The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-10-02
PULPIT TEACHINGS.

alton Life out Of Death the Law Of
Miraculous Multiplication What
the Heart Graves.
III. K. CHURCH.
Morning subject: "Christian Char
acter; an Enduring Structure" Text:
LII Peter, 1:5-7. .- t .
Peter seems TO have in mind = build
ing, in the use of this text, and this
thought ID elsewhere sustained by script-
ure. Paul says, aYe are Gsd's building"
Peter, In the first epistle says ye are @liv-
ing stones.s We are builders; life 10 our
building time; earth our workshop; inn
mortal souls our material; the provi-
dence Of God, and graces Of the Spirit,
our tools; Jesus Christ, our architect.
Character ls here represented % aseven-
story structure. The foundation Of true
c..aracter is saving faith. ..Other found
alton can mo man lay which ID
Jesus Christ" AS q foundation for q
large building presupposes. excavation,
so true repentance must precede saving
faith. Our foundation must be so deep
that the frosts of moral degeneracy and
total apostasy cannot heave it; the wind
OF false doctrine cannot shake it; rains
of persecution cannot undermine it, nor
floods OF tribulation bear it away on it's
swollen bosom: Look well to your
foundation. Lay it broad and deep,
with Christ as your chief corner stone.
Then add to it virtue, l. Q. courage, for
titude, firmness, principle. Have posi-
tiveness about your character. Let the
world know where you stand. Look well
| to the strength and security Of this floor,
for the surging mass OF humanity, cur
ions, critical and serious, will promenade
!. here. 'Ye are theaters to the world, and
angels, and men" Be true. honest and
courageous. Then build knowledge.
/ Solomon says, shat the soul be without
knowledge, it is not good" Peter refers
to it eight times in this chapter. Know
ing, is growing power. Grace Is prom
ised to be multiplied through knowledge
Through the word, observance and ex'
perience and by direct answer to prayer
knowledge is. acquired. Hosea said;
"My people are destroyed for lack Of
knowledge Alas, many are to-day
Then add temperance. The bible posi-.
tion upon temperance is prohibition Of
all evil, actual and apparent, or anything
wherby "our brother stumbleth," and
moderation or self lf-control in things legi.
!, innate and natural. Intemperance will
cause our structure to bulge or lean
Patience comes next. The oil OF faith
Impatience is dynamite and has blown
many Christian character to atoms
III its mildest form it causes the struct.
: uae to vacillate. Godliness, or God like
ness. sees God in everything; has faith
, that laughs at impossibilities. 1t is q
. slightly fifth story, above the clouds. II
. so beholds the face of God as TO say q
know that all things work together fol
!, good" !, Brotherly kindness toward al
a OF our own church, other churches, the
world, our enemies, everybody. Charity
!, as the final story, nearest heaven. .Tht
}, greatest OF these is charity" Perfect
r divine human love. Finally, Peter says
. agive diligence" "Nelther be idle MOI
. unfruitful." Let not day pass withoul
improving our structure. Diligence ane
. and constant spiritual acquirement thu
: sure safeguard against apostasy. Then
3 we are truly builders. II we are doing
. our best, we are building better than VIZ
+ know. ,,s. e.....-
Il PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. s1s I
!. Theme: Miraculous multiplication.
Text: John l2:24, Except corn o.
{ wheat fall into the ground and die i
adideth alone but il it die it bringetl
forth much fruit. IS,
r Jesus uttered these words in view O
his approaching death. Some Creek
had wished to see him. This suggested
: to him the widespread influence which
his gospel would have when preached b.
his apostles and their successors to al
! nations. And this fruitfulness of tn
truth would be ing to his own death
The seed decays, but up through th,
earth pushes little germ which become
q stalk and in due time bears abundan
heads OF beautiful grain. "And L" sal,
Jesus, "If I be lifted up from the eartl
= q, Q. crucified and then exalted to tn
right hand Of the father) will draw al
q men unto me-" Here are two deep an,
broad principles Of the spiritual king
n dom.
= l. Miraculous Multiplication. On
al seed subjected to the processes Of natur
Il produces 80, 90 100 fold. But let tina
seed lie encased with an, Egyptian mnm
It my and it aabideth alones for thousand
~ sf.4