Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-02-18

US that We nave religion that Is well
enough for the few that it reaches. They
point to the great mass of shining human
ity and say, what of these?" Also,
You have a straight and narrow way tina,
leads to eternal life and few there be tha,
find it. You have a highway of holiness
cast up for the ransomed of the Lord to
pass over, but the vast throngs of earth
are not passing that way" To all such
we must say, it is straight and narrow
way" and God has made it so, and $50 let
it be-" There is a highway of holiness
and let it remain. for the all-wise God
cast 1t up. We make no apologies tor any
of Gods works. They are the embodi-
ment Of inscrutabe wisdom; man may
not improve upon them. But while we
make no apologies for any of Gods works,
we do refute the charge that there is any
lack OF provision for the salvation of all
men. For as many as have sinned with
out law shall also perish without law and
as many as have sinned in the law shall be
| judged by the law; for not the hearers of
of the law shall he justified. For when
the Genties. which have not the law, do
by nature the things contained in the law.
! these, having not the law are law unto
| themselves; which shew the work of the
! law written in their hearts, their con-
science also bearing witness, and their
thoughts the meanwhile accusing or ex-
cusing one another" Rom. III l2.l5
The whole spirit of TIE gospel is that of
pleading, of inviting. of iutercedng. and
all on the sinners behalf. Gods provis.
| ions are ample. IF any man sin, we have
an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ
the righteous; and He is the Precipitation
for our sins and not for ours only. but
also for the sins of the whole world
John | \: 9l0. And the spirit and the
| bride say, come. And iet him that heareth
say, come. And let him that is athirst
come. And whosoever will, let him take
the water of life freely" Rev. NH II.
The word Is full of infinite longings 10
save man. All that infinite love, power
and mercy combined could do to rescue
man from the power and degradation of
sin has been done Though the way Of
salvation is narrow, it l. wide enough for
all the world TO walk in when separated
from the SIN that defilcs. We are not
Strengthened in our sympathies, but we
mourn and weep because the lost aud per-
i>hing masses will not obey the voice OF
God, nor accept Of the offer of free, aud
a full. and present salvation from sin,
nor put themselves in the way where SOW
ereign mercy can reach them.
When God chose to make man free
moral agent, He took the responsibility TO
make being in which should reside fear
ful powers, powers that would raise him
to the highest heaven or sink him to the
lowest hell.
And now that man is fallen and Is chain.
ed in bondage to sin, having chosen death
rather than life, none but the God who
made him can save him.
We are glad, then, that God is the Au-
thor of our salvation, for only He knows
the awful disease of sin; only He can sp-
ply the remedy to cure.
Let astronomers search the heavens and
make all the discoveries that lie within
their power. Let them sweep the starry
host with their far reaching telescopes and
bring to light facts that shall overturn
many pet theories of the past. Let the
scientist dig deep into the earth for every
kind of scientific truth concerning the
structure and age of the planet on which
We live; let him turn and overturn until
the favorlte dogmas of geologists are scat
tered to the four winds of earth Let
knowledge abound, and let wisdom in
crease. Let all the earth glow with the
clear light of new revelations Of truth.
We bid it come in the name of our holy
religion let it come: in the name of suf-
| fering humanity let it come. And let all
science, all art, all inventions and ap-
| pllances of an advanced and ever advanc-
| ing civilization be made Instrumental in
helping US to understand Gods thoughts,
Gods plans, both in nature and in grace
But God forbid that we should use the
very powers which our religion has placed
in our hands to destroy the simple faith
that takes God at His word Let teachers
and preachers of the plan of salvation
preach the word" Let them be satisfied
t. appeal to the authority of Thus
saith the Lord Let the gospel stand up
on the foundation that God hath laid Let
Moses deliver the law to the people, and
David sing psalms of holy triumph, and
Isaiah revel in prophecy, and Peter and
John and Paul discourse sweetly on the
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that has
appeared for the salvation of all men but
through all of these minor and major KEYS
of gospel truth let the voice of our God be
heard speaking in manifold tongues say
ing, Come now and let US reason together,
saith the Lord; though your sins be as
scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they be red like crimson, they shall
be as wool. If ye be willing and obedent
ye shall eat the good of the land but if we
refuse and rebel ye shall he devoured by
the sword for the mouth of the Lord hath
spoken it." Isaiah l 1920.
| 2nd. Again, our salvation is great be-
| cause it comes through the merits and
atonement of great Savior. 1t is said
that when the memory of Rev. John New
ton was greatly impaired, he used to de-
clare, Let me forget everything else, two
things | can never forget; have been a
great sinner, and have found great Say
ior." That there is no salvation, great or
small, without a savior, is too trite saying
to repeat; and yet it is too lightly thought
upon. What think ye of Christi" is no
ordinary but the extraordinary question of
all time.
Colonel Robert G. IDgersoll was once
seated in palace car and accosted Gen.
Lew Wallace while passing through the
car as follows: Come and sit down
with me for I am lonesome and want
some one to talk with" "What shall we
talk about" was the reply Of Gen. Wal
lace. about such things as-Is there a
God, a heavens a hell, and was Jesus Christ
the Son of Cod" said the Colonel.
~ do not feel competent to discuss this
last subject" said Wallace. He went out
from the conversation with the famous
sgnostic with determination to ascertain