Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1889-02-18
SUNDAY RMoN
Religious Discourses at the Methods.
and Congreg ationaifse Churches Yes
terday,

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH-REv. F.
A BURDIcK
The subject of the morning sermon
was Ssnctitication, ard the paator said
that IN this coutro verified suhjaot it was
best at first to etsud on the common
ground where all could sgree. All who
believe IN ths purity oil heaven admit
and urge that sin has no place there.
That dep,avity mus! be changed
time before the judgment, SO that the
man that Ii sinful now will be fit for a
pure heaven. The question upon which
there is q difference of opinion is when
does this change take place? Universal.
ism and Its kindred issues sag after
death, and the speaker produced argu.
ments from analogy and Gods word 10
retute this position. There is no proba-
tion after death. Another class think
aancti6oation 10 only OF death. 1t
would seem unfortunate, ct least for ell
pure persons to go ont of life jnst when
they are most needed to give examples
of holy living. This makes death the
ssnctifier and not God. 1t limits Gods
power to save. 1t leads to low christian
living. II weskens the power Of the
gospel. The true scriptural position the
speaker thought was that this work can
be done for the sou at any time when
that soul is willing to consecrate Its elf
fully to Gods service. The remainder
OF the sermon was devoted to the priv
ilege, the power, the blessing, the happ,.
ness of this state of purity of life as
thus brought out, and all were exhorted
to trust God for this work OF the Holy
Spirit to cleanse end keep from sin.
The evening sermon Yes based on
"The word of the Lord is tried" After
abiding to the recent trial OF the new
rough pillows of the SEES OF life test and
try the word OF God, but it stands ell
tests and is pronounced by those who
witness its proyings as perfectly trust
worthy. 1t has been tried by time, by
science, and here the speaker reviewed
the first chapter of Genesis as tested by
geology, taking the ground that the geo.
logical record was all wrapped up in the
words SIN the beginning" 1t has been
tried by history and been subjected to
the test of individual experience, and
has not failed. Have you tried 1t as a
shield IN the midst of temptations?
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH-REv. D.. f.
BRADLEY.
Mc-ning text Timothy 81. "Thou
therefore, my son, be strong In the grace
that is in Christ Jesus"
The introd uctory portion of the dis
course reviewed the second epistls OF
Paul to Timothy, q young preacher in
Ephesus, who had become discouraged
on account of new doctrines which had
been pressed upon the churches. He
was in fear because the new teachers had
not only sowed disoord but unbslief and
loose moral teaching among the sirug-
Cling bands of christians. Paul exhorts
him to take courage and hold fast to the
truth as learned from the scriptures. Il
is the last word of the famous apostle;
yet it is q trumpet call to duty. 1t ,s
a triumphant shout of victory. It is
the swan.sonE of the chrietian hope.
This man Paul had reached the tdead
line" as 1t Is now called of age. But
there is no dead line to his usefulness
and his mental power. Paul at 65 was
as eloquent and spiritual as Paul at 35-
yea more so. There are three reasons
for this. l. Paul never ceased to grow
in zsal for Christ. 2. Paul never ceased
to grow In love for Christ. His spiritual
life grew with his years. 3. Paul never
ceased to grow Intellectually. Men and
ministers who thus grow in zeal, in
spirituality and in intellectual attain
ments will sever grow old.
Tie ep1stle to Timothy is y lesson of
encouragement to q doubling discour-
aged person. drawn from the sure things
OF the christian religion. Paul says in
substance, o are discouraged and your
churches have drifted away because you
have been drawn off into side issues.
You have been discussing words and
derivatiops and theories about this re-
ligion and you have forgotten the facts.
Teach these facts, never mind the
theories about them. Do not get into
controversy about these minor matters.
And remember there are two things
especially in your preaching. /. That
God is faithful and knows his own, and
he is not going to recognize a hypocrite
by mistake. 2. Thst all who confess
CHRIST must abandon sin.
The lesson given Timothy 10 q lesson
tor us. How often do we become shaken
in our faith because VIZ are drawn away
from the facts of christianity. We are
led into the discussion of side issues.
We make an inference from the words OF
scripture, and often suppose that infer
ence is scripture. II is attacked by some
one. We find difficulty in defending il
At once WI think the words Of scrip
ture are attacked. We think the whole
scripture is in danger. Bat we are
mistaken, Our inference from scripture
needs to be modified, that is all.
Now inidelity has won It's victories
along this line of attack. 1t has attacked
our extra scriptural theories, and II has
prevailed against them. When it has