The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-14

ances evidenced spirited welcome to
the former pastor. DR.. Gitiin conduct
ed the service and introduced DR..
Pearce in most happy way as one the
church needed for the occasion and
who should feel obligated to respond to
what the date and the event signilied.
DR.. Pearce's sermon was an argu-
ment. beautifully indited and blended,
suggesting that while Christ's miracles
had been infinite, mans power for mi
raculous works was also limitless. His
text was "Greatcr works than | do,
shall ye do also" st. John, xiv. II. He
said.
DIR. PEARCE'S SERMON.
The works spoken of in this passage of
Holy Scripture. as they stand connected
with our Lords earthly ministry, un-
doubtedly mean, in the broadcast sense,
miraculous manifestations.
Pre-eminently the greatest miracle to
the beholding of men and angels was the
Lord Jesus Christ Himself. All other
miracles that made his life luminous
record of astonishing works and loving
benefactions are only radlations IRON thls
one replendent miracle The strange min
CLING of the lion and the lambs, in His
character; His blended meekness and ma
jesty: His perfect purity and matchless
energy; His pillOwless poverty and un-
searchable riches; His patient suffering
and God-like action: His weeping with and
standing with God, moving ON the lowest
social plane, and rising Infinitely above
the highest; swaying the sceptre of mercy
andwieldng the sword of justice. opening
of hell. and subOrdinating even super
human wisdom and power to the ends Of
love and eclipsing them both by its trans
cendent lustre!-all of this is so unlike
anything on earth or known among men.
SO unlike anything conceived by philoso-
ply, or celebrated in art or song, that it
makes Him, by infinite leagues. a greater
miracle than His divine hand ever
wrought.
But Christ Himself was not only a mira
Gle. but He also wrought miracles. 1t Is
true. other men have performed miracles /;
prophets and apostles have astonished and
fasciated the people with their wonder
working! but it has always been in dis
tinct recognition of their dependence with
acknowledgment that the miraculous
power was delegated and derived. But
this Gallilean wrought miracles in the
opulencc of His own resources. and by
the might that was inherent in Himself
alone.
But Christ makes the starting announce
ment that believers shall do greater works
than He did. BY this He declares that
the sphere of Christian achievement to-
day is not in the material. but In the
spiritual. Faith in the unseen Christ IL
the winning force. Hence it is that He
said, he that beiievth in me shall do great
i
eth in any truth. though the redemption
of the world be wrapped up in it; not he
that believeth in any creed. or schedule
of doctrines, though they represent the
toll and prayer of the wisest and best men
through long cntures and not he that be-
leveth in any church, though it be found
ed in the blood of the martyrs. enriched
with the Infinite wealth of religious teach
ing and hate all heresy, as the very gate!
but he that believeth i'm Me"
FAITH THAT WINS.
There must be a personal Christ. as the
central sun in the heavens of our faith.
The faith that wins, that overmasters tn.
obstinate forces that are potent in hui
man hearts, makes the invisible Christ di-
vnely near, puts our hand into His hand,
our heart beating against His heart our
eyes looking up into His eyes: absorbing
every passion. holding in perpetual en-
swathement every faculty and feeling and
filling the whole soul with the sweet de-
lirium of the conscious presence of Christ.
And when we have this real faith in
Christ and the power Of His life and the
joy of His great salvation in our souls We
have the force that makes the humanity
impossible, easily wrought. gives humble
men victory over the mighty and the
great, kindles pentacostal fires upon ev-
cry church altar and enables the feeblest
believer to say, with Pauline spirit and
daring, II can do all things through
Christ strengthening me-"
The one stubborn, yet luminous fact
that nothing can alter Is that without
faith in Christ, without blending the d.
vine with the human. all appliances and
means, however attractive. beautiful and
symmetrical, however compassionate and
humanitarian, however vast in their com
pass and aggressive in their movement
cannot possibly touch the hem of that
garment that enfolds the great life from
which flows the only redemption and
spiritual healing for the diseased human
soul. Oh, there is no song or anthem.
however sweet in rythm ,or lofty in senti-
ment. worth singing that does not sing to
us of Christ! There is no sacrament,
however richly paraphanaliel in the splen-
dors of ritualism worth observing that
does not symbolic to us a personal. ever
present, forgiving Christ! and there is no
sermon. however potent i'm argument. ten
der I'm appeal or aglow with persuasive
eloquence worth preaching that does not
pass its first meridian through Calvary
and adjust every thought and doctrine TO
that one sublime center, the crimson
cross
Christ says. having this faith in Him
and the power of personal communion
with Him. we shall do greater things than
If we had wrought physical miracles like
His. At first thought We are disposed to
say that there must be some mistake
about this. II must be a rhetorical expires
sion or a metaphor, for it cannot be that
human endeavOr can reach higher and
more enduring results than those wrought