The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-03-23
Rev. w. X. Beams Discourse at
the First Methodist.
QUALITIES OF A CHRISTIAN
DEAN HALSEY'S SERMON AT ST
MARKS CATHEDRAL.
The Services at Unity Hall Yester-
day Morning-"Strength Through
Weakness"-Large Attendance at
the Tabernacle in the Afternoon.

The subject of DR.. Beans discourse
| at the First Methodist church yester-
day morning was, 1.-The Furnishings of
a Great House" The text was taken
from II Tim, 2: 20: But in great
house there are not only vessels of
gold and silver. but also of wood and
earth; and some to honor, and some
to dishonor''
The great house spoken of by the
apostle was the church of Christ. In
| 1t the good and the bad, the righteous
and the unrighteous. mingle together.
The vessels spoken of in the text are
symbolic of the different kinds of
Christians found in the church, where
believers oftentimes side by side with
unbelievers pass onward until severed
or separated on that great judgment
day. The marked difference in the
composition of the vessels is a good
Illustration of the substance of the
different kinds of Christians the apos-
tie compares with vessels of gold and
silver. They are the purest, brightest
and consequently the most valuable.
These are also the most durable met
ais. Oftentimes some pieces of gold
and silverware are handed down, gen.
Grafton after generation. The secret
of its durability is found in the ma
terial of which it is composed. This is
also true of the good Christian, who
through that divine power is able to
endure the hardships and stand the
temptations of life far better than the
unrighteous. 1t is recorded in holy
writ that che that endureth shall be
saved;;" and again. BE not weary of
well-doing. for in due season We shall
conquer, if We fail not"
Then gold and silver symbolic
strength. This is another fitting il
lustration of the Christians endurance
The metals spoken of are bright and
shining. So we find the man and the
woman whose path is one of obedience
to God. The doctor characterized as
utter falsehood the teachings that re-
ligion carries with it a melancholy and
sad expression. 1t is not so. On the
other hand, religion gives an express
sion of happiness and of supreme joy.
There is something melodious even in
the ring of that voice, and something
sweetly divine in that face which
grows into the custom of turning
heavenward for aid Painters have
attempted to picture perfect images,
but there Is always something lacking.
Nothing can compare with the CLEAN
in the Christians countenance.
Ut is our duty to shine. God can ac-
complsh more with one cheerful Chris
tan than with the gloomy ones. To
become cheerful, turn from worldliness.
Sin is ugly; therefore it cannot exercise
any good influence or give happy ex-
preston to the face. The purer the
coin. the brighter it shines, is truth
applicable to real life as we'll.
Gold and silver possess the quality
to resist every element of corroding
power. The same quality should be in
the Christian. There should be COM
pactness of moral fibre and hard finish
impenetra BILE for evil assaults. Such
is the good Christian. Many, on the
other hand, show marks after even
the lightest touch of sin. TIL o. have
not the power of resistance, or to say
no to the tempter. They are saturated
with worldlineSs and Indifference. Such
are like the vessels of wood-suscepti-
BILE to drought and when Gods sun of
trfbulation shines upon them they warp
all out of shape.
The member of the household of faith
should belong to this class of vessels
stroyed by fire. Gold may be kept in a
melted condition over a fire for hours,
bat 1T will not lose single grain. So
with the follower in the footsteps of
the Nazarene-they should not give
way to temptations. This fire test is
often spoken of in the Bible. Christ
himself says that whatever foundation
a man builds upon, it shall be put to
test by fire. How essential, then, that
the quality of the foundation be such
that flames will have no effect
The test reveals that the gold and
silver vessels are more valuable than
the wooden or earthen ones. A person
should not, therefore, be satisfied with
being only a wooden vessel in Gods
household. There is nothing so ex-
acting as that which determines the
Christians relation to God We should,
then, be possessed of the highest
qualities and purest ambitions. AS
soon as our love to the Almighty is as
great as his love to us, then we are
willing to do anything for his sake.
and approach the quality of the golden
vessel, which alone can stand the cru
cial test. To become a golden vessel
in the church of God, it is not neces-
sary to be Sunday school superin-
tendent or high commanding official
in the church. A drop of water con-
tains all the elements of the ocean,
and though you may not be a high Of
fetal in the church universal. you may
be possessed of the essential qualities
and contain the elements which will
withstand every destructive influence,
and land you safely on yonder shore.