The herald., 1894-01-15
YESTERDAY IN THE CHURCHES.
Rev. Howard on Doctrine and
Christianity.
Gospel Meeting of the Young
WOmen's Christian Association.
That Organization Doing Much Good.
Rev. CrAbbe breaches to the
y. NJ. O. A.-Rev Bane's
5ernon-Sotes.

h. Churcn Soutn yesterday. Inc Ior
is Not Willing That Any Should Perish,
but That all Should Come to Repent
auce.
Some declare that God is unjust to
punish eternally; that they cannot love
or worship such being.
To justify the wrongs of God to man
is the object of this sermon, to show
that God is not harsh and cruel, but q
God of love.
Man was created free moral agent
capable of sustaining from sin or OF
choosing to enter into sin. There is no
necessity upon any man to fall into Elm.
The moral law und er which man was
placed by God could be obeyed and full
filled by man should he so elect. God
would not and does not demand more
than one can perform. Yet in His love
God has offered free pardon for man if
he will but ask and receive it. There
could not have been more liberal terms
devised than those prescribed by God,
simply willingness to accept pardon
through Jesus Christ. Man no more
WAS compelled to sin than is he COM
PEELED to reject the proffsred pardon for
he does reject mercy.
The governor never issues q pardon
unless applied for, and reasons given.
Suppose he were to issue proclamation
Offering free pardon to everyone who
was willing to accept it, what eympathy
would there be for the prisoner who re-
fused euch mercy? Who would be 80
thoughtlees and unjust to declare such a
governor heartless and cruel? Who
could love the prisoner who of his own
choice, first violates the law which ne
for his own good should have observed,
and, second, rejects such mercy offered,
and, third, abuses the justice of the pun
ishment. God, our father, has promised
free salvation for all, He has done all on
His part to secure its acceptance; but
man rejects His warning, HE pleading,
and prefers to hug his chains in his
prison house of ain.
In addition God has prepared in
heaven q home for man. but has not
prepared for him a hell. There is q
hell, but it was not prepared by God for
man, but for the Devil and his angels,
but man OF choice seeks the DEVILS do
maik.
The tender Savior has prepared for
man free salvation, dependent only
upon hie Willingness to accept it. This
is the lowest possible price. How soon
wonld we all become wealthy if the
simple desire secured the wealth?
called, and ye refused; I stretched out
my hand, and no man regarded. Who
soever will may come. Our unwilling
ness TO receive salvation on Gods terms
alone can destroy US. If God is not
willing that any should perish, He never
abandoned the greater part of the
human race as some have thought.
God is love; and if He loves the sim
ner while yet in his sins, whom can He
despise? Mans salvation is wholly of
God; his sin is his own work. Man
chooses sin rather than righteousness-
darkness rather than light--becauee
his deeds are evil. Men shun the light
of the gospel; for it would reveal the
wrong. No man will ever lose bis soul
merely bece euse he sinned against, the
law; but he will lose his soul If he sins
against the mercy so freely offered
through the redemption OF Christ
Jesus, by rejecting the mercy and the
offered pardon.
We have all violated the law and are
under condemnation, but we may al be
saved unless we reject the Saviour. A
eick man dies not because he fell sick
but because he rejects or fails to receive
the remedy.
You are not condemned because you
sre son of Adam. A child is saved
until he is old enough to choose and is
loet by rejecting Christ: not Adam, but
you yourself are responsible for your
loss. You can not find protection under
the sinful nature. greater strength
OF grace is offered and rejected.
lnd
Character built up by the person sends
him to hell or fits him for heaven The
sinful man gravitates to hell as stone
falls to earth. Eternal punishment, ii
punishment is eternal, is Aot on account
OF a few sine but because the person
remains a sinner eternally.
The character is fixed as death finds
IT,; the sinful man will enter into eter-
nal suffering in eternal hell
SIN is but rebellion against God. Sin
ie war against the law and mercy OF the
eternal God.
Should one treat with contempt and
injury a tramp? We do not feel the
same degree of resentment, but substi-
tute for the tramp the mayor or the
governor or the president OF the United
States a. how our resentment ia mag
nified; but what finite mind can COM
prehend the magnitude OF the guilt of
treason against infinite mercy and inf
lite 1--we. Tell me not eternal punish
ment is too great for eternal rebellion
against God. Justice must be satisfied.
the penalty must be paid if Christ is re.
jscted. How can the debt be paid?
II we are invited to the palace and the
wedding garment is rendered ue in the
HI chamber before entering to the
ieaet. we reject it and enter in our rags
can we claim it unjust to be excluded
from the banquet?
The world is the Ante-chamber to
heaven, the righteousness OF Christ is
freely offered to all. Why will we re-
1.cs it?
Those who reject the purifying bloop
OF Christ will not be fitted to enter
heaven, nor would it be heaven should
the vile and the base unchanged be ad-
mi.ted there. II snch were not excluded
heaven would differ but little from
earth. God has not lacked ability to
save all. nor willingness nor love to ac-
complish it. The invitation is to all,
wArninga are all along the pathway of
Ills to he very gate OF hell, and hell is
20 pictured That men may ehun it. Yet
how many disregard this go great saliva
ton, though We have mediator and ad-
vocate with the Father that all may be
saved. No one can be lost axcent he he