The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-03-20

tHc ncou OI ulVlne lire In the SOUL or man..
Left to itself the soul is in spiritual
darkness and in spiritual death. But
the kingdom of heaven is kingdom of
spiritual light and life. Therefore Jesus
came "a light into the world He told
his diciples that He came. "that they
might have life and that they might have
it more abundantly." 'He that heareth
my word and believeth on Him that sent
me hath everlasting life, and shall not
come into condemnation; but is passed
from death unto life" John v, a.
"That which is born Of the flesh is flesh
and that which lie born OF the spirit is
spirit" That is like begets like, weed
seed produces weeds. Wheat kernels
produce wheat. The only source of
spiritual life is God. Hence God is the
author of divine life in man. No mere
moral reformation, no resort to the
teachings of human science or philoso-
ply, non of these alone and not all of
them put together can bring the soul
out OF the darkness and deafness Of sin
into the light and life OF a true child of
God. Science and philosophy each has
it's place as the scaffolding in the build
ing OF a house. But no one would think
OF living in the scaffolding. or this in
ward publication baptism by water is
the symbol. Ia itself it mas no saving
efficacy. 1t is the rite OF initiation into
the kingdom commanded by Christ and
therefore binding upon us. Our depend
ence upon God for entrance into his
blessed kingdom should humble our
hearts and make MS willing to listen to
His gracious words.
2. But man must cooperate. snake
you a new heart" says Gods prophet
Ezekiel. This text teaches the respon-
sibility Of every individual in the secur-
ing OF his own salvation. John preached
the same message when he told the
multitudes to "repent, for the kingdom
or heaven is at hand" So did Paul
when he wrote: "Put off the old man
which is corrupt. !. +. and put on the new
man which is created after (the passion
OF God" All these verbs are in the
active voice and teach that a certain
amount Of preparatory work must be
done by man himself before Gods spirit
will ~regenerate his soul. "We are CO.
workers with ::God." No crops will be
harvested in South Dakota this year un-
less the farmers work in harmony with
the lands Of nature in preparing and cul-
tivating the soil. How earnestly ther g.
fore should we seek to know what we
must do to be saved! (a) Find out
whether you are now right with God.
(b) Use the bible, the church and it's
ordinances to teach you the way into the
kingdom. (c) lead me TO the rock
that is higher than l."
M !. Il. CHURCH.
Morning sermon; text: l John 300
"But We have an JUNCTION from the Holy
One, and ye know all things" This,
and it's kindred passage, "and ye need
not that any man may teach you," found
in the 9th verse, sown in wrong soil,
would yield the rankest crop of self
esteem and bigotry imaginable. 1t would
discard2teachers and preachers. 1t would
do away with commentaries, theologies
and all text books, even the bible. But
by a careful study of the entire epistle
we find that it applies to a certain class
OF people and to a particular kind OF
knowledge.
/. The class addressed. None can
read this epistle without observing the
positive position which John assumes
(Chap. l-1-3) In the second chapter he
uses the word "know" thirteen times,
and with about the same frequency
throughout the epistle. Thushe is writ
ing to those who have a positive knowl-
edge, which m only and always by
experience. Yet if in any there is need,
he writes to more thoroughly fortify
them (5-13). The epistle abounds in
practical tests, which taken together
. CI0lu Va CtluCuC0 WukCu CuuuOu
be broken. He addresses those whose
knowledge is proven by the following:
(I) Keep his commandments-"and here
by we do know that we know him, il we
keep his commandments" ~ Brotherly
love-"we know that we have passed
from death unto life, because we love the
brethren" 81 Love not the world-"If
any man love the world the love OF the
father is not in him." az Witness Of the
spirit-@and hereby we know that he
abideth in us, by the spirit which he hath
given us" 5bPhilanthropy, almsgiving
-"whoso hath this worlds good and
seeth bis brother have need, and shut
teth up his bowels Of compassion from
him, how dwelletn the love Of God in
him?" CO. Answered prsyers-"If ye
abide in mo and my words abide in you.
ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be
done unto you," Our text is addressed
- So. 49,