The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-08-24
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.
The Theme of DIR. Campbell's Sermon
on Sunday Last.

The Theme of DIR. Campbell's Sermon
on Sunday Last.
| Rev