The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1892-05-25
The Benediction.


The Benediction.
Like the words of the Lords
Prayer, which we have known from
earliest memory, the words of the
apostle benediction have grown
familiar. They fall upon our ear
at the close of almost every SER
vice of worship, and perhaps
their very familiarity may be a
reason for our not experimenting
as we might their rich and most
precious significance. "The grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the
love of God, and the communion of
the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
Amen" How all-inclusive of spirit
ual blessingl Rich indeed are we
if these are ours henceforth. "For
ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that, though He was rich,
yet for your sakes He became poor,
that we through His poverty might
be rich" The benignity, kindness,
mercy, aud goodness of the Lord
Jesus His loving, serving, giving,
saving grace He was poor; He
had not where to lay His head and
for our sake He was so, not only
that He might lift us up from sin to
salvation, but also that He might
be always in sympathy with that
large part of His faithful disciples
who bear the cross of poverty. He
was cared for by friends when he
might have wrought miracles for
Himself, and he also committed
His mother to the care of others; so
that Gin all things" he was like un-
to His brethren, who in straitened
circumstances are dependent upon
charity. O, the wonderful grace of
Jesus He never renowned any
comfort or pleasure for the mere
sake or self-denial. He was not an
ascetic. His self-renunciation was
for others sake, that good might
come to them.
let this mind be in you also
which was in Christ Jesus" THAT
We might be rich" How rich are
we in His grace2 His grace bring
eth to all men salvation" We can
not measure the depth of salvation.
Only God, who knows the value of
an immortal soul, knows what sal
walton means. Through the grace
of the Lord Jesus we have salvation
here and now from sin, from the
power of evil, from overwhelming
grief.
The passages in the word which
speak of grace" are very many.
They open to us depths of riches.
1t is like searching the intimate
reach of the heavens and finding
star after star, system upon system
to search out these revelations of
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He giveth more grace. Grace is
multiplied God is able to make
ali grace abound toward you. The
love of God is added in the benedic-
ton. We may be filled with it, con-
strained by it, experienced it cas-
we know by experience the coolest
refreshment of fountain whose
depths we cannot fathom and re-
joice in the warm beams of the sun
whose greatness we cannot COM
prehend." They who know it best
understand best the words of the
apostle, cit passeth knowledge"
"The communion of the Holy
Spirit" He takes of the things of
Christ and shows them unto us.
He knoweth the mind of God, and
so teaches us to pray according to
pray according to His will. He
searcheth the deep things of God
and reveals them to us, as we could
not see them by our natural powers.
He reproves of sin; He is the Com
forter; He abides in us and guides
into all truth. 0 how rich are we if
we cherish His gifts, and how wise if
we heed the teachings of His still,
small voice in our hearts. When
ever the apostolic benediction shall
fall upon our ears may our souls re-
spond "Amen" with deeper appre-
citation of the prayer For all that
is included in the wondrous grace
of the Lord Jesus, the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy
Spirit, ain Him is the Yea, and
through Him the Amen, unto the
glory Of God by us."-N. y. Chris
tiau IdU0c0ie.