Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-09-03

prince of the world and all his methods
were condemned by the life and victory
of Christ We can not be blind to the
fact that not all churches and not all
Christians have yet abandoned DEEPEN
dence upon material and immoral prac-
tees. For these practices are yet in
cluded In society's conception of right,
which is often scarcely higher than the
Greek morale which taught it was not
wrong to steal, but was sin to be found
out 10 ii.
4 Now this marked emphasis upon the
conviction Of sin has this further effect
upon the minds Of men. They come TO
look upon il as it has been described
by the theologians and the converts to
the church, as sufficient and definite
depression of the soul, in which, and in
which condition only. does man come
to the moral status where he may be
sure he has been redeemed. Expert
ence and observation both lead me to
believe that the churches have put
theological necessity upon men when
Judging their experience by insisting
upon the conviction Of sin as the first
and unalterable condition Of true
experience with Christ In salvation /;
and ] am further confident that many
man is saved under "a conviction of
Righteousness, into whose mind the
sense of sin does not come, with
emphasis at least, until many days
after peace and joy in Christ have put
him beyond especial grief for sin. The
fact of his sin might be at any time
freely admitted by him, but whatever
conviction has come to his heart, with
force enough to move him to the re-
ception of Christ, has been the con-
yiction of Righteousness.
Ii is this l wish to preach this morn
ing, in order that any persons present
may quickly receive Christ who are
starved With longing for goodness,
who find in their hearts some new
born desire to be good, or who have
some new view of the Lord which
makes Him seem admirable and ador-
able, or who secs in Him One with
whom they would gladly have fellow
ship, because they sec that He ia good.
or because they see that He is able to
help them to reach nubleness OF char.
acter. to do the truth and righteous
ness which God has taught them. Yes,
and that all We who meet such as long
for purity and the sweet virtues of
Christ, that we may be able confidently
to urge them to receive Christ quickly
into their hearts. I believe that many
men are saved under conviction of
righteousness, not under conviction
of sin. Such a man is saved not by
thinking OF the horrible pit into
which he is in danger of dropping ;
not by any threat of God or anticipated
suffering OF any kind: not even by
the thought of the possibility that he
may morally die, to be outcast from
God or TO lose all spiritual sense and
power; but be is led to the Christ who
can save him under other motives,
which may truly be called the con.
viction OF righteousness. He may have
perception of the marvellous love of
Christ, and be drawn to Christ. John
reports Christ saying 81, il be lifted
up will draw all men unto me. ~ The
love OF God may overpower him before
any moral appreciation of his sin
touches his heart. know that we
have not ignored this fact. y The
churches ] have served have received
members, as true converts of Christ,
who testify that the sense and con-
viction OF sin was far deeper with their
progress into the Christian life than at
its beginning, at which time they
were not moved by the thought of their
sin, but by the amazing and universal
love of Christ for men. This inspired
them to receive Him, a loving, mighty
Friend, upon which the whole testi-
mony OF redemption came to their
hearts and lives. They love Christ
"because He first loved them. The
sense Of what an awful loss their lives
would have suffered, 1.-The recognition OF
their sin cameIwhen the love and help
of God had renewed and redeemed their
lives. The subtle but persistent long
ing Of the soul for a holier. purer love
and the recognition OF Christ as the
One who gives it, not only draws the
soul to Him, but indicates that saliva
tion is not only from sin and loss, but
the lifting up of the soul TO what
the soul never possessed--so never lost
what is a new gift Of God in the
normal development of the life. He
may have a vision of some true noble
character, which comes TO him as an
aspiration, which be recognizes in
Christ, which he sees he himself un-
aided is not competent to reach, but
which he knows Christ can help him
grasp, and for which he 10 urged by his
conscience and judgment to accept the
salvation, the mastery and aid of
The Saviour. Hungering and thirsting
for righteousness, he turns to Christ,
who can satisfy him; seeing more
vividly that he has failed TO grasp
goodness than that be has entered into
sin; knowing that the development of
his soul requires some personal example
and sympathy; reaching out to attain
holy ideal longing for the companion
ship OF the Holy One, he turns with
quick and ready heart to Christ.
He may have seen his life being spent
in vain. Have toiled and toiled without
reward just for love of a mother,
wife, friend, he made himself servant
and denied himself the hottest am
bition of his life. The best he sought
be sees crumbling to dust; the am
bition of life gone for naught. Friends
and foes changed and changing; his
heart filled with a sense of a tickle
Enthusiastically world; be goes seeking
disappointed in all his search, until he
comes at last to Christ. in whom he
sees he may find constancy and infinite
worth for his life.
Therefore, to whom turn'I but TO Thee, the
ineffable Name? .,.
Builder and Maker, Thou, of houses not
made with hands
What have fear of change from Thee who
y art ever the same?
Doubt that Thy power can fill the heart
that Thy power expands2
There shall never be one lost good
What was shall live as before.
He may be moved by some sense OF
his obligation 10 his fsllowmen. Tender