Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1888-12-22
Sunday Reaatn8,
EDITED BY REV. +. l.. LEEPER.

by my spirit, saith the Lord OF hosts.
-Zechariah, 4:6.
The Jews were at this time busy !
rebuilding the Temple. 1t had been
utterly destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar
a out sixty years before this, and the
Jews were carried by him into Baby
lon as captives. Cyrus, his successor,
liberated this people and gave them
permission to return to their own
land and rebuild their city. The
Samaritans, who had been put into
possession of their land by Nebuchad-
nezzar, opposed their rebuilding.
They were many and strong, the
Jews were few and weak. The oppo-
sition had discouraged the Jews and
they were ready to give up. The
prophet is sent to encourage them.
His encouragement is promise of
success, and of divine help. The
same hands that had laid the fOunda-
ton were to finish the work. This
was to b. done by Gods spirit in
them, enabling them to overcome all
difficulties.
Here we find the secret Of success
in all kinds Of religious work. This
lesson runs all through the Bible. The
gospel itself has no power to save,
when separated from the personal
living presence of the Spirit of God.
1. This does not imply that there's
any defect in the gospel as plan of
salvation. Christ is a perfect Saviour,
meeting in himself every want of
sinful soul. Is there guilt in sin that
causes God the Judge to condemn us?
Then we have only to believe in Je-
sus, and we find that He has already
"borne our sins in his own body on
the tree" The law is satisfied with
His one sacrifice for sin, and SO God
Justly frees every believing sinner
from all condemnation.
Is there pollution in sin staining our
characters and making us an offense
to the pure and holy God? Then we
have only to come to Jesus and we
find that "his blood cleanseth from
all SIM" Thus Jesus saves from sin
by taking away its pollution. This
meets the sinners twofold want, and
makes Jesus a perfect Saviour.
2. This does not imply any want or
defect in the revelation of Gods plan
Of salvation. The word of God is
perfect, so there is to be nothing add
ed to it, nor taken from it. Every
truth contained in Gods plan Of sal
walton; every promise that God will
ever make to man; every command
that God will issue to man; every
warning that God will ever give to
man is already in the Bible. The
spirit is not now present to make
any new revelation of Gods will
either by dreams, or visions or in
any other way. The Bible is finish
ed and scaled forever with Gods
seal. 1t is to remain forever Just as
it is, the incorruptible seed of God,
by which we are born into his family.
3. But in spite of all the perfection
Of the gospel plan of salvation, and
Of the revelation of this plan given to
man in the Bible, still man, left to
himself, always rejects every offer Of
salvation made to him.
The reason for this is found in
mans deep love for sin. Under that
love mans unbelief is always an
active principle and his will delights
to reject the offered Savior.
Nor are there any human means by
which this unbelief can be overcome
1t is impossible for the most faith
full, loving, and efficient home in
Struction to insure that the child
shall grow up a Christian. Some OF
the most bitter and wicked enemies
Of Christianity have grown to man.
hood amid the influences of a Chris.
tian home. No faithfulness, clio.
quence, learning nor earnestness in
preaching can insure the conversion
of those who listen to it. Many grow
more and more wicked under the
most faithful preaching.
No ordinary Providence of God
can insure the conversion of those ex-
crciSod thereby. Men, when sick,
make many vows only to break them
as soon as they are well. Many grow
more wicked under the severest
judgement of God. If these were
causes which in themselves ploduc
ed conversion, then, whenever put
into operation they would produce
their natural effects.
True religion is from first to last
supernatural, therefore the cause pro
1upinp If muSt he SuuprnHturol GOl'S