The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-04-30
third EDITION.


Rev. John II. Howard preached q
striking sermon yesterday morning
from st. John XIV, ~: "He that be-.
tieveth on rue the works that / do,
shall he do also; and greater works
than these shall he do; because | go
unto my Father"
The subject discussed was. THE
Lords miracles eclipsed."
The power to perform miracles has
not been delegated to the disciples of
the Lord. While the first disciples
performed wonderful works, 1t is not
expected that We should possess the
same kind OF power. jesus performed
miracles, but this Is not the actual
work He came to do. 1t was we'll that
He manifested His power In this direc.
ton TO persuade the people thut lie
came from tho Father, anu to get a
hearing when He spake OF tho greater
work that He came to do.
The miracles that he wrought were
his CREDENTIALS that could DO read Of
.all men. 4 cnine to seek ami slvs that
which was lost" The world would
now wonder at his mission II he Ii nd
Z. only opened tho eyes of the blind or
3 even raised the dead. 1t would have
been to little purpose when compared
with the greater woLder Of raising the
world up to God.
This then IL the miracle mentioned
In the text, and Is the eclipse OF every
material work Jesus ever performed.
1t Is more wonderful to say, THY sins
are forgiven thee" than take up thy
bed and walk"
The works that the disciples are OK
pected to do must be OF tue same char.
nctet, II tic power to perform mate.
Iinl miracles nus not come down to
them. They are expected TO DO in
touch with the world anu lift it up Ia
God.
While we are not expected to pardon
sin we may convert n sinner from
the error OF his way, and hence save a
soul from death and hide multitude
OF sins" IL this sphere we are TO take
the place of Christ III the world ana
more than Ill 1t. lie slys, Greater
works than these shall We do" There
Is authority for the statement that
there were only one hundred and
twenty souls snyed through the direct
preaching OF the Muster, which covered
aspace Of three years.
IL His disciples IN this age do not
accomplish In pre- than lie was able 10
do. then is their work defective al
some point II we behave OIL Him wt
have the promises that wa shall dc
greater works than lie did. Faith ii
Him and His work gives us the power
Less than 100 conversions in a three
years pastorate ought to TO consider
ed failure. when we consider the al
yaniaHes that we now have in oui
work. Why are we expected to de
greater work than jesus
l. Because ourterritory Is unlimited
Jesus was circumscrlbed In tile work.
''lle came to tho lost sheep of thu
house OF Israeli We are to go to tn,
world. He came to lits'own ami thoy
received Hin not. Tho disciples haC
commission rs broad us the world
with the promise Of ChrsLs SpHitua
presence to the end of time.
2 They could preach the llnlshet
work thu Jesus could uOt. lie had
not been oruo,iied and raised from Tn.
dead during lis ministry. They la,
this advantage.
The new experiment was not estut
lished during His preaching, but whel
He came trumphantiy from the gray
the truths lie enunciutsd we con
firmed absolutely. They could preucl
without qualification the atouelnen1
oil His blood, H9 only could inlimat,
its virtue.
3. In His ascension they have thu
git OF the Holy Ghost, which Is bnp
tlsm OF power unknown before
Chrlst's ministry had not this element
They had III the gilt OF the Holy Ghos
special qualification to eclipse an,
works that Jesus performed, Wit
these Advantages that the church Al
present has over the Master in HI
work. IL is disErace not to do
greater work than Ae was able TO do.