The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-04

Is attested by consciousness. Here
would have you note the distinction be-
tween a personal relation and an tntetlec-
tual conviction. Religious faith exercises
Itself in special reference to.a divine per-
son. Jesus taught He eame From the Es-
ther and that after His departure alloy
Spirit would be ever present In TIE worii
Faith. therefore, becomes personal ans
associates itself with the divine spirit. Ia
this association and consc.ousLssa, lGi..-
VIII, however. formulate AMI logical!
state the principles governing in such re
lation. Here is where the exercise Of the
intellectual faculty finds its highest N
joyment. The intellect puts into harmoui-
Gus proposition and formula the grounds
OF the souls rest and confidence. Re-
ligious faith. the faith OF the soul ana
heart, is the conscious acceptance of
Jesus as the Divine Son and our Master:
hence the personal relation to God, in
which all the powers OF the soul respond
and by useful spiritual activities fits IT.
self for eternal fellowship with God the
Father. A religious faith purely personal.
yet including IN its results holy feeling,
lofty aspirations and characteristic work
Is the condition on which Jesus says that
His disciples shall do greater work than
He had done. This is the faith by which
the Master would multiply His every en-
ergy and gospel. Every faithful human
effort should feel the matchlessness Of
this relation which Is behind the effort.
and tingling with holy enthusiasm push
the battle till the shout OF victory re-
sounds from earth to heaven and victory
is echoed back from heaven.
WHAT JESUS MEANT.
I. We now pass to the consideration OF
what Jesus meant by the greater Things
that the disciples snould accomplish.
In the context Jesus had sought to en-
courage the disciples by the promise Of
reunion in the Fathers house. and in the
conversation Thomas and Philip each IN
terject ques ton which for the moment
turns the Master from the real object or
the conversation. Our text Is a return to
the subject OF separation. and in which
Jesus speaks of a spiritual union wncl
will prepare the way for iinal reunion as
promised: see verses and Ii. our text
Is the transitional point and Is full Of sig
riEcancc There are two distinct state
ments, "sha! do the works which | do"
and he shall do even grealer things,
The former undoubtedly has reference to
miracles sC-caiied, the latter TO work
which was OF superior nature than heal
ing the bodies of human beings. The su-
oer.or work Is the bringing Ot the lost
soul to God and causing b. such efforts
the indwell:ns of the Holy Spirit. Now
this superiority of opportunity and re-
suit is conditioned upon His ascension to
the Father because go to the Fathec. .
According to Godet, greater does not
mean more stupendous. but more excel
lent; and this term does not merely refer
to the extension OF the apostolic ministry
beyond the limits Of the theoeraey. but to
the nature OF the works accomplished"
Not a great many weeks later Peter de-
livered his remarkable sermon which
opened the days Of Pentecost, when thou
sands were added unto the Lord. The
great missionary, Paul, going from piacn
ing churches In the name of Christ and
from these down to the humblest Chris
tian endeavorer who faithfully effects In
others the work Of salvation are doing
things Jesus could not do while on earth,
for 1t was necessary. as Cess says. that
men should have been destroyed and the
Holy Spirit have been given to mankind;'
In other words, the glorffcation Of Jesus
with the Father.
The works Of Jesus were illustrative ef
His divine purpose. mission and authority
All the constructive forces Of religion, his
toric and present, center in Him. When
He opened the eyes Of the blind 1t was the
acted part Of declaration that He was
the light Of the world. When the hungry
the multiplying of the loaves, It was the
acted parable Of His divine gift to the
hungry millions Of human souls. When
He stood before the tomb Of Lazarus and
commanded the onlookers to take away
the stone and then commanded the dead
whereby He showed to men their duty
and privilege and also illustrated His di.
vine power. II am the light Of the world. u
II am the bread Of lift" II am the resur.
rection and the life." But in these acted
parallels there is another side-the people
In few hours would once more be hun.
gry-Lazarus would again feel the ap.
proach and certainty Of death, and the
eyes no more look upon the beautiful
landscape--but the recipient Of Bread OF
I 20 nnt h,sne oil \, 10 do,
nor dwell in darkness again, for Jesus is
the true God and eternal life. Hence
the supremacy of that work which brings
men into this consciousness Of eternal
light and life.
WOULD NOT DISCOURAGE.
would not in the least discourage
rather would ! encourage all benevolent
enterprises and philanthropic efforts
looking towards social redemption, com.
mercial integrity and personal purity
These are In the category Of true Chris
tian work. But the superior nature OF
your ultimate aim and work Is manifest
when you consider that by saving mar
from self, from sin and Its thraldom, yot
have reversed a human destiny. The prac.
sion, and many noble physicians adorr
the history and practices of medicine
Yet. when by skill and compounds you
have again caused the life blood to flow
healthily, 1t Is only for few years OF
most, for this body will come TO decay
and death-but to bring health and peace
to a human soul Is u far greater achieve
ment; for In so doing the years of happi
ness and activity are not counted by
days. but by ages upon ages. and still the
ages roll on forever. Sing, ye choirs ant
singers, your noblest lays, your music II
inspiring and charms the head, but tn;
greater this Is to cause the sweetest sons
Of songs to burst from human hearts, the
song of salvation, the song that deliver
ance has come, that peace Is made with
God!
Education and environment are control
ling factors in the making of character
but neither pleasant surroundings or re
fined and artistic tastes will correspond tC
the work of regeneration-they contrib
| ute, however, II rightly used, as auxili
aries towards the end sought by Christian
work.
Our supreme work and the greater thins
therefore, is the salvation of men. NJ
greater honor can be conferred and NJ
greater opportunity can be offered fol
our best endeavor.
4. But I draw your attention to tn,
necessary existing relation between tn,
individual and the greater things to bt
done.
RELATION A VITAL ONE.
That relation Is vital one. 1t is funda
mental to the accomplishment of thu
work. Over and above the religious faitl
spoken Of, these works must be wrough
I in us to begin with. A pure stream o
health-giving water cannot gush fortl
from muddy and poisonous sources. 1t Il
contrary to all the laws of nature to ex
pect figs from thistles; then In the realm
| of spiritual law shall we expect to gathe
| the deeper and more valuable moral frui
| from a life whose heart is not in har
monious relations with such laws. Til
| quality of a mans work largely depend
| upon what the man morally is. AS maj
thinketh. so is he. The momentum an,
| character of persons thinking viii
| without doubt condition the characte
and power Of his action. 1t is unphilo
sophical to anticipate from mental!
narrow and small ranged vision persoi
| the characteristic work Of broad Wis
ioned and progressive life. A selfish ant
| ungenerous Individual can never hope I,
do the greater things of Christ's service
The Master, In the most liberal manner
| poured out His spirit of unselhshness
pleasing not Himself. but ,generousl,
sacrificed all that a selfish spirit wou;
crave that His mission might be accom-