The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-08-23

SERMON FOR Thu SHUT-INS.

4HsoWTyc rHKfsTu-Bv Rev. W n. Q. Tswrse

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fhas tesf5nouy eannot be tlsput@c. Tssers
sM 10 @sSsrance 40 sure ~ that based
upon fka promise Of the nsser-fagsinE Pa
fher Taa medium through which tniz
knoxseazs cane 50 you may naye been the
og@n page Ct the fnfslisbse word. CO tns
argument ard appezi OF the pTeacner, Or
fba tnaaGer tone % some sowing prov
Hence, sg the quiet drift Of yosar Sll@nt
meditation. bet The poser b when y
carnA ssa8t have been the divine spirit.
r. yoa we're properly converted. ard t1@a
yoa had a faghs 20 say. 4 know HOW
different Was your impression o. Jesus me
.s1oraen. yoa believed. The change may
have come upon you E1dasniy. Just as tils
ssn suddenly bursts above tie s1y-ishe O
the nssnnrasa. or me wase-line Of the sea-
Or. Il may have come gradually. IS on
clear summer morning tas night SHADOWS
rStreat 4nto twilight. and The twilight red
dexs into dawn But tn either ease, Vaeia-
sT conscious Of the growing light OF DOT,
there must have been noHent Enen
ycG uors fully realized TIE relafionshlp
OF yosr LORD than ever before 4 40 not
remember a time when did not love God
and believe in Christ" said an expert
encsd minister % tire Gospel. "and yet,
distinctly recall a period when. for the
first time lie became unspeakabiy pre-
etous 20 me" That was the sunourst. the
other was the gray twilight OF the morn
OF Christ as a personal Savior; the other
Vas 4 theoretical acceptance OF Him as
the worlds Christ.
Before this realization OF Chr1sts nm
lxae9 work sn relation 20 the indaFla0Aa
soul IL completed. mixts are apt 70 hang
between the light and the soul DOUBTS
embrosdsr their dark designs up ana Gown
the veff: specuiatIons patch IL here ana
there: thoughts OF personal unwortalness
and OF 4 possible fckicness ia future 10y
atty sew their heavy drapeTles upon ",
and the sorrows cf life often blur ana
stain the dividing curtain so that behind
II there is no certain vision. Jesus De-
comes prophet. but His teaching seems
irupracticaole and suited 70 oysone age
lie beconez phiianshropist: but His love
for man u TOO remote 70 affect present
creatures and conditions. He may be ae-
knowledged as a model; but altogether out
81 sssfe His words have weironess IN
their echo and q haxiness Ia their origsna!
pnrporf All that seems clear 10 the ur-
regenerste soul Is that He lived. noble
specimen of manhood. and died nero
martyr But how those facts can aHecf
tho soni-iife of today does not seem ap-
parent But just iet tn. Spirit OF truth
rend that intervening veil and scatter
the uilsts that befog the souls per
eapsiy. faculties and how quickly
All that Is changed Now az ap-
pears that Jesus became prophet 70
teach the new and living way BY wnieh
each wandering sinner might turn MS
steps back TO God. Jesus became phi
lanfhropist that He might give His love
and His life TO each destitute heart or
man Jerus became perfect character
In order that He might keep the Law In It's
entirety in each individual persons stead.
thus satisfying God's universal demand
for obedience. and stimulating men every
~afstr
died. not az a martyr 10 a lost cause, but
as a sacrifice Of atonement for sin. thus
removing the last obstacle In the way OF
mans redemption. and drawing all men
down 10 the latest generations, TO his
riyen side.
All these particulars Day not pass IN
detail before the eye OF faith. but they
are ali included and personally applied in
the experimental knowledge OF Jesus as
the souls Savior. The particular theo-
logical iinge that ! have given them may
be wanting so that philoSophically some
OF the statements OF doctrine may appear
TO the newborn creature IN Christ 10 be
conflicting and misleading; and yet the
fact OF sin being pardoned and Jesus glo-
rlfiei in profession and lie may be the d.
rect result | care not. @ man. whether
you know Christ theologicaliy according
10 any or ali OF the existing schools OF
thought or not. but I do most emphati-
caily assert that when you are found in
Him you viii know Aim spiritually as
your Savior. controvtrsialists may con-
front you and try 10 impress upon you
their peculiar theories. and sgnostics may
laugh at the certainty OF knowledge
based upon insufficient data. and atheists
may hosi in your ears their black doc
trlne OF despair. until earth seems TO lose
It's foundations, and all being fades away
under their spell into nothlnguesS, and yet.
here upon this Rock or Ages you can stand
secure. knowing the sweetness OF Gods
forgiving love and the atoning power OF
your Savlor's sacrifice.
knowledge Through sympathy.
Again. the Christian knows Christ SYM
pathetieaily. I do not now mean THAI he
enjoys the sympathy Of his Lord In all the
stress and press OF life. 1 mean that
through his sympathetic nature he Is
drawn toward Christ. and enters more
fully into the secret OF His lie and knowl-
edge OF his character. II any OF you have
ever felt the drawing power OF close
friendship. you viii understand what say.
You cannot admire strongly the career Of
another, not 20 say aevotedly love him
without nnding .; natural 70 anslyze his
actions. ana dwell with satisfa ction upon
each Item OF interest You observe your
friends bravery In danger. calmneSS IN
conflict. ciearnsss % Judgment when 9TH
ers are beside themselves With excitement.
charity under fierce insinuation, sniabll-
rs ~ temper when attacked by unreason-
ahieness and arrogance ana You are not
only closely drawn toward aim. but you
prepare 20 exercise iust such nns quab-
ties ~ mind and heart yourself Nou come
70 some crooked path On life and YOU do
not know which way % turn. and YOU say
10 yourself How would my friend dor ]
have perfect confidence N his judgment;
! never knew a more beautiful sQsslt. His
way q fqay best way" Your sympathetic
nature cllugs 20 him. interpre,= his IDEA
and plan ara yoa follow them, and the re-
suit fuNtlaes veur decision. Won DO not shy,
AZ NIL put Hlm W Tor model and copy
him. You would hardly dare % make SO
bold a declaration. Rut YOU picture his
mind. ard through sympathy absorb &c and
are irirellcd by H. 10 Yea not thus, q
CHRISTIAN. intimately know your Master
/ In tfls case we doubtless so a step farther
ara openly acknowledge Hin as our only
pattern. hut 10 not now speak OF thai
/ more deaacHstrNttve thought. ard even IN
I thar eaSe. there are many who shrink from
! che impossible task OF perfectly following
| FsIra- : prefer 90 speak ~ the more subtle
way IN which We. Through this heart
| enfsa I mention actually 10 fsfhnu the
| nnfatsowahis an3 PERFORM the Impossible
/ Nsa anvso3y auuoaoce8 20 you that Won
| woala walk ga IRE exact footsteps q your
/ human frent VOC wpaA have been nm
| willing - AeknaNle3xp sueft a Gsteranina-
/ tsoa Yoa nlE5}t have talked y little O.
/ fnaspeazeut Judgment. ara ssiA Ehst yoa
! could admire witso9s hAuaiy following tire
1 ehfeet AZ vorr praise. Ana Nhen you
realty ga surrender voter independence.
! yea ws~e aat conscious - the fact Had
/ sa conr~ontei voa ans attempted 20
/ nxar~ aathorIty. Nou might have refused
/ compliance But because - invokes Hin
/ fr,rs ne ians % fancy. and ricturea Hh