Mexico weekly ledger., 1886-11-04
Reported for the Ledger.
FRUIT BEARING.

Reported for the Ledger.
FRUIT BEARING.
The Rev. j. G.. Reason sein1on at
the Presbyterian church TN Sunday
morning was an exposition of john
1913: Herein is my Father glotifieel,
that ye bear much fruit" and was
opened by an allusion to the magnifi-
cent vine that adorned the portal of
the Jewish temple with stem of
gold and leaves of silver, and grapes
of diamonds and sapphires. Con
tinuing, the Rev. speaker remarked
that it was not improbable the Savior
had this in mind when he said: II
am the true vine and my Father is
the husbandman. Every branch in
me that beareth not fruit he taketh
away ; and every branch that beareth
fruit, he purgeth it, hat it may bring
forth more fruit" Thus intimating
that it was not fruit alone, but much
fruit, that the Father desired-not a
bunch of grapes here and there, or
now and then, out clusters of perpet-
ual fruit.
From the scriptures, said the Rev.
speaker, We learn that the ultimate
object of God in his proceedings is
his glory. Their exhortations run
thus: For ye are bought with a
price; therefore glorify God in your
body and in your spirit, which are
Gods" Again, whether therefore
We eat or drink, or whatsoever We do,
do oil to the glory of God" The
Savior declared that his mission was
to glorify God and prayed "Father,
the hour is come; glorify thy son,
that thy son may glorify thee" Now
if in all things it is the object of God
and Christ to glorify the Father,
what other end can his followers
have? Did not Christ also say. ''Ye
have not chosen me, but I have cho-
sen you and ordained you, that We
should bring forth fruit" In view
then of Gods desires and commands
| should we not labor to abound in
productiveness? Consider that God
spared not his son, but delivered him
up the just for the unjust that we
might be migrated and become pro-
life branches; that no estimate can
be made of the value of his life, or
price put upon the sacred drops OF
Gethsemane, Or the baptism where
with he was baptized. Consider toe
that work for him will not be in vain,
for the prophet said, "Seek We the
Lord while he may be found, call
upon him while he is near; let the
wicked mar forsake his way, and the
unrighteous mar his thoughts; and
let him return unto the Lord and he
will have mercy upon him; and to oul
God, for he will abundaatly pardon
And consider finally that his children
are not pardoned and tolerated mere.
ly, but are honored. "Henceforth,'
said Christ to his disciples, II cal
you not servants; for the servant
knoweth not what his Lord doeth
but l have called you friends, for all
things that | have heard of my Father
I have made known unto you" Ii
view of all this how should work:
abound?"
OF course, no one, continued tn,
Rev. preacher, will understand me I,
teach that pardon is not of grace
And yet We are exhorted to be in
slant in season and out of season
and to be willing to spend and b,
spent. And when we regard God.
infinite love what less can we return
than the services and efforts of GU,
whole bodies, souls and ~lives?"
We have too a goodly heritage
The lines have fallen to US in pieasan
places. No spot a be more crate
full this side of heaven than the as
sembiy of the saints in Gods hous,
on a bright and lovely Sabbath
Surely at such d time there is a riff
i'll the clouds, through which may b,
seen the gates of heaven ajar to ad
nit of the descent of light upon tn
sanctuary. In view of this ought W,
to be content with an abundant bar
vest of leaves merely? Should no
our vine hang heavily with cluster
to the glory of God?-
!. The poet did not sing well who sal,
"The good that man does is burie,
with him." God remembers, cher
, ishes and rewards all the good his chi
dren do. One good act begets anothe
and thus good broadens like the Gil
, Gle formed by a stone thrown upon
4 lake, until the whole family of Go
, is reached, ON earth and in HEAVIER
Z in which latter, Christ advised hi
hearers to lay up treasures. Than
God, the good man is not destined t
> an empty house when he reache
! home. The welcome will meet hir
there, "Well done good and faithf,
servant, enter thou into the joys {
I thy Lord" In a little time, friend
our opportunities will cease. Tin
I flies. Days succeed to days, month
to months, years to years, with fea
full and telling rapidity. ssLet l
work then while it is called to-day Il
the night cometh when no man ca
work"
J October Weather.
~ 49,