The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-04-21
THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
Founded Upon n Higher Basis Than
Ethical Rules.

Founded Tpon a Higher Basis Than
Ethical Rules.
"In that day there shall be fountain open
ed to the house of David and to the inhabi-
1ants OF Jerusalem for sin and for uncean-
The expression "in that day." seems to refer
to the great reformation epoch, which opened
under The preaching OF John the Baptist and
was continued under the preaching OF Jesus
Christ and his Apostles during period OF
seventy-tive years The great central event
OF that period was the eNpiatory death OF
Christ as noted in the previous chapter: "a ma
it shall come to pass in that day-that l Will
pour upon the house Of David and upon the
Inhabitants Of Jerusalem the spirit or grace
and supplication and they shall look upon
me whom they have pierced and they shall
mourn for him as one mourneth TOR his only
son and shall be ir bitterness for him as one IS
in bitterness for his first born, AND as a no,ea
sentcd as using this apostrophe Awake. y!
sword against my shepherd and against the
man that is my fellow, saith the Lord: Will
Smite the shepherd and the sheep OF the HOOK
shall be scattered abroad and l will turn mine
hand upon tie little oneS,' which Jesus ap-
piled to himself and his Apostles on the night
of the last passover, when after singing q
he said gravey and solemniy: "Aii ye shail
be offended because of me this night: For II
is written. will srnite the shepherd and the
sheep OF the flock shall be scattered abroad.
Tie great event is put before us, in my text.
not indeed as disaster, hut rs most lnElt,
ing and refreshing subject under the symbol
0f a Fountain opened in the house OF Daria' i
I will invite your attention to several elc-
mentS of this symbolism which seem to sug-
gest corresponding elements of the great cN-
piatiOn, to tile special pecuiarlty ni TINS loull-
tain that was to be opened to the mouse OF D;l-
vid and to the object for which it was opened,
"for sin and unclranncSS."
l. Every fountain is in its conception. sup
posed to have an unseen ahd an unknown
I hor G
1erranean reservoir or in some more elevated
lake OF water, but is unknown. The great
sacriticial death had its origin i'll the secret
and unknown purpose of God from eternity,
MS it is expressed in the language, Lamb of
God slain from the fOnndatiun OF the world,
and in this, "chosen in him before he foun-
dation of the world for it is in his death up
on the cross that believers became his const!l-
It may not be that this element of the SYM
boliSm is meant 10 be emphaSlZeu by the
prophet or by The mghtier hand that guided
his pen. Yet it would be impossible to con-
ceive that this great central event, the cXpia-
tory death, which stands up in medieval times
between the two dispensations Of religion, as
the eliminating point and vcrificaton Of the
hopes and prophetic symbols OF the lrst anu
from whose base, as from mountain, the
whole stream of the second takes It's HOW,
that this interior nucleus Of the whole re-
demptive scheme around which every other
element was TO aggregate, around which er-
cry constructive element OF the plan was 10
cept and principle of Christianity was TO draw
its significance, it is possible 10 think that
it could haze been an atterthought or that II
was suggested by any eXgencies Of men ti3t
may HAY e arisen. II is the basis upon which
every fact and fitness Of the scheme had been
built and from which every TACT and fitness
has formulated. 1t would appear indeed, at
first sight. that the fall OF nan was an eNigen
~ which suggested it and to which IT Is an
adaptation But while it WAS po$terior to the
fall in the order of history it was anterior 10
the order was Gods glory. and mans saliva
tion. The gospel is sty led 4 redemption ana
salvation because this phase OF the plan must
first address our weakness and awaken our
interest. But how was it possible that the III
terest OF the creature should absorb ana cN-
hanst the resources of the Creator? II the
ultimate, and exhaustive object OF the Gospel
had been 10 save men, how could 1T nave lall, =
ed OF its object in any single human being !?
