Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-03-08
ABSTRACT OF A SERMON.
Preached by Rev. ]. ". Wyman, al
the First Baptist Church, Augusta.
March 8, 1892.
PUBLIsHED By REQUEST

Text: Cor. Is :58-"Therefore, u
q beloved brethren be ye (or become sses,
!. fast, unmcvable, always abouadina in Ct
work Of the Lard, forssmuch a. ye kno
that your labor 10 not in vain in the Lad
v The text forms the conclusion Of an q,
? sumens- Whenever therefore il four
In scripture, Il 10 we'll to notice what Or,
:, csdes; We can dig sbou. il with preHs.
Here mastery argument for the tru,
!. Of the resurrection 10 stated Il 10 one o
the mos. ,kilful and convincing deliver
y ances that ever came from the spostoii
zen. Coming a. il did in that day Of On
= res; and doubt, ii veil nigh settled cont,c
=, vsfsy upon tbis important poin. for severn
! generations. Il has sver been through all tn
trials Of the church like one Of the fxes
stars to storm tossed mariners.
Final appeal has BEEN made TO this chap
ter and people have been satisfied. Ii Ia
done more than almost any other portion o.
scripture 70 remove doubt ia rega,c
, 70 the certainty and character Of the fulur,
: life. /. 10 here seen bow the sting Of dessi
: Gao be removed; aye. how death itself car
be turned into absolute victory. We her,
diicoyes VIA. = vital relation Jesus Chris
holds 70 securing immortal life beyond th,
grave. Something then 10 At stake. Il
there il life in Christ, .nd ouly in Him
then the exhoYtation of the text beeomel
exceedingly pertinent. IL is two folk
exhortstioa. There is 70 be stesdfaR coz
fdence on the one hand and infisxibie 10y
atty on the other. These may be c1nsideret
in their order.
Coincidence.
Therefore, my beloved brethren" Pau
concludes this matchless message, "be ye
ssesdfsst, unmovsbie." 1. e. in the grasp Of
your faith on this heavenly reality, By
which ye may be Strengthened anew.
10 the frat place We are to be steadfasi
IN spite Of our very selves; in spite Of the
i'm pediments from within. How much there
is 10 our hesrts to interfere with our stead
fAstne IS 10 the faith.
A. There is e. z. indiff erence to the
truth. We have allowed ourselves to get
into such . condition that truth has little
effect upoa our hearts. We have rot
KEEP! actively engaged in the service An
instance comes TO mind now. /. was s
goiiy family WHARF the y0usg man va,
born and reared and he became jealous
Christian worker. But after time ne was
silent and thea his absence WAS noticed a,
the regular services. He drifted and 10
drifting today. What was the trouble !?
He became Indifferent TO the truth Of God .
word. He first neglected to read that word
IL bad no charm for him. Then be could
| fnd no time TO read II. After llt,le he
did not care TO hear ii read He became
totally Indifferent to It's appeals. Thea he
/ began to ridieule it and TO scout the lde,
/ hist it was truth. All this began with ii
| difference.
| b. Then sglina ptrson is naturally ilH-
| tent and timid. Hesitation marks every
step of the way. Finally no place ia Ell =
/ joyed where service is expected. There is
= gradual drop Ping back until the individual
| becomes steadiast and unmovabe-bu. Lo.
| in the faith.
| C. Then there is pride within. Pride
Of position or social standing, pride on &C.
count Of Accomplishment or culture. A
feeling Of self contentment grows. The
| Individual is gradually weaned from Chris!
and 10 welded 10 self again.
ID Then covsto usness, 3 root Of evil,
is not completely torn out of toe heart
Tnis old weed, which only needs HE Sigh
est ncourage ment of sua or rain to make it
spring into life and power, fessserts itself.
It begins again to sap the soil Of the heart
and unless cut CT ;orn oui is soen master
OF tue siuRliOn OuCe more.
