The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-04-06
sHEARN CHURCH REVIVAL.
Eloquent Sermon by Rev. BradiieId
of Galveston.

OF tulNestun.
| The largest congregation of any that has
gathered during the progress of the re-
vival services at Shearn church was pres
ent last evening The main service. after
short preliminary meeting in the inter-
| est of Sunday school work. presided over
by Mr.. a. G. Howell one of the local
Sunday school superntendents. was con-
Quoted by Rev. MIR. BraIheld OF Calves
ton.
Rev. Bradfeld took for his text Matthew
i. u: And she shall bring forth son
and thou shalt call His name Jesus. for lie
shall save His people from their sins. "
The minister spoke by way of ntroduc-
ton OF the idea indicated in the context
OF the incarnation OF the Savior into the
world, but he said. with Bishop Iaygood,
that the notion of the incarnation docs
pot distinguish Christianity from any other
religion. Christianity is not differentiated
from the heather religions by the idea OF
the Incarnation. but 1T Is diiie reutiatod from
all other religions by the purpose OF that
incarnation. Heather GODS were supposed
to have come TO exercise care in times OF
national struggle. and 10 tight national
battles and to encourage in personal anntTs
and 10 work pro1igles among men, and TO
make better the condition Of men. or do n
sort of mans work. Not SO with Jesus of
Nazeleh. He came to save His people
from their sins. lie came TO change the
condition Of men. to save them from their
sins. and thus in the purposes OF the IN
carnatlon. Christianity is differentiated
from every other religion and Christ from
every other creature. "I'or He shall save
His people from their sins" Men from
the beginning have sought TO explain thc
origin Of sin. They have talked about de
prayity; they have talked about original
ain: about inbred sin: about the roofs OF
sin. But let rs turn from the theoloGies
and let us look at the word tonight. ana
find ont what sin is. the word SIN comes
from tho Greek dcrvative Of the word
that means "to miss the mark" So In the
Old Testament We find word that means
precisely that thing ito miss the mark
and from that word is derived kindred
words that mean sin and sinner and SIM
fulncss. Thus We have scriptufhi con-
ccption of sin as missing the mark; Inean-
ing the real mark: missing the true pur- |
pose of our life and our rational existence. |
If n marksman misses the mark IL may |
BE- due to one OF three thnrs--it may DC |
due to tho mark itself; the mark may be
indistinct. il may he too distant; or II may
he too movable Or, 1t may be that he did
not aim to hit it, or, though aiming to MT
il he didn't have the power or SKIN to
execute his aim. Jesus Christ has come 10
save us from missing the mark. From
missing the real purpose of our rational
existence. To save us from our sins. He
does II by showing us what the mark is.
by constralning us to aim nj tn" marx,
and by empowering MS TO hit the mark, and
thus He saves us from our sins.
Jesus Christ in His attitude toward God
and His attitude toward men presents the
mark. the purpose. the real purpose OF your
life and of mine, And just what Jesus
human life to God was, so can yours and
mine be. Let us see what the mark is
then. Behold Jesus In His submission to
God--"Not Ny will but Thine be done"
IL may mean a Calvary; II may mean a
II may mean a cross NeY-
lie has said mot My will but
Thine be done"
! call you to witness tonight that the
world never before in Its history saw the
mark 10 plainly. | call you to witness to-
night that the world never before saw the
purpose Of revealed life so completely as
II saw 1t In the life OF the blessed Son of
God. 7 call You TO witness that the world ]
never before found Its aspirations and ,
onrings so completely fulfilled as 1t be-
held them In the life OF the blessed Christ
beautiful story OF the huge {
tone face? My brother the huge stone q
-are In tho mountain side Is hunanity's ,
deal carved in tho heart of the race by
he hand Of God. II Is humanity's ideal I
blown into the fiber ard nature Of tho soul
~ the fires Of the creation morn.
And |. il be lifted up, will draw all
non unto Nc" Christ accomplished In his {
leath what he could net accomplish in his /
lie In the death OF Christ we see what =
'od thought Of sin, You don't think a
much OF sin. but the cross shows what /
Tod thought about II. g
I osl your attcntion tonight TO this fact. 4
hat God is the greatest economist 10 the /
inverse call your attention to the rc- 4
eatcd assertion OF those who ought to /
now that God has been SO careful OF q
verv part Of His creation that He suffered II
ot the loss Of a floating beam and mote 1
rom creations morn until this day. Bo-
old the economist that God is ard vet
ook at the cross. Behold the prodigality
Z life Behold the agony OF that hour, Is
nd tell me that II does no; moan some a.
hing when so great an Economist should "
ecome so prcdigal In the cross man be- t'
cid what God thought OF sin ST
Gods love for the sinner You may have ci
,me times been tempted 10 doubt that Il
ID loves you. Look tonight upon the
'oss. You may have been tempted to | ii
,ubt that God hears the penltentiai cries. "a
he cross restores us to Gods favor; Jesus, *