St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-10-13

and persuade themselves that their
chances of heaven are far better than
his, and yet they continue to refuse to
be baptlZed-continue to decline the
holy communion. The man who lives
in accordance with the laws of the coun-
try in which he sojourns does we'll; he
is blessed in so doing, but he can hold
no office of public trust, he cannot even
vote unless he becomes citizen. So
man Will undoubtedly be benefited by
living according to the moral law which
the church enloinS; but the promise of
eternal life. the true citizenship in the
Kingdom OF God, comes only through the
SacramentS of which the church is the
custodian. Here God has recorded his
name, here he promises his blessing.
What presumption it is for any man
to claim citizenship in the kingdom of
God who denies all revelation; who will
not acknowledge Jesus as his Lord, and
who declines to connect himself with
pears in the body of the Christian
church? If men decline to have any
fellowship with him here upon earth,
how can they presume to claim citizen
ship in his kingdom of heaven?
While it may be true that, to the out
side world, the change which baptism
makes in a man is not at once visible;
While there are many weak and
Imperfect Christians,
yet these all have the right to claim
their citizenship whenever with a truly
penitent heart they will draw near to
their Lord. While individual Christians
may not be better morally than many
men outside of the church, yet it must
be confessed that in spite of all its er-
rors: i'll spite of the crimes that too
often have been practiced in its name;
In spite OF blgOtry and apparent failure,
the Christian church is the grandest,
the noblest, the purest organization
that has ever been found among
men; an organization that has
before it the definite aim
of blessing humanity-ans organiza-
ton that exalts the principle of self
sacrifice; that trains men to rise above
selfishness: That inculcateS the virtue
OF self-cOntrol, and eXpends its energies
in building hospitals. establishing
schools and sending out missionaries, to
die. If necessary. as witnesses to their
faith i'll Jesus Christ. Men seek BROTH
erhoOd in secret societies which appoint
watches by he'd of sickness, and re-
lieve cases of distress. They are good
social organizations, but they know
nothing of the new birth; they have no
promise of Immortality. AS means of
fellowship, | see no reason why any
branch of the church should wish to OPP
pose or check their benevolent work,
but, brethren, Iwarn you against allow
ing them to take the place of the
church.
am sure that we need no greater ev-
ldence of the love of God and of His
watchful care of us than the Institution
OF His chuIch-an organization by
which He reaches out after men. | IN
wife you to accept citizenship in the
Kingdom of God, and to come to His
altar and drink of the water of life
freely. | beg of you, as intelligent men
looking for the blessing of God, not
only beyond the grave, but in this life
as well. that you will not despise this
message: that you will not put off do
ing that which you know is your duty;
that you will not plead your unworthi-
ness as a reason for remaining outside
the Christian church. No man ever yet
was good enough to plead his own good
ness as emitting HIM to this citizenship.
1t is not our goodness, but the free and
abundant grace of God that makes this
salvation open to us.
As there is no other name under
heaven given among men whereby we
may be saved, so there is no way of en-
bracing that salvation except the way
that Christ Himself has appointed at
the altar of His church, where He has
promised to meet with and bless His
people.