The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-01-19
Ionhf. They expect

WHY is FAITH TIE PREREQUISlIEa
And here He ask why iaith la n"11
the great prerequisite Of the EVafo
blessing? Why must We believe b,i0,se,
We can receive the blessings whlch ~ ~ ~
has brought Well, first, because you ,t ~.
DEGREES ~. and. secondly. u'eau' rc
IS q necessary preparation io.,n we ~ "a a
ccptiou OF these blessings. RUIN is ~ 80
great extent the result Of your v'1.l' ,'o
De blessed hy christ. TT you Ht' 90,
faith IN Christ, 30 Is because you .nd
no real appreciation OF the gospel ,ee ~"
no gnccr6 desire Tor what ID mas 10 -.
ana ii "a man has no desire ioi t.o, -,
ings Of the gospei hc certainly .1'.'di'' mon
poet those blessings 10 ht loi''" w."
him whether he VIII or not.
And then. my friends tho benefits OF
the gospel are made dcpcndeut upon
faith because faith is the result o. ~ ~,
fort. 10 is "a work. 10 is hsnt. oih
out your own salvation, thc AIost''
tells us. Fight the good hght OF iallh'
'"rhc process 10y which we arrive az
a condition Of faith IS The most bcnehcial
which we can possibly pass throush;
overcoming the enemies Of imth. DOUBTS
have been allaycd. temptations have bcei'
resisted, i'm our struggles with the enc
mics OF our souls, We have gone down
INTO the valley Of the shadow Of death,
Our journey has been Ncriiahle I'll
grim Progress. and when we nave
passed tho darkness OF doubt and come
out into the light OF belief and know
ledge. see. what a. change, Inc better
clements OF our nature have been puri-
fled and cnnobled the graccs and virtues
OF Christs character have been born ln
as. and i'm every respect we have been
made better by the experience through
which we have passed by fighting the
VICTORY or 4 HARD-FOUGHT
FIGHT.
at is the same truth which applies 20
everything with which We have 70 DO.
We value most that which costs as
most. and the very fact that the gospel
demands Of MS faith. mo acquisition OF
which calls for thought and time ana
sci-sacrincc. ana the csillhs WIZ WIZ
doubt. and the resistance of temptation
is Tho reason why faith, when II is VIC
torious. is triumphantly victorious.
man who once believes the gospel as n
is tho victory which he has won 10y
Narl-fOught nrht N0fhlrg can eyer
take lt from him. Neither life nor
death. nor any other creature
can separate him from the love OF COO,
which lis in Christ Jesus. his Lord
You may take such man 10 near ail
the lectures lnecrsol ever dthN'I'u
Won may put into bis hand any article
on in0delitv from newspaper magazine
or book and DEE may Itnd lhcm dll WIN
out iu tln least being lnuucnccd 10y
them. He may admire the way IN which
these articles are put. h' may ."ppl'
ciato the beauty and grace or inc
writer's style. but upon his mind ana
life such articles can have no eiiect.
thinC OF which Doe D. Just as certain
ms he is OF bis own existence. that some
thing d. his faith lu God. in Jesus christ.
and boo the Immortality ot the soul. ti"
.H- uot gotten tnls by jumping no some
conclusion. hv accepting ass true what
other people have said. hut Toy 90 study
of the gospel. by following the command
mcnts there laid down. ana by listening
TO the dictates of conscience. Iie has
become possessed Of what is called falfh.
he has fought The fight ana won
the victory and nothing can ever take
from him bis triumph and his loN.
MEN. FOX WHOM TIE DIED.
con former occasions of this sort ]
have spoken of the dignity and honor
of the soldiers office. L have referred
90 the greatness of those who have oc-
,upiod this Office. OF the blessing they
u1rc been 20 humanity. 10 their country
and their church. But tonight i Lave
spoken 10 SOU as men. men for whom
Jesus Christ came and died. men who
h7v, the blessing of eternal life before
them. if they VIII only stretch ont their
hands and take 10. Let me urge you
Co join with the Apostle in our text
"Fieht the good faith" TO DO This. 20
got the desire f. do This you must know
more about Jesus Christ you must study
his lfo you must keep Ills command
monts YOU must hate what lie hates and
love what Io loves. lie is the ideal
man. our great example and TO follow
that example we must simply do as Tie
tells us Go do. Above AN, we must Doe
men of prayer.
DOCS 10 sound ont of place for me
in the end OF the nineteenth century To
be talking about prayer DO You say
that iu AN tho world. whore the reign OF
law is supreme. prayer is but idle WOrds2
Does the heart of amy one here echo the
sentiment of the skcptic that prayer will
do well cnOulh for women and children
bat that for men of strong mental face
ultics 10 is foolish 90 talk of tlc efficacy
of prayer Well men who think thus
are guilty OF weakness unbocOming in
men. Mon who think thus show that
they are not competent 10 pass judg-
mont upon the greatest power the world
has over scen and that power is prayer.
Prayer has made the world what it is
has changed harbarism into civilization.
has brought am the temporal blessings
of peace of law and order OF prosperity.
10 BIAS come TO us through the gospel
which is itself based upon proycr
1919 MEN or PRAYER.
"Tho greatest men that ever lived have
been men of prayor-mcn who proved
their greatness from tho fact that though
they received the adulatious of their fcl-
low get they realized their own insight
ncanOe in the presence of their creator.
They recognized the source from which
al0no true greatness could come they
showed. say their greatness when they
knclt bon humanity and offered their pray
cr- t0 the Creator. who had made them.
and whose they were.
"l1v brother men, if Won would reach
The object of your existence here. If YOU
would Dee not only animals nIt man. men
with immortal souls men who do not
expect to pcri. D. like the BEAST hut whose
existence begun hero. shall stretch fOr-
ward into the glorious eternity and cn-
i0p the life with God JOB Hcaven-thcn
lei mc tell YOU now. Doe men of prayer.
Irr to learn the true nature AND manin
and power of prayer. try 20 realize TO
whom YOU are Offering b. and what its
possibilities are. make 30 your rule. your
daily practice and YOU viii see new beau
ties and experience. new joys. Nich as
won bad never known before You VII
Doe living thc life which God created v0u
for YOU Will have some things TO help
won boo every earthly trouble Your nfe
Will not he aimless your old age viii Pc
peace and your end win Dee Ike lying
down iu green pastures besides stiu
watcre NV brothers ] oyhort you. Doe
mon of prayer Pray without ceasing.
T.rht the good fight of faith