The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-18
BE YE NOT ASHAMED
REV. j. F. STOUT APPEALS TO
CHRISTIANS WHO BELIEVE
TO PROFESS
POWER OF GOD is SUPREME,
AND A GUARANTY OF SALVATION
TO ALL WHO TRUST IN
HIM.
PERFECTION OF OBEDIENCE
Marks His Sway. Over All Material
Things-Why Should Not Man
Submit:

Rev. j. f. Stout, d. D., preached at
First NJ. E. church last night on "The
Gospel the Power Of God Unto Saliva
t1on." He took for his text Romans L.,
ID: For l am not ashamed of the
gospel of Christ, for it is the power
OF God unto salvation, to every one
that belieVeth." He said in part:
Both the Jew and the Greek assume
that the gospel is a revelation to be
ashamed of. The DIRECTORS in our day
are but followers of the doubters of
the years gone by. The text considers
| these. The Jew has some show of ex-
cuse. The teachings of Jesus are so
different from those he has. been led
to believe and so utterly lacking in that
intense race color and feeling which
seem to him to mark all the revelations
concerning the Messiah, that he only
stumbles at the truth because of his
misconceptions. The Greek has for
ages been a philosopher and given to
the habit of leaning to his own I'M
derstanding; the gospel to him, with it's
humble and crucified Savior, with no
altar save cross, and no temple save
the world, and with philosophy that
demands the abnegation of self, an
swers to the preacher of truth who
would have him bow the knee in wor-
ship: ''The Gospel is foolishness." The
believer, however, has a different re-
Spouse. He has come to know the Re
deemer, and to rest on the truth he
taught. has felt the power coming into
his being from God, through the reveal
ment Of the gospel, and his response is:
cit is the power of God unto salvation. ."
His answer puts the burden of proof on
the fact Of power, which must decide
as the supremest Of all tests The Cos
pei depends not on the excellence and
harmony Of its system of truth, though
that is. at the summit Of perfection,
Let me call your attention to this
method of power, that we may come
more easily to use it for our own deliv-
erance.
In the first place, the truth of the
gospel has force and power of its
own, by which it performs it's miracles
OF healing. Indeed the gospel is the
appeal of the very truth to mans
ability to recognize it when it is pro-
| claimed. There has been little diff
Guilty in all the past in having essen
tial unity on truths that have to do
with uprightness of life, or revelations
Of the divine nature. The discord has
risen on the additions which men have
put forth as mere beliefs, and tried to
compel men to accept in the place Of
loyalty to that which is recognized
everywhere as truth. Men have been
divided on theories of the atonement,
and the necessity Of observance on
modes of forms, but they have been
united on the truth which Jesus
/ spoke revealing righteousness and love,
and these teachings of Jesus make
up the gospel and the truths have been
+ sinking deeper every year into the
hearts of the race, issuing more and
more in the results Christ sought to
bring about In human life, Christs
truth, as He taught it. Is easily SUI
perior to ALI others and is in itself
adapted to the needs of men.
The second truth is Of still more i'm
portance. 1t is the power of God.
The third fact, which includes all
others, is this. The gospel is gift so
thoroughly of God, that he is imminent
in It, in connection with all it's truth
and relation. In this sense it Is the
power of God. We use these terms SO
commonly that we hardly see how
great q. thing is stated in the text. By
a little observation in material things,
we may come to have a better idea
of this spiritual truth. We can get
some conception of the power of God
unto creation. The first chapters of
Genesis, interpreted by any reverent
school, give most magnificent pio~
ture Of the processes of creation. s'TEc
earth was without form, and void and
darkness was upon the face of the
deep. and the spirit of God moved upon
the face OF the waters" and here the
universe, still in It's swaddling clothes.
hears the voice of the unseen God,
Let light be, and light was" the
prophecy of all life and glory. The
creative acts follow in the description
in swift succession, and the world is,
and teens with life. This Is an as
founding revelation of the power of
God unto creation. A look out on the
universe made, and making, will give
US a revelation of the power Of God
unto government. What a sweep of
space in his dominions! No constella-
ton fails TO obey his will, no plane loses
its unmarked way. He guides, by the
reins of his WILL the coursers of the
night, and no chariot wheels Craze,
and no charger lags in its unceasingl
race. Perfection of obedience marks
the whole universe of matter, and this
IL the power Of God unto government.