The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-08-16
SERMON FOR THU SHUT-INS.
@xosr xoUsDr-sy Rev. >. r. O. Temple

summed ID IN the wen understood express
500. TIE wori9- Like Paul. yo1 began
with oven eyes 70 view yoEr PAST career
Tea raw what a slave you were TO p<rrsi-
csous hahats ~ thought ard action Yon
paced your lie alongside the imperfect
standard of 4 successful life which yoz
Rad ofreu pictured and we're cI=sat listed
ssth your ewn- You srnothered your con-
vic7fons. and continued your course
.fhroaxh al your twingsz Of conscience
1Tou tired 20 solz1e yourself thinking that
ysu were not 80 bad as some Others You
sc1ztires lowered your standard Of ex-
csHence. thar ycg might - a little better
illustration % ycur own theory. One day
yaa opened ID Gc6's word. and read His
idea. HIS conception % an acceptable life,
Ess standard CT FEASIBILITY. How ron
sarfvele1 up n your own estirnasions Had
you really retrograded7 Nc. you had al
vanned but your standard had advanced
much more rspi5Iy. until Il had become
commentaries with Gods requirements
and BY contrast your spiritual bfs fell
away TO nothing II vas then you realized
what a hold the word had On you What
could Be cone7 These Influences that were
cwarfIng your LIE. because they were
rendering Il more selfish and more self
gratifying every day. must he reformed
o. you must Zee from them. You began
to protest against this 1surpation Of your
life by the world. You were willing
70 bend the knee 10 longer fo1
attempted 20 hold your position In the
world. and stiIi defy rs dominating
power. You lngioriously failed. II was
an unequal battle Yoa were too weak
OF yourself 10 Withstand such q foe. The
winds OF temptation howled about your
frasl bark and 81 drirte1. dragging its IN
sufficient anchor with Il The guns OF Old
experienced habits levesei their muzzles
at you. and behind the thin breastEo-ks
o. your OWE resolutions you were IN NOR
tai danger. The PhIiistiues came down
upon you. bat with your shorn head IN
Delilsh's lap you were poEeriess 70 con-
quer them There was bat ore course
open to you. Yca fed, leaving the world
and sin behind you. and said. "Good-by.
oi4 lying dscestsal, treachercus world:
hereafter am loaf 10 YOU" Suddenly the
world woke up 70 the fact that you were
gone. Immediately Il sent oct It's agents
after you TO persuade you to return. but
Il found you transformed.
Have you not new a clearer perception
OF this phrase ] am now 6.scussingr To
Be lost to rhe world Is 20 realize the hol-
ability Of its shams. the enmity Of It's de-
signs against life. the grossness Of It's pas
sions. the 6ckleness OF It's fortunes. the
unreasoaableness OF It's whlms. the unsatie-
flying character OF its rounds Of pleasures,
the uncertainty Of It's Friendships. the uni
versatility OF is selfshness: and then. turn
ing your back upon them all. 10 nee from
the morbid. unhealthy atmosphere Of sin
and folly. and seek shelter In the open side
OF Christ Have you done that. brother?
II 80. you are like Paul. lost TO the world:
OF no use any longer - it, adhsrent. You
are better than that: you are also. like
Paul. found In Christ
Positively Considered.
have SO far given you negative view
Of conversion. In this idea / am sustained
by the whole trend OF the Bible. The first
step Is always the denying OF self. the
abandoning OF all that Is damaging to the
soul: and IN theological language we call
1t repentance But IL there Ia anything
positive In this world. ii = Christianity;
hence. tbs denial must De followed by en-
pnatic assertion. Loyal TO self no longer.
we must bend the knee to our Master.
Christ. and take I'd our cross and follow
Him. That Ii faith. To be lost 10 a bad
cause will not do alone. There can be no
neutral state morally. He that is not
with me Is against me- said Jesus. Hav-
ing abandoned the bad cause. We must
seek the good one. The word lost must
be offset by It's companion word. found.
What. then. did Paul mean when he an
nouneed his desire 10 be found in Him.
clothed. not IN his old dress OF external
morality--thas was but filthy rsgs-but in
the lustrous garment thrown across his
shoulders by the hand OF God Himself in
answer to his faithg
Looking back at the preceding
verse let Us take In the compound
expression. THAT I may win Christ. and
be found IN Him" Here the thought of
possession comes in strongly. The Chris
tan IS 10 have 4 proprIetorship and resi-
denee In his Christ, just as he owns and
lives In his house. BY becoming a child
OF God he not only receives a mansion in
glory. but hs enters into occupancy OF a
lodging place on earth-one OF the rooms
IN Chrisf's large heart What residence
fer a souli No repairs TO make. because
- never gets out OF order or grows old
No alterations or additions required, be-
cause II miracuioussy expands 10 accom-
modate al who seek its protection and
hospitality. No plumbers bills to pay,
because the water OF life never freezes.
Warmed with love, lighted with chan
deiies OF promises that Immediately be-
come realixations. caTpeted with sym
patty. furnished with daily provideuces.
ornanenieG with grSces such as no hu-
man mind ever pictured On, what a resi-
dence FOR soul,-ana al ren; free, FOR
Il Is ours. an unspeakable gift, by the
consen: Of the Father and the confrma-
ton OF Jesus the eternal Son. Is that a
bold treatment of the thought No holder
than ChriSt's own words. ABIDE in me-
And now many % you have entered into
possession of this residence in Christ.
Having secured 50 valuable an abiding
place. we must suppose that with IL have
been given ycu unlimited means for beanff-
fying ard aaorning =. what" says some
enc. "can we SeAuufy Christi" Oh. yes.
We can sdorn Hin with our conservation
with al tender memories OF past savors.
with faliness OF present 10Y and with par
feet trust for al future blessings. ard thus
bring about the realization OF what Paul
wrote 70 Titus. and called The adjoining
az the doctrine of God cur Savior IN all
things" Here are tive or three picrlres
:. would - well for yoa 20 hang UP IN
this new residence. We VII call the arst
Cots Mercles. Here they look bright ana
fresh IN the savinging grass and rgstliug
leaves OF 9he Foreground Here they
sparkle as secks az light fan on wave ss'sr
wave % goodness. Here they seem arn
"a the solid trunks Of the sorest
ana there they are as continuous
as the everlasting HIS Here
they crown frowning crav-Gcs's
love enwreathlng His diseiplire Here
they silver an overhanEing cloud. gloomy
sna Portenfous-5sath ilghiea I'D ~, frs.
mortality Gods meTcies. from cradle %
Erave. from TIE arst temptation 20 the
fasl vistory. frcTn tss seet~sowine 20 the
shouting - the harvest home from the
first sorrow 20 the eternal 10Y CT heaven
Cots rnercfes' Tsnune-shIe, iaexhauSt.
ibie. adapted 20 every circumstance ans
sztisfyinE every Nant. Cots ruercis
Tou cannot ornament yoar wonderfgg4
home without that ricture Here - ar
other-Yoar Conversion ragged prcEi-
gal. tear IN his eye ara consessio- "a