Mexico weekly ledger., 1889-02-21
GOD.



lace began on Sabbath morning at |
the Presbyterian Church, series
of doctrinal discourses, with a |
sermon concerning the character
and attributes OF God and their
practical bearing, based upon the
above text, of whith the following
is a briefsynopsis: In commencing,
The remark was made that in dis
s'ussing the doctrines of Christian
isy twas natural TO begin with that
of the'' Being of God" since our
ideas of what God is impart color
to all our religious views. What
then, is God? The best AID only
answer to such a question is that
foendin the text: "God is Spirit"
From this we learn that he is not
material, that he cannot be seen.
that he is not subject to ordinary
influences and that flesh and mat
ter exercise no control over him.
Put "A man in dungeon and bind
him with chains and he may not
be able to escape because his body
is material; but his thoughts, which
are spiritual ARE free from detention
md restraint and soar at pleasure.
Such is spirit; and because God is
Il spirit, he can be neither fathom-
ednor controlled. As the Psalmist
sings, "His greatness is unsearcha-
hle," "His understanding is in
finite" No man hath seen him.
The only begotten of the Father
hath revealed him. Revelation
| ellis further that God is eternal.
| His name, Jehovah, is compounded
If lenses of verbs that signify He
is, was and will be. Before the
| mountains were brought forth or
lever the earth or the world were
formed he was God. His existence
is from everlasting to everlasting.
Paul says of him: "The heavens
| are the work of thy hands; they
shall perish; but thou remainest
and they shall wax old as doth
A garment and as a vesture shalt
thou fold them up and they shall
be changed, but thou art the same
and thy years fail not" He is
also SAID to be Interchangeable.
Speaking through Malachi he says:
II am the Lord. | change not. u
He is then a spirit infinite,
eternal and Interchangeable and
these four elements are absolutely
necessary to God. Only spirit
is worthy of alteration. To b.
above control God must be spirit
Ifnot eternal he must be creature
If not unchangeable he cannot bs
a reliable governor. But he i!
infinite. eternal and Interchangeable
in all his attributes-in his wisdom
knowledge, power, holiness, justic,
goodness and truth. Among the
practical effects of such views o.
God is first, worship. Brought
face to face with such conception:
of Deity man recognizes that he il
worthy of alteration. Take away
| from God his existence as a pur,
| spirit, rob him of his infinite
eternal and Interchangeable attributes
and that moment worship, if it die
not cease, would lose its divine
character. Sad, sad indeed woult
1t have been for man, had He tina
presides over and guides hi
destiny had been destitute of an,
If there characteristics.
Man in his weakness needs al
all-powerful keeper, and sucl
views of God lead to the realiza
: ton that he is a source of strengtl
against which nothing can prevail
His holiness is highly suggestive
As an incentive TO purity it canno
be over-estimated. His justice ais
is of great practical importance. ]
assures the frHltion of promised rt
ward and stimulates the effort t
secure it. Infinite goodness planne
:; the salvation Of man. Intinit
power gave it effect and iniinit
S holiness and justice sealed the co,
enant. Oh, that the practical ytilu
: Of Gods attributes might be reall;
ed as never before, and that by th;
u revelation worship of him migl
+ be changed. Oh, that he be T,
| garded as spirit and be no longe
: approached with an homage that
outward and formal! Oh, for a
i earnest and heartfelt worship {
r God for bowed hearts as we'll q
n heads, for songs frsm souls 9
y well as lips, and prayers frol
|, souls as well as tongues surel
= God is worthy of them. He hs
wisdom to guide, power to strength
V en-, holiness to sanctify, goodne.
$ TO save and truthfulness to perform
Faiihless must be the heart thi
will not confide in him and bin
ID the soul that will not take HIM f
n its all in all.
i Senator Clay.