The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-11-27
RICHES or RELIGION.
The Necessity Of Conversion and Apprecia-
alton Christians Ought to Have Of
Gods Multitudinous Mercies.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
Morning Theme: "What God has done
to save u.s." Text; Ps. 81 1.-THE multi
tude OF thy mercy" Read the whole
verse: II viii come into thy house in the
multitude of thy mercy" These are
David's words OF gratitude for the priv
lege of divine worship and for the bless
ings OF divine salvation Let then,
especially the phrase, "the multitude Of
thy mercy" convey to US this morning
the cost OF the salvation offered thorough
the church OF Christ to all the world.
What all 10 wrapped up in the text?
What are the multitudinous mercies Of
God that make it possible and proper for
us to render him the worship OF our
hearts?
l. To Israel David saw that Jehovah
had been especially gracious. From
Abraham down a long line of promises,
miracles, deliverances, could be seen
strewn along the pathway of their history.
God had parted Red Seas and divided
Jordans an showered down mama and
| cleft the rock to let the water gush forth
for his people. He had, 30 to speak,
taken them to mountainous OF trans
fguratiou to reveal to them his will, give
them his law, unfold his gracious
promises. Their enemies had been de-
feated again and again. Truly God had
not dealt &C with any nation. They
They were peculiarly his people. He
was peculiarly their God. But to us
how much nearer than to David has God
come, in the person OF his soul Here 10
a question for you. .Christ's humiliation
consisted in his taking our nature to
bring us salvation. Christ's condescen-
sion to human sin, and sorrow was inf
nitely great, his pity measureless, his
mercy multitudiuous. This n item OF
the cost OF redemption is enough to melt
our hearts into adoring love, everlasting
gratitude and devoted service to him
who has purchased the church with his
precious blood.
2. But ever after Christ had died and
had risen again, the founding of the
church cost the blood Of his saints.
Stephen wa the first christian martyr.
James the apostle, the bro Their of the be-
loved John was slain with the sword OF q
Herod. Peter and Paul, we're the VIC
Tins of Nero's cruel prosecutions. They
are the first fruits only. A vast multi
tude of martyrs sealed their faith with
their blood, making up like Paul what
was lacking in the sufferings OF Christ
[But do not misunderstood this last ex-
preston. The sufferings OF Jesus are
all sufficient to save to the uttermost all
who come unto God by Him. Paul
simply means to say that Thirst desires
that his people shall be like him in sui
fering with him..
3. Then. too, think OF the struggles
and conflicts it has cost to obtain the
privilege of reading the word OF God, and
of worshipping oar creator with perfect
liberty. All this has cost sacrifice, hard
ship, blood.
Do you wonder that David loved the
courts of the Lords house? Do you
wonder that the Jewish exiles sang: "If
I forget you o Jerusalem, let my right
hand forget her cunning" Is it strange
when Gods mercies to his church have
been as multitudinous that the
christian can sing II love thy kingdom,
Lord" with such deep feeling? The
marvel Of marvels is that there are found
those who like Gallo, scare for none, OF
these things"
Finally, 10 view Of Gods great mercies
to us to-day in providing an abundant
and free salvation, an open bible and
privileges of worship we are ~ungrateful
indeed if we do not worship him in the
way OF his appointment. az BY accept
ing for ourselves this salvation and this
Savior. He that believeth not the son is
condemned already" says Jesus. John
3:189 (2) BY identifying ourselves with
his church. This 10 the recognized way
of confessing Christ to-day. The church
is Christ's representative on earth. Read
Rom. 1913 G) BY entering enthusiast
tically INTO Christ's service.
BAPTIsT CHURCH.
The new birth: For years the scien-
tlic world vas divided over the question
as to whether dead mineral matter could
produce life. After careful and exhaus-
tive experiments, the verdict of the sci
~entists is, that, ''There is no shred Of
truth worthy proof that life ever APP
peares independent Of life"
The same question, practically, APP
peared in the theological world, in this
form j. .. "Can a man grow better and
better, until he becomes spiritually alive,
"a christian" Evolutlonists and
moralists say, yes"
My text, i. 9. "Ye must be born from
above" agrees with science; it says, NO!
That nracticnllv the oorn to- L~lI--