The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-04-29
JESUS PLAN OF SALVATION.
Dr. Blanchard's Sermon at Congress Square
Church.

| Church.
Rev. DR.. Blanchard delivered the first
of discourse of five expository sermons
in Congress square church yesterday
morning The subject was "Jesus's
Plan of Salvation" The text was taken
from Luke X-28: "And he said unto
him, Thou hast answered right. This
| do, and thou shalt live." DR.. Blanchard
spoke in substance as follows: In be-
! ginning brief course of expository SER
mons,i is well to emphasize the motive
Of it's delivery. That motive is an in
tense desire to bring men back from the
subtleness os theologians to the simplici-
ty of Christ. The contrast between the
sermons on the Mount and the Nicene
Greed has frequently commanded the
attention of thoughtful men. The SIM
plicitY of the words of the prophet of
Nazareth and the metaphysics of the
creed adopted at Nicea show thetgreat
difference between the subtleness of the
theologians and the simplicity of Christ.
| Blessed is he who can do some little to
| bring men back to this. I he phrase
"Plan of Salvation Jesus did not use.
The theoiogians invented it. They
thought chiefly of escape from punish
ment. Jesus thought of development of
| life. Nevertheless, both wished for holt
| ness of men. In the scene of the lawyer
tempting him, Jesus shows US his plan
of salvation. 1t is to love God and man.
in, MI lnri Il opH
are used to bring out the colors OF the
paintings. SO he would place as dark
back ground the plans of the theolo-
gians so that the beauty of Jesus's plan
might be clearly seen. Theologlans de-
serve respect even though we must re-
ject their plans. They were in earnest,
they wished to help men, but the wonder
is that they have such thoughts of God
as they did. First there is the plan OF
election. According to this. man was
tempted by a woman to eat an apple,
the woman having been tempted by the
serpent who was the devil. All his
posterity, therefore, deserved endless
some of his creatures to be everlastingIy
damned and some to he everlastingly
happy. John Stuart Mill and Thomas
Carlyle thought such God would be a
devil.
Second, there is the plan of faith. The
premises are the same, but the man now
decides his own fate. If he will put his
faith in the atoning blood of Jesus, he
will be saved.
Third, There is the plan of words. If
one is baptized, partakes of the sacred
bread, does penance, he will be saved
from the punishment of his sins.
DR.. Blanchard then placed the lovely
picture of Jesus telling the story of the
Good Samaritan in contrast with the
blackness of these theologians's plans
Scorn for these; admiration for that
He then dealt on the greatness of Jesus's
genius as shown by his simple plan of
salvation. To love God and man is the
mighty power to redeem man. 1t brings
thought of God and obedience and SER
vice; it makes man helper Of his broth |
ers. This plan is simple, beautiful, ex-
haustive, all accomplishing. The plans
of the theologians fail; the plan of
Jesus will be triumphant. The study of
this greatness makes men have passion
ate longing to know Jesus as he is. not
as the theologians have depicted him.
The speaker here dwelt very earnestly
on a recent experience in mis- study. |
Sitting there and recalling the changes
of opinion through which he himself had
passed. the hours when he was lonely
hereto in his own denomination, the !
change which has since taken place
in that-the great scholars who now
teach the humanity of Jesus, the vision
of the great prophet as he saw him to-
day free from all the dogmas of the
theologians; he boy walking with faith
er: the youth; the early manhood; with
all incredible accounts cast aside, re-
freshed his soul and made him long to
have others see Jesus unapproachable
greatness as man.
And this study gives inspiration to
noble living. Men need faith in God,
reverence for and sympathy with man,
patience, courage, generosity, fortitude,
and these the man Jesus helps his broth
er to obtain. He would have. the picture
of the scene wherein the great teacher
told the immortal story of the Good |
Samaritan imprinted on mems minds. |
That story will live when the words |
Augustine, Chrysostom, Calvin shall |
have been dropped from literature. 1t |
shall live as long as mankind shall en-
dure. And as men read it, they can re-
joice as they see that loving God and |
loving man is Jesus's plan of salvation. |!
The next sermon of the course will be |
delivered next Sunday morning The
subject will be, "What Jesus says of |