No. A yet higher and more awful end was
the vindication and triumph Of Truth. .ror
and "to this end was born that might bear
witness unto the truth" ''F rthis cause nave
! raised thee up" said he TO Paul, that thou @
mghtcst Ee minister and witness;' Inc
interests of truth are higher and g:andcr than
the interests Of man and every pulpit IN the
land is in its primary design witness bear.
ing stand, su6ordinately only, an agency OF
human salvation. Our highest conception OF
Gods gloriticaton is, indeed, mans salvation
hut this is only the means to that end ana
mighty truth must be preached whether men
will hear or whether they will lorbear.
But whether this clement of the symbolism
of our text is meant to be emphaSized or not
another. which is in close proximity to IT, is
undoubtedly contained and meant. Every
fountain is deemed TO be perennial anu en-
hauStless. 1t is assumed to be rs old as the
hill from whose base it flows. This fountain,
TOO, is perennial. 1t might seem 10 be contra
tlIctory of its perennial quality that it was to
be opened in the house of David. Net if it was
opened there it existed gcrminaiy in the
tribe of Judah, and if in Judah it existed ger
,ninally in the house OF Abraham and in
those pious antecedents from whom Abra-
ham drew his religion. Nay the antediluvl-
ans drank of that fountain, nay more 1t was
flowing in its incipiency for the family OF
Adam. My brethren, did the brilliant rain
bow never span the heavens before that day
when God gave it Il new office and said. BE
hold do set my bow in the clouds and tsha!l
le for a token OF the covenant which make
And might not this fountain, opened for the
healing of the nations, have oOZed forth its
refreshing waters before the day when IT was
notedly clarified and concentrated in the great
historical epoch of the ministry and death OF
Jesus? Yes. Abel, Enoch, and Abraham
drank ofthis fountain. A prospectiye faith is
as valid as retrospective faith and If there IS
any difference it is sublime faith. For 1T Is
Il sublimer reach of the soul to confide III what
God has promised yet to do than to confide
in what lie has done.
But this fountain is exhaustlcss. Though
Ihe thirsty travellers passing II fountain,
should, every one of them in rapid succession
dip their vessels intoit. and SO continuously
rs 10 affect the stream, it would still be under
stood by every one that this could not ai1cct
the fountain itself Itwould still flow on with
undiminiShed force. No amount OF use could
affect the unseen supply. This Is true OF the
atonement. 1t is adequate TO the wants and
woes of all this world and worlds more. No
amount Of guilt can exhaust its merits. Ev-
cry soul's thirst is Quenched here, whether
his sins ere 'secret' or .'presumptuouS,' coy
ert or overt, sins of youth or sins OF age, omis-
sions or commissions, crimson sins or mis-
laced virtues, all are adequately met. But
the ineXhaustibility of the aioncmcnt IS
very different matter from its universally.
II Is implicitly held by very many Christians
sometimes explicitly maintained that the
great atonement carries some savatory pow
cr 10 all men, that by ii not only isal sin can
ceEed and Il certain underlined benefit confer
ed upon all the race but some amount OF saw
ing effect secured 10 all. But, my brethren,
could you suppose THAT wayworn thirsty trtv-
el.erS could be refreshed or In amy way Dene-
fitted by q fountain from whose waters they
never drank? Could a diseased man be heal
I'd by medicinal waters of which he had only
heard and had not tasted? Where can the
rcfreshment and the actual benefit come from
except from the application Of the remedy TO
You viii notice that am now speaking OF
the application of the atonCmcnt The man
of the universal at0nement mistakes It's !! su!,
serene plausibility. has not God provided yoll-
der sunlight in glorious abundance for all.
and this benign lifegiring atmosphere for all
sins of the world without meaning it for all
Yos. But yonder sunlight is p donation,
White the atOnement is an overture. Inc
brutrs partake alike with Us IN Tie DRESSINGS
of U.ht, air and food, but they cannot rise to
the conception OF Il boon which Is he'd out TO
beings the very dignity and glor ol whose
nature it is appreciate and orcept. m0StSt ,S!t
it add to The glory of Gods mum,ncahce atnn Una.
dance alike upon those who Thankfully re-
ceived it and those who rtjec ed IL Inat ne