K. Jealousy 10 another plant Of the nat
urai heart. Look out for it. Il colors and
effects every thing
4. Pr jadice is its twin sister. With
these dominant or even Influential, correct
judgments AID conduct become impossible.
@. Then there are other inelinations Of
The heart such IS pleasure seeking, world
illness and spirit of fault fndiDg, which
all have their eject upon the consnncy of
the Christian life. These and all the con-
siderAtions named above, are growths from
within which need constant watching. 1t
IS 10 spite of these various Implements
that We are to cling .tesdfsstly TO the faith.
2. But we are also TO remain unmovable
sgainst the various Influences from without.
which nigh, undermine and shake us.
Every man is subj sct to 3 peculiar ervi-
ronment. Circumstances AID surround
10y, in which We are placed, while
not regulating nor intended TO control our
actin, necessarily have their influence and
uoiess We are careful they will seriously |
interfere with our siesdfastness.
For example, if young Christians find
certain worldly customs and habits, whether |
proper or improper, whether helpful or
we need not attempt here to |
SckbLt, IL l2d sGIb CuetDiue
or popular. IL will be exceedingly Difficult |
for Them TO escape being affected by them. |
Again, II cer:sin phases OF belief are |
generally held in a community, they will |
* IT an infiuence upon those holding DIFF |
fersnt opinions. Where doctrines Of free
trsie or protection, of license or prohibi-
ton are positively held ard stoutly mail
tsiaed by the large ms ,rity, the minority |
-, - NJ 40
gr,e, Where Armilianism or Calviuism
or | oitsrisuisn or Universalism or general
uotiditacsS is the prevailing belief and has
grown up and gone to seed, the community
at large, though no. acknowledging any
= 'Hliasion with such belief, is certain to
be effec ed to a greater OF less extent.
The place where Theodore Parker gave
uitersnce to his eri,tic notions 10 very
seed bed Of Unitarisrism, though the prss-
ent congregation hardly exc .eds score OF
i1divitusls.
Tlen once more. sentiment adverse to the
enforcement of law is btund to have an
effect evea upon the most righteous laws.
The Jew. found this out to their sorrow,
when they became surrounded By the idola.
trons nations,
We arr having strong premonitions Of the
~
foreigners multiply ard as foreign voters
are msnufs .ured BY patent process to sat.
isfy the greed of pclttica! tyrsnts, the better
classes gil to understand that the infiu-
ences from without are very potent; thst
they may very naturally and very easily
fec US unless on our guard.
Yet potent as sli the Sc external icf1uehces
may be, We can say Without thought Of |
contradiction that they hSye not the force |
~hich ihese subtle itfIeLCes from within |
may exert rsDge as IL may tetm to us, /
We do not mte: our WORST enemy on the /,
sseet corner External inf renee. and |
conc itions do not Constitute our greAtest
inpediments to sdtsstness
The ,disor Of Fhe Waterman" in |
speaking las: veek Of national safety and
morals. save uLefauee TO some most sig. |
nifcant words We do wsll," he ssys,
~ take this lesson TO ourselves. God has
bonored our nNicn IN come fssIinn SIS be
blessed Jerusalem. 1hs fear CT The Lord
vas bet, Re ,hs eyes Of the men Who were
most II II Z. nl.sl IN forming tas type OF ouT :
nai,talIfs, f g!ind and Holland ard
France we're sifted for reed with which to
ssw tbs laLd. Gu. iree initIu.ions have
been .tsr Of b pc everywhere n the OF
messed L. hss seemed SIS If the future of
Gu i.ti.ritg in The earth were largely iisl
td ID With ths rermaAelce of this nstiop.
There are few Who DO not bel eve that the
moral outlook for the word stu be dark
en.d. If our naliorsl If, were imperilied
But the privilege Of Juish. sld her appsr-
emily indist easable place 10 the plan of
God, cid not save he1 and our Prtrtteges
and pkace tr,H not Sare rs. Coils not shut Z .
-, a.. 4. m, ,aHa ar 0nf lfDpi+ aud thu IN