Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1886-10-28
The Ecor in Spirit.

Blessed are the poor in spirit fer theirs is The
kingdom OF Heaven. Mat SD.
There is reasonable connection between pov-
ery of spirit and the inheritance OF the kingdom
of Heaven.
We have been taught that industry and economy
leads to wealth and prosperity; poverty CT spir
il it is Taught in this text leads to the inherit
ance CT TIE spiritual things of the kingdom OF
Heaven. The Greek word here translated poor,
has stronger meaning than the English seems to
indicate. 1t means extreme want, bcggary, hui
mility. 1t represents the feeling of one who has
deep sense of sin, ''who is hungerlng and thirst
| ing after righteousness whose soul 'thirsteth
after God for the living God .'Theirs is the
kingdom Of Heaven
The present tense Is here used in order to show
that these spiritual things are your heritage now.
Too many of the good things promised in Gods
word are by US transferred to some future time
and place, while God designs that we should pcs
sess them now in order that we be more thor
oughly equipped for the work he has given US
here.
"What reason have we for poverty of spirit
"Why should we be huulbled before God!''
/. Because we have sinned against Him. To
name only few instances, lie has said, ''be
kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly
love, in honor prefcrring one another We have
not loved SO that we are pleased when we see our
brother exalted to positions Of honor aud our
selves left in the back ground 1t is cause for
humility that we have been narrow hearted as
to envy one whom we ought to have loved.
=. Our actions have not always been of such g
character as to reject credit to ourselves and
honor TO the cause of Christ These deeds can
| never be recalled. Their influences will live in
eternity 1t is cause for regret that they have
not been more consistent.
g. Our words instead of always being tempered
with love have sometimes contained the viper s
sting Sometimes they have smarted, bl1stered
and burned until we haye verified the words
O. ST. James, 1.-THE tongue is unruly member,
full of deadly poisin, world OF iniquity and set
eth on fire the course Of nature and is set fire
of hell" It is cause for regret that we have not
been more careful
4. We have neglected many duties. The master
said go work in the vineyard and whatsoever is
right that shall We receive What work ere you
doing for Christi What will be right for you to re-
ceive in reward for your labor! There is now no
recovery Of time lost. The days spent in idleness
are gone forever 1t is cause for regret that SO
much time has been wasted.
3. By uuholy living We have exercised a bad IL
fiuence upon others. That influence will go Oh
unchecked forever, There may be to-day lest
souls who only needed from the influence Of
a holy life to save them from that influence we
did not exert.
He who sees these facts, who exercises right
dispositions concerning them, who is humbled,
who repents, who hungers and thirsts for a better
life, stands at the very threshold Of the kingdom
of love. He humbles himself and God exalts him
to the position of king. His poverty of spirit is
cleansing process like refners fire separating
the dross from the gold.
The above sermon was delivered by Rev: G..
Lowther at the NJ Z. church, on Sunday cve.,
Oct. 18th. The matter was unavoidably crowded
CIT last week.