who
has trampled conscience under foot may en-
JOY revolution in which conscience be-
comes enthroned as the chief executive
power of his being. The selfish man, ac-
cuStOmed to consider himself as merely
citizen of earth, may have his range OF
thought and feeling SO enlarged as to con-
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be so what a welcome transition.
SUCH A CHANGE POSSIBLE.
Second-Such a change is not only con-
conceivable, but possible. That is, it is
possible with God, for He is God. He is
acquainted with every tone and tendency
of our being; and is it not possible for Him
who created the heart to make such a
change as this, if it enters into His wise
purposes so to do? Why should it be
thought impossible for Him who made the
soul and mind to remake them? The orator
can sway the minds of his hearers, mould
ing them to his own convictions, and often
producing permanent changes in thought
and purpose. The parent can so work upon
the mind of his own child by some story of
suffering and love, that ere he finishes the
little arms are around his neck, the little
wet cheek pressed against his in silent SYM
pathy and harmony. When the alarum of
war sounded and your boy said he must 90,
you could not say him nay; and way out
upon the post Of duty at the front, a letter
from you reached him, and as he read
of the incidents transporting at home
the heart throbbed. the eyes filled
with tears and you were able, by means of
bit of blank paper, piece of steel and a
black fluid, TO influence your boy hundreds
OF miles away from you. Why, then, can
not the Father of Spirits, without tongue or
pen, speak to the human heart and mould
il 10 his own divine will?
But there are difficulties" you say.
Not if you desire the change and human
and divine power combine to produce it;
for, after all, it is out of mans own moral
purposes that moral restoration is secured.
The scientist urges that such a change is a
violation of natural law. Not at all.
Science has not yet invaded the domain Of
spirit and character, and it is upon these
that God works And in all the wonder
full action Of human mind and soul is there
no place for God to put his hand? but
il is mystery We admit that. But
shall we refuse to believe fact simply be-
cause we cannot understand it? The
wind blOweth where it listeth, and thou
nearest the sound thereof. but cannot tell
whence it cometh nor whittier it goeth. I"
Suppose we cannot undertake to tell how
God comes down and places the impress of
regeneration on the human soul, shall we
dlsbelieve it?
THE CHANGE PROBABLE.
Third-This change is not only conceiv-
able and possible, but probable. We may
say it is perhaps the most probable work in
which we can imagine God to be engaged.
There can be no larger, grander work than
this; throwing into human natures such
wonderful power as to change them and
make them fit to dwell with him forever.
All men admit, among their fundamental
beliefs, that there is nothing grander on
earth than a righteous character which
neither brides nor threats can swerve from
uprightness. and at heart reverence such a
man. Gods love viii also lead us to the
conclusion that such change is probable:
His love, guided by His intelligence, which
recognizes human happiness as connected
with human character: for happiness al
ways depends on internal character. You
all remember the slave who prayed to God
TO make maSsa and mSsus as happy as
l am" a lapy in Philadelphia, liv-
ing in a single room, scantily fur
nished, bed-ridden for years, so afflicted
with a scrofulous disease that her body was
covered with fostering sores, and some OF
her ribs had become dislocated from the
spine, was SO patient so gentle, so cheer
full, so kind, that hundreds of wealthy
people called on her to learn if possible the
secret of her content and happiness.
How God must long to take hold of men
and women, and lift them up and reconsti-
tute them according to his own beautiful
law. The question is frequently asked.
''Can God care for us?" The undevout as
tronomer will tell you the number of the
stars, their magnitude the vastness of their
orbits, their immense distances; inform you
that ray of light from the nearest fixed
star, shooting forward at the rate of 19S. coo
miles per second, requires thirty years to
reach the earth: that the Milky Way is
composed of suns so distant that no distinct
light reaches us. but shed only a COM
mingled tint which spans the heavens:
then turn to you and ask: 'Is it cUnceiva-
BILE that He who made and controls these
worlds has time and inclination to listen