Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-10-04

WI OH1 lCSDcCS III GfdllHtlSl-
and as a revivalist he has no superior. Last
night he preached the last sermon of his
third year. On next Sabboth morning and
evening his pulpit will be filled by Bishop
Keener, OF New Orleans.
The Conference of the NJ. E. Church
South will be held at San Jose, commencing
on Wednesday, October 18th. According
to the rules of the Church, a minister can
remain in charge of the same church four
years, and it is altogether likely that he
will be returned to Sacramento in defer
ence to his OWL wishes and that of the
citizens of this community.
LAST EVENINGS SERVICES.
The church was filled at an early hour
last evening. The choir sang as a volun-
tary, in which the congregation joined
1t may be far, it may be near.
There is a hope, there is a fear;
But in the future waiting l,
Shall Jesus say yes, by and by.
As an opening song of praise the minis
ties read hymn 259:
am coming to the cross,
am poor and weak and blind,
am counting al but dross,
shall full salvation find.
The singing of this song by the entire
congregation was followed by a most feel
ing and eloquent prayer, in which the min
lister referred to his three years services in
Sacramento, and earnestly PRAYED that the
efforts put forth and the good work accom-
plished would be the means of saving
many souls. The prayer was followed by
the congregation singing hymn 279:
Work, for the night is coming,
Work through the morning hour,
Work while the dew is sparkling,
Work mid springing flowers;
Work when the day grows brighter,
Work in the glowing sun;
Work, for the night is coming,
When mans work is done.
The minister said he would feel sad in
deed if he thought this was to be his last
sermon to this people. If he thought it
was he would hardly be able to nerve him
self for the occasion. He hoped it was
only his last sermon of the third year, and
that he would still be allowed to remain
here a year longer. However no one
knew what a conference might do-his
discourse of the evening would be a SER
mon TO the unsaved. He felt like eulogiz-
ing his congregation, returning them
thanks for their noble Christian work DUR
ing the time he had been with them, but
instead had decided to preach a plain in
cisive sermon, as if this was the last oppor-
tunity of appealing to them for the saliva
ton of their souls. He chose for his text
Matthew xvi, "a; % and 26:
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, if any man
will come after me, let him deny himself, and
take up his cross and follow me.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it,
and whosoever will lose his life for my sake
shall find it.
For what is a man profted, if he shall gain
the whole world and lose his own soul? or what
shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
The occasion that gave rise to the words
used in the text was the discussion between
Christ and his disciples about his going
away from them, and coming again in the
person of the hoy comforter. He told
them how he should go into Jerusalem and
suffer many things of the elders and chief
priests and scribes, and be killed and
raised again on the third day. Peter said !:
Master this shall not be unto thee
Christ answered Peter, saying; Get thee
behind me, Satan; thou art an offense
INTO me; for thou savorest not the things
that be of God, but those that be of men,"
He detected in the language of Peter m
thing devilish in nature, that of selfishness.
Peter wanted Christ to remain with his band
of disciples. Jesus turned unto the null
titude and said If any man will be nv
disciple let him deny himself, take up his
cross and follow me-" Here is the divine
thought, the power of the human will to
settle the destiny of the soul for time and
eternity. No matter what divine writers
may think, or however much they NAV
differ, they all agree that every man is ac-
countable for his own being. He is account
able for himself. He is held at the bar of
his own conscience, and at the bar of his
God for his own actions. If a man
takes a pistol and wantonly shoots a fell
low being, he is guilty of murder, and
is held accountable for the deed.
The freedom of the human will is some
thing that must be understood. Christ
says, "If any mar will come" 1t implies
that any man can who will. While no
man without the grace of God can become
a disciple of Christ, still every human be-
ing who has the Gospel presented to him
has the grace necessary, and if it is not ex-
ercised he is lost. He illustrated by say
ing Suppose l wanted TO go to Gait, and
should get five miles upon my journey and
find an obstruction in my way-a fork in
the road, one leading one way, the other in
an opposite direction, but the one l should
travel to reach my destination filled with
obstacles and debris. Suppose that some
kind friends remove the distractions and
point out the way. There | then stand,
and if | so choose | can follow the
right road He further illustrated by
relating the case of the impotent man who,
unable to rise, lay for days by the pool of
Sloan. AT a certain hour each day an
angel would unlock the doors of heaven,
descend through the ethereal blue and
hover over that pool; its waters were dis
turbed, and whoever bathed therein at that
time came out whole. That poor impotent
man, who had been disabled for. thirty and
eight years, had seen the crippled go in
lame and halt and come out perfect, the
diseased cured of their maladieS, but him
self was unable during the brief stay of the
angel to get TO the pool. There was a
longing within him to get to the purifying
waters, but he was helpless. The strong
rushed by him, and his piteous p~leadings
passed unnoticed. One glorious Sabbath
morning as he lay there in despair, he saw
some men approaching. One commanding
figure stood over him. 1t was Jesus.
He said, Will thou be made whole p
He replied that he did; told of his suffer-
ings and inability to moye-of his utter
helplessness. Jesus said unto him, Arise,
take up thy bed and walk" The man
might have replied, 1t is unreasonable in
you to give such a command; | have been
impotent for thirty and eight years; | am
helpless" But he did not say it. He
undertook to obey the command, and, to
the surprise of all, he arose, took up his
bed. put it upon his shoulders and went
through all the city of jerusalem pro-
claiming what Christ had done for him
! Ills 1altn n2d maze MIN Nn0le-
He spoke of Christ in the temple on the
holy Jewish Sunday. A young man with
a palsied arm was placed where Christ
would see him, and if he cured they could
accuse him. Christ said, Young man,
r stretch forth thine arm The young man
proffered no excuses he did not say thai
t his good right arm was helpless; that with
} it he was unable TO assist his poor mother
) but the very m Jesus commanded
t him he made the effort to obey, and in the
effort divine power was given. He then
related the instance of freeing Peter from
: prison. when Christ appeared in his dark
5 dungeon in night and commanded him,
f saying. Peter, put on thy sandals and fol
t low me"
!: Some say Al am a drinker; th'
] love Of liquor has such q fas
. hold upon me that when you
gospel commands that | leaC
e a different life l cannot obey Remembe
' that God says: Give me you heart; vii
. to b. a disciple and be saved? 2" We neet
: to hear preaching. it is good for us; W
need to hear the holy scriptures, but W
D have the o~mnipotent power within our
/ selves to secure a new life if we Oily vii
it. You no doubt have many times Oh