The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-04-02
TIE SUBSTANCE OF THE GOSPEL.

What happy thing it is that the Gospel
comes into so little compass! Often have
felt this when visiting the sick and the dy-
ing.-When have found the mind incapa.
BILE Of vigorous, expansive or continuous
thought, how thankful have I been that
the Gospel is so short and so simple; that
the elementary truths which give peace to
stated in so few words! There is divine
wisdom and divine kindness in this.-There
are short sentences which contain essential
ly all that sinner needs to know, to give
him sense of pardon and confidence to-
wards God: "The wages of sin is death; but
the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus
Christ our Lord" This is a faith
full saying and worthy of all accep-
tation, that Christ Jesus came into
the world to save sinners, even the chief."-
This is the record that God hath given to us
eternal life; and this life is in his Son. He
that hath the Son hath life; he that hath
and others ofa like description, are precious
sentences. They are what the dying "man
Of Cod" DR.. M'All, so emphatically denom-
mated the core, the very core of the Gospel.
Connected with this is the striking fact that,
in the hour which is sure and common to
all-the hour Of natures last conflict and
most pressing exigency-the hour when the
mind is sent up to one point, and that point
peace with God and hope for eternity-that
in that hour all minds come to be so very
much on level, in regard to what lmparts
their confidence. It is the same truth in
all its simplicity, that gives it to the greatest
as well as to the least, and to the least as
we'll as to the greatest. 1t is more instruct
i've and interesting to see how minds of the
largest grasp and mightiest power, when
they come to this hour Of trial and of final
decision. when passing throuh the valley Of
the shadow Of death, anticipating eternity,
and conflicting single.handed with the last
enemy, have recourse to the same simple
elements of divine truth that are the springs
of peace to the very weakest of the babes
in Christ" I have been struck by this in
the biographies of some Of the most distin-
guished of our modern diyines. Look to
the terms in which they express the ground
of their everlasting hopes. Although, from
previously knowing the character of
their minds YOU of course con- conceive
sociated with those terms, and although at
times there may be coruscations of brilliant
sentiment emitted, that indicate the indy
ing light within, yet substantially they are
the very same in which poor Joseph" ex..
pressed the ground Of his: lit is q faithful
saying ana worthy OF all acCeptatlOn, tnat
Christ Jesus came into the world to save
sinners; and why not Joseph" What dy-
ing sinner can say moreP mean not that
the minds are eaual-that were follv: but
that, as the greatest and the least stand on
the same ground of condemnation, they
must stand also OH the same ground of &C
ceptance; so that he who has traversed the
whole round of theological learning,
has explored its depths, and scaled its
heights - has argued with metaphysi-
cal acumen, and illustrated with match
less eloquence all its points; has read and
has written volumes upon volumes, when
he comes to the test of dying hour, is shut
up to all the simplicity of the faithful say
ng" This is what he needs, equally with
the least; and this is what the least, equally
with him, enjoys. And the perfectly child
like submissiveness with which master
minds in Israel have avouched their reliance
on the most rudimental elements Of the
truth, is among the marks of its divinity.
1t shows that in the one point Of need, in
which all are alike, and which, in all cases
equally. the Gospel is intended to meet, the
adaptation of means to the end, is perfect.
DR.. Wdrdlaw.