The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-03-29
REV. LANES SERMON.
synopsis of What He Preached Last Sun
day Morning.

synopsis of What He Preached Last sun
day Morning.
The text of the sermon preached in the
English Baptist church Sunday morning
by Rev. a. G. James was taken from John
l, Is. The theme was Grace for Grace"
Jesus said, II am the way, the truth and
the life" These words set forth that Christ
and christianity are essentially of the same
nature. If any one asks me what it is to
be a christian, dare not answer that it is |
to believe a certain set of doctrines and fol-
low a certain rule of conduct. Those are |
the outward fruits of the christian--just as |
the tree is kn.wn by the fruit it bears. To |
be christian is to partske OF the nature, |
and spirit of Christ by fifth Jesus is full |
of love, mercy, grace truth, wisdom, man.
illness, strength, peace, joy and holiness.
He possesses all the qualities that are neces-
sary to perfect character, But Christ does
not only possess these qualities. He is the
source Of them wherever they exist. He
can, and does more than maintain his own
| life. As the sun not only maintains its own
/ light and heat, but gives out of itself all
the light and heat of nature, so does Christ
the Son OF highteousn, ss in the spiritual
world. He is q like constant spring Of
water that not only keeps its own basin full,
but over6ows in a living stream with
capacity TO Gil to the brim thousand res
ervoirs. We have more than we can do to
sustain our own lives and virtues, to say
nothing of giving grace, virtue and life to
our fellow beings, but Jesus gives life,
grace and glory to every believer, and at
tho same time His store of them gets no
lees. He gives us grace. Veal grace after
grace. He is God as we'll as man, so in Him
the Divine and human meet. By His
|, teaching life and death, Christ has given
E every man opportunities to escape the con-
!. sequences of sin, and to gain fitness for
, Heaven, which he otherwise would not
have had. In these privileges in these pro-
visions of mercy for our salvation, we all
receive OF His fulness. To us who believe
, he imparts Spiritual Life from his own full
, ness of life. He creates in us the attributes
of His own Holy Nature. Christ is formed
q in the believer, so that the christian of to-
/ day can say with Paul, IT live, yet not L
but hrist liveth in me-" Many seem tC
/ think that they are saved simply by the in
stIuetions Christ gives and by their own
efforts to initiate his example. And thoat
f who admit that they are saved by tht
0 power of Christ alone seem to think that
q the process is a mechanical one, that He
: saves them somewhat as a strong man saves
Q drowning child from the waves, by pull
ing them out of a position of danger. Bu
0 this is q very important misconception
True salvation means an entire change
1 wrought in the inner man, or in the soul
!, 1t is a deliveranee from pollution, sin and
. lguilt, and the impsrtstion Of desire and
ability to live holy life. The means by
l., which we receive that power is faith. "And
{ Grace for Grace" This is most singular
8 stand it. These words reveal to us Gods
. method of giving. The effects of one grace
Iprepares US to ask and sppreci4te another.
/ The reception of a small measure of grace
from God makes US feel the need of more
"Whosoever hungers and thirsts after
rig hteousness is certain to be filed" One
, grace gives capacity for the reception Of
r another. The soul of an impenitant man
6 Tor of an undeyeloped christian is like .
shriveled skin bottlel and can hold but
very little of Gods grace, but as soon as {
II little finds its way in, it will prepare The
: way for more, and there is more to be had
As God bestows grace wherever there il
room for it, we can easily see how He give
"Grsce for Grace"