Mexico weekly ledger., 1886-10-28
Written for the Ledger.
HOLINESS.
Synopsis OF a Sermon Delivered by
Rev. Reason Last Sunday.

The Rev. j. G.. Reason, ID. D.,
preached again at the Presbyterian
church on Sunday morning to a large
and ~appreciative congregation. His
address was an analysis and exposi-
of /. John 8: 2, 8, ''Beloved,
now are we the sons of God, and it
doth not yet appear 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. And every
man that hath this hope purifieth
himself even as he is pure"
The reverend preacher commenced
by remarking that John was the be.
loved disciple, and, therefore, only
related his own experience when he
cried, aBehold, what manner Of love
the Father has bestowed on us, that
we should be called the sons Of God"
and added that the most interesting
view that can be taken of Christ is
that he came to restore a people that
were alienated from God by sin. I'm
less God had interfered and revealed
the way the world would have been
at loss to conceive, much less know,
how his sons could be reconciled to
God.
Paul solves this interesting ques-
ton similarly to John, when he writes
to the Ephesians of Gods ''having
predestinated them unto the adop-
ton of children by Jesus Christ to
Himself; )" and, again, when he in
forms the Galatians that ''when they
were children they were in bondage
under the elements of the world; but
when the fulness of time was come,
God sent forth His son, made of a
woman, made under the law, that
they might receive the adoption of
sons"
1t is important to a proper under
standing Of the Scriptures quoted and
the figure used in them not to be
misled by the word by which it is ex-
pressed. A child adopted into an
earthly family never sustains the
same relation to it as does an heir
that is born in it. The child may be
ignorant of his parentage but there
is always likelihood that sooner or
later he will be twitted with the fact
that after all that has been showered
upon him he is not the real son of his
b%enefactor. Our reception by the
Almighty has nothing of a merely
formal and legal character connected
with it. We are not strangers taken
from another family but through
what is termed our adoption in the
scriptures, we attain reinstatement in
a home from which through sons and
heirs, we had been previously expell-
ed. Again. How often does an
adopted child make it manifest that
he does not profess the spirit of the
family into which he has been intro
duced. Such a misfortune cannot
befall the true child of God, since
God himself imparts to him the spirit
of his son, transforming him from
darkness into light, and enabling him
in spirit and in truth, to say sour
Father" This is the new birth OF
which Nicodemus was informed.
;. Arrived at this condition we can
appreciate that scripture which de-
%clares, beloved, now are We the
sons of Tod and it doth not yet 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 u.s.
1t doth not yet appear what We
shall be. While in the world we arc
in the midst of evil. Who can form
, a satisfactory idea of the elasticity
r the joy, the freedom of a soul releas
ed from contact with sin? Here every
$ thing bows, totters and falls. WIZ
e can speak of d%eliverance from
anxiety and entrance into rest? wher'
there will be no thought for to-mor
row, no care for clothes or food o
= shelter, where all will be provided
for by him who understands all wants
i But we shall be like him. This i
q a grand fact. The Savior praye'
that his disciples might be n wit
It him. That desire is to be met. W
d shall be like him. Who can fathor
a that? We have some idea of ligh
It and electricity. We know they ca
d penetrate and pass through materis
objects. We understand they ar
: not spirits. The disciples were in a
3 upper room and suddenly the Savior
J. without the opening of a door G
window, presents himself. Who ca
have conception of such a body? A
" we know is We shall be like him. l
fact we know as little of what
before us as the child does of the d.
ID 'velopment of his manhood. 1t
re sufficient for us that we shall avail
b. in his likeness, that we are to /
brought into that image by grae
that when it shall have been attaine
or we shall be ready to go home ar
j. that every M that hath this hol
in puriieth himself. Brethren, be !.
of holy, that when the Lord come
n ye may be able to say: Even so con
of Lord Jesus. Bear in mind th
;, without holiness no mar a see Go
d. Young Dohe, now in Jail for bu