The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-12-28
GRACE AND TRUTH.
Rev. j. Frank Stout breaches at the
FirGt Nj. Il. Church.

Rev. j. F. Stout, D. D, preached
yesterday at First M. e. church, from
the text: For the law was given by
Moses, but grace and truth came by
Jesus Christ. john, l., II. In part he
said:
The text assumes the, presence in the
world Of two great needs, grace and truth;
Doth OF vital Importance. Grace is an all-in-
elusive word; 1t means the divine favor
fountain out Of which come all the good
things the souls and bodies Of men need, the
things that satisfy the longings of the race,
forgiveness cleansing divine fellowship, sal
walton.
Truth too, is of vast Importance The
worlds emphasis upon it be seen from
the intense search for it through all the CEN
turtles Drenched affairs mark everywhere
IN the history Of cur race the search after
truth
The darkness Of the worlds understanding
with relation to God at the time of the COM
ing of Jesus can but reveal the need Of
grace and illumination. Even in Judea, where
God had poured out the utmost of truth pos
s1Dle to be conveyed by prophets and men of
God, blessed with a temple which was in
itself, in purpose at least, an object lesson
on his holiness, the people were so low in
their thoughts Of God that they could not
understand the preaching of John the Baptist
and the leaders Of the people were such false
guides that Jesus called them blind, and more
than once stirred their consciences with the
most awful denunciations. The whole world
was lying in darkness and knew not God.
With the coming of Jesus humanity could
Say Win Jonn: Inc true Hgnt now Shlneth.
Jesus enabled them to see what a man made
IN the image Of God could be. He became
their friend sheltered lowered and loved
them. He took up the forgotten teachings
OF the prophets, the truth of all human de-
iveranccs in the past and made them stand
out in bold relief before them and burned
them Into their consciences so that they might
follow after the precepts of righteousness.
lie declared himself their advocate and be-.
fore all bars asserted His readiness to plead
their case, and best of all He promised de-
iverance from sin.
In no less a measure does truth come by
Jesus Christ. The first part of that great
sions, to clear the ground for His positive
teachings. There were two heresies eXtant
in His day, against which He earnestly taught
and warned, first, the idea that an observance
of forms was all-important and assured the
favor of God, and, second that the sacrifice.
of beasts would avail for men in the place
Of personal righteousness. Against these He
used all possible emphasis, and to the student
OF the New Testament settled the question
for all ages. Having so cleared the ground
He taught the necessity of personal right
eousness in the relations of men to men, and
to God, and gave the all-dominatng motive
which is love.
The truth is great, as God is great and
only as Gods sons can receive it, is It given.
But the germs of all holy teachings are in the
words Of Jesus, and in time will bring about
the purpose for which they were spoken. Who
can say what shall issue in human relations
from the golden rule, that seed of all social
reform, than which there can be no better?
Who can say what full results shall issue
IN the coming years from the word of Christ
on worship. spoken to the woman Of Sa1naria
word which leaves no room for a higher
teaching, or what fruit shall grow from His
word on life to Nicodemus, the revelation of
eternal life in one word.