The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-08-03
cons STRANGE MERCIEs.
w~x. G. j. Burehett at the First Bap-
fisf Church.

tist Church.
Rev G. J. Burehest at the First Baptist church
r-ssched yesterday morning upon the subject:
sTbe Strange Settings OF Gods Mercies." He
took for his text:
Romans ii:sl-aFor God hath concluded them
~ In unbelief that He might have mercy upon
ALL
~ once ascended the dome of the capitol at
Warrington said Mr. Burchett. "0ne not
uscd to these lofty flights il sure to feel much
uncertainty before he reaches the highest point
But Just under the great dome is window,
where II would scarcely be expected One may
ssxp out az this place and have q most entranc-
iur new OF the Potomac and the surrounding
country. The book Of Romans leads US high up
syka 70 the capitol of the universe: IL takes Us
into the lofty dome of Gods truth and as we be-
ia to faint for the great height that we have
reached We come upon this text. which Is an
unexpected window through which we get
most enhancing view of the works and mercies
Of God.
aThere are truths here brought to our atten-
ton which are so different from those found
among men that we shall probably be much
taken BY surprise at each step in our march
through these deeps of Gods mercy. Gods
word reysues the thought and the action OF all
nations, and there il no point at which this is so
plainly seen a. at this one. All human proceed
ures when any attempt at the right way of
serving. And personally, we give the best gifts
In our power TO those who are our best friends,
and 20 those who have done most for and
stood closest 10 US. But the Lord says that He
viii pat us among His enemies that He may
have mercy upon US He has many rich be-
stowmenis to make and He wants to be sure
that all shall have an opportunity to accept
them ell, or - many As they will. Tho sur
prising thing about this il that He puts those to
whom He would give favors among the worst of
people, that to these He may give the best gifts.
1t 10 here that We get view Of the mercy of
God that may well astonish US. trust that the
Holy Spirit viii enable you to look out over the
Landscape here opened to our view by these
words
As this is q communion day with us, let us
note first the thought of tho text as to Gods
lsyeling down process Human nature I'M
awakened says: Il think that am q very good
man, and stand a first rate chance of being
uyed, II any one does. / am surely as good az
many who are in the church In short, he
measures his chances OF heaven by what he
judges some other life To be, which life he did
imposition that there are some who are more
fitted for heaven naturally than others. They
would think that there are grsdes one above
another from the lowest strata of humanity to
the highest And the thought with them il
that those who stand on the highest grade have
doso. In fact they think that IL would be
rather hard for that class of people not to re-
cave the full grace of God, while those on the
lower level would have a fearfully hard time of
st.
snow, Ii will be seen from this text that such
"a not the case in any sense whatever. But, on
the other hand, the Lord comes 20 US and He
Vars 10 US: 4 put you all in the same position,
aou are ell the inheritors of the fruits of unbe-
LIEF. and do not deserve 10 be clsssed any higher
than this place where am putting YOU
"Ms DO well To bear in mind that there Is
nothing attributed to the unsaved more than is
Justly theirs The main point for the world to
consider h that 1t does not take what they have
had In mind to shut them out OF heaven. They
may admit that there are deeds that rear very
nigh walls around some souls, and that there
are walls 30 reared that would be very hard to
get over Such behind these walls would
ma II very hard hard to reach the world of
light This has been their way of looking at
this matter. But what they have been pleased
10 call great stones in the way 10 heaven and
little things are all put in the same class Those
things which wsrs thought by them TO be only
pebbles in the road form as large stones In the
way aud rear the walls rs high as those which
they called very great. When we have seen
this lsveling process. then the text tells us to
look at Gods lifting up process. That place in
which we have found ourselves is one from
which we can never lift ourselves. We are help.
less. But the whole plan of God Is one meant 10
lit US from our helplessness
"And the first thought breaking upon our
mind here Is that of mercy. This means that
the most precious gifts for tho unworthy are
provided. Does He give them 20 us because we
are unworthyY We are here to study about
some OF the most wonderful beEtowments that
our minds can grasp No one will think of
Doubling that there are more fsvors provided
tHr ne fhasa 4
now comes IL that they are given TO usg We
Ind the statement In the text to be one which
must surprise US. God has undoubtedly in
Nhaed nom the ages past TO lift us up and make
wto DO glorious with His holiness. But this
comes ont in the text that He viii make dis
Pay Of his mercy in doing it,
The forgiveness OF sins is an act Of mercy.
our lives called loudly for condemnation
some one tells ms of the soldier who had been
very bard TO manage: he unruly and
ssused the officers great deal OF trouble and in
eVhAQaenee they had visited him with many
severe panishments. And one day ne was
brought in again, under arrest for some worse
CRIME Than ever. The officer In command was
neafu 20 say that be did not know what TO do.
ne nad tried all the harsh measures that he
.0eid devise, and still the man was worse for
all Some one standing by asked the officer
ne hAd ever forgiven the man. This sur
psea tne orhcer because OF its novelty, but he
~. 10 Try this So calling the culprit
80 as presence he said to him: your crime
se.lons one; It's penalty would be severe
s $50. Vas forgive yon.' The astoniShed soldier
-. W his tent broken hearted 10 become
~. man. Wesre pleased 70 look upon this
,,.s.... ~ =. mercy The undeserving comes 10
he 10 pardoned f.'"''' VI Ais siHs anu
sA's mercy OF God does not stop here.
-. ,s.,1. Fa'Honea and turned loose might be
os,sn 49,. . merry, any at all. There has
ones who have long slen, hass'a ~ .s-1,
bars. They lost the respec, nj socIs,v - p ~.
ieitsd sll the confidence that thosr .slio,r r,s,
hAa ~ them, and now that they bsys .s-xas
CUT part oil their penalty, they are n.rlonas
such an one passed through ms ci,, = taxv
weeks ago. he was on the .a.,.h 90 -
setk OF some kind. But he wantes 80 %, as
~ Awsy from al whom he had know, - -
aess' asked him II he had brought nj. go.
ssn him TO show that he had actually - -
.asFged HE smiled ct The question. sn5 80.
'nas NO man would want TO carry surh -
shese what he said wRS very ,,lsi, -
ron THIS 1t was very evident that the r,nrss.
esroegh which he had gone was not one n Ia,
msa up. There was no mercy in this act Ths
was A. much Of an outeast from societv =.
vas eetore be served day OF his ssptsnoO
A'es ne received his Discharge. II won,s "a,
mach OF favor If We were naraopst sns
our sins '"'' FeuA's Oh
r. ICY means more than the iorrivins.
"Ss enough 10 cause all heaven 20
1o WI sender This thought OF taking all
e0 ef'nnes Snd laying them anon snothsr .ns
"a 1aS taea borne away forever ia greater thsn
Vul EAaS sail ever be ahfa 20 r-.sc p, -