Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-18

NL
REV. W. @. YOUNG. DID.
founder ard head. He is the Lord Jesus
Christ, the only begotten and beloved Son OF
God. He il that one '.who being in the form
Of God. thought it not robbery to be equal
with God but made himself OF no reputation
and took upon Him the form Of q servant and
was made in the likeness of men, and being
found in fashion man He humbled HIM
self and became obedient unto death, even the
death Of the cross Wherefore God also hath
highly exalted Him and given Him a name that
is above every name, that at the name Of Jesus
every knee should bow, both of things in
the EARTH and that every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory Of God
the Father"
Though he lived and died as man on earth,
vet such description as includes the titles given
TO Him throughout Scripture clearly reveals
His higher nature. Though He came to earth
possessed of none Of the outward trappings or
appendages of greatness, yet the very mean
ness of the disguise He assumed, the lowliness
OF His position in a worldly point Of view served
to bring into greater contrast His real glory
and display more vividly His almighty power.
I'VE have as has been truly said but to
look WITH the eve of faith through the thin veil
of flesh which covered Him and what do We be-
hold? Simply Jesus, Nazarene jew? Jesus.
the visest, mobiles. OF all sages and teachers?
glory, the Lord mighty in battle. the heavens
HIS throne the earth His footstool. the light
His garments. the thunder His voice, His
strength omnipoIence, His riches all sufficiencv,
His retinue the host OF heaven and the holy ones
of the earth"
Well and truly is He called in Scripture the
only begotten Son of God, the Master OF eter-
nifty. the Mighty God, the omnipotent ruler of
heaven and earth, for while man He hun
gered, THIRST. wept over the grave of His friend,
III
He created bread. turned the water into wine,
raised the dead. cast out devils, and finally
burst the bonds OF death asunder, triumphing
over the grave, and he'll. and sin. the author of
both. and assembled TO his fathers throne.
Such is the being who is head of the church,
who loved it, gave himself for it and redeemed
it with His own blood Such s He who founded
the kingdom in His own sacrifice, labors and
death and now rules over it, sitting at the right
hand OF God. the Father. far above all prin-
CAPABILITIES and powers and might and dominion.
In all ages men have felt that the founder of
o great state empire reflected upon its sub
sequent members some portion of his own
lus.er. Thus the Persian gloried in being a
subject of the empire which Cyrus had estab-
hshed- The Spartan felt himself ennobled by
living under the institutions of the far-famed
Lycurgus. The Attic boosted Of his Scion. the
naughty Roman prided himself on the posses
SION OF city which claimed a son of Mars
sucked BY wolf as its founder. While We
Americans rejoice and exult IL a Washingt ton. a
Jefferson. an Adams a. those who laid broad
and strong the governmental foundations OF
this great republic.
But how Insignificant are all these founders
of states earthly compared with Him who estab-
hshed that kingdom Of which We are members.
that everlasting kingdom which can never be
moved. How narrow their views, how limited
their aims, how feeble their powers, how
triiing the result Of their labors. how mean
their nature when compared with His. They.
too were but human, and as men they lived and
died and passed away. Where are now the Roman
Caesars and the Greciar chieftains, where those
world-renowned conquerors, beneath whose
tread the solid earth seemed to tremble and at
whose frown afrighted nations grew pale?
The wonders thew wrought, the conquests they
achieved. the kingdoms they established, their
very names, have passed away. or, il they sur
vive, tits only to point some moral or adorn
some tale. But He is divine. and as God Is
everything and present to protect, to govern
and to bless.
OUR EvER-PREsESr KING.
Though withdrawn from earth in His visible
presence. He is really with US today He
was with the multitudes by the Lake OF Galilee,
when He made the dumb to sing. the deaf to
hear. the blind to see and the lame to walk.
To III m. as our ever-present King, this house
in which We are worshiping has been dedi-
Gated, to Him our bodies and souls have been
eonsecrated; when we gather in our annual as
senblies, His authority we own; His precepts
and promises we study; His example con-
template; His guidance and protection we in
woke; in His name we ask for all that we need,
with full assurance that We shall be heard, and
on His aid We confidently rely.
But secondly. corresponding with the char
acter of the founder and head of this kingdom
is the nature of Its object That object Is by
training men in holiness to lit them for the
eternal purity and bliss OF heaven.
What object can be conceived of so desirable
or sublime as this. 1t meets and satisfies a want
and craving in men that all have felt and felt
as their greatest need. Is there one here
today who does not at times groan under the
tyranny of appetites and passions which he
feels degrade him, long for the society of holy
beings. sigh to be delivered from the lash of a
christening conscience. Who has not looked
with dread into the grave which must soon open
to receive him. and trembled at the thought of
standing at the bar of just and holy God; who
has not wished for larger powers. higher scenes,
nobler occupations. more ample and exquisite
delights. and an eternity for their enjoyment.
1t is to insure all this that Jesus has estab-
lished His kingdom on earth and invites to en-
ter il. By His death He redeemed us from that
hell to which our violation OF Gods laws had
doomed US, and He organized His church that
by His grace, working IN Us through the use OF
OF divinely appointed ordinances, we might be
fitted for an eternal and holy heaven.
There have been many institutions organized
in various ages and lands for securing results
regarded BY their founders desirable. To
some of these men have devoted themselves
with zeal and energy, sacrificing in their behalf
time. labor. wealth and even life itself. Among
them all there is not one which. as to results
achieved, can be compared with the church Of
our Rsdeemer. We feel though il were
almost degrading this spiritual kingdom to
formally compare its object with the objects of
these human institutions. those social organi-
cations which profess the improvement and
happiness of millions to be their aim.
Grant all thew claim and how far are they in
ferior. Go to the lodges of Masonry and learn
the object Of that society which has existed for
centuries and has banded together in brother
hood Its tens OF thousands, Yea its millions of
every nation and tongue. The removal of out
ward evils. the ameliorstion of mems temporal
condition is the highest end of this and all
similar institutions The good they aim at is
bounded by the limits of this present life.
How petty and Insignificant Is such an object
compared with that for which the kingdom of
heaven was founded. The one regards men as
mortal and aims to make them comfortable
as possible here on earth. The other charging
infinitely the scope of their horizon, views
them As immortal and seeks to, yea. does Sc
cure for them not only peace and comfort here,
but glory, honor and Immortality hereafter.
Look, tGc, at those political institutions, those
republics of ancient and modern days. which
have called forth so much heroic endurance
and so many heroic exploits. Many an Atheniau.
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