The herald., 1896-09-14
An Eloquent Sermon by the
Rev. Mr.. Wilson
SOME PLAIN TRUTHS STATED
A Practical Discourse by Father Nunan
at the Cathedral
Interesting Services At the Unlversallsts
Church - Sermons by Other Well
Known Ministers

Broadway, last evening the pastor, Rev.
DR.. John A. B. Wilson, installed the
new officers of the league in an appro-
pirate address, followed by sermon
on These for Those, Isaiah ix:17: For
brass I will bring gold, and for iron
silver, and for wood brass. and for stone
iron.'
lie said, in part, that the religion of the
Bible is the only one that has its GOLDEN
age before it. All others look to the
past as the more desirable period But
whatever the present gloom, the 1lnger
of revelation points to better Things
farther on. We do not look for faiiure
because a new generation has come, but
for a further advance toward better
things. About the text is an optimistic
glow of better order, happier out
look. The implication is that the con-
dtions of divine employment are not
inherent, but derived. 1t is not the
alchemy of change in kind, as IRON
bad to good. but the simple chemistry
of from good to better that is ind1catea.
The brass must be possessed before 1t
can be exchanged for gold; the iron
must be in our moral furnishing for use
to bring a return of silver If you havA
not wood you have nothing to barter
for brass, and if destitute of stone there
is nothing to exchange for iron. The
law of divine increase is, first, the pos
session of intrinsic values, and, secondly,
the exercise of them, which produces
increase and exchange of valuables OF
increasing worth. In the parable of the
talents, the servant had first to be en-
trusted with them before they could be
put out to increase. And, as in this
case, though differing in values. the
same energy and interest in the Mas
ters business brought the same increase
70 wifi, fhp "a nital in hand
and the same appreciation of the origi-
nal proprietor, the increase upon whose
original gift he passed upon.
Young people, the terms of the text
have to do with original blessings deliv-
cred from an eXtraneous source. Ii
does not make a difference in the out
come whether your endowment is
stone, wood, iron or brass. Possibly,
With these questions of degree in value
you may have no responsibility, but you
have responsibility for the reception o.
something of intrinsic worth with which
to do business for God. Have you re-
ceived a spiritual endowment, have you
been awakened to the awfulness of sin?
Have you received the gift of high
purpose? Have you come to loathe
and abhor sin? Have you believed on
him who is made wisdom and righteous
ness and sanctification and redemp-
ton? Then have you the wood to he
eNCHaHSeu LOT DTdSS III tHe Ilii Us VI tNe
universe. But have you, in addition,
received the gift of pardon, the witness
of adoption, and nature renewed? Then
have ye iron to give in exchange for
silver. And have ye received the gift
of the Holy Ghost since We believed?
Has the very God of peace sanctified you
wholly? Then with this supreme gift,
go forth to the exchange. casting the
brass into the ,.crucible of the world s
improvement and look for refined gold
of the kingdom in exchange for the
outlay.
Young people, possess something
worthy with which to conduct the busi-
ness of God. Do not attempt, with the
irredeemable currency of your own good
intentions and ambitions and resou-
tions, but receive from God the gift di-
vine suited to your capacity and oppor-
tunity. Go forth into the worlds high
ways to exchange brass for gold, iron
for silver, wood for brass, and stone for
iron.
Learn. secondly, that outlay is the
price of acquisition. You cannot receive
without giving. No one can receive a
dividend without investing.
Third. learn that there is an increase
upon every investment in the things
Of God.
And. foruth. the increase bears an
equitable relationship to the investment
made. and that the more valuable the
outlay the greater shall be the compen-
sation. If you have only stone to give,
you may expect iron in return; if wood,
you may look for brass; if iron to begin
with. the dividend shall be silver, and
if brass be the outlay, then the increase
shall be gold. Expenditure, or sacri-
flee, is the law of all consecrated life.
measure, pressed down and running
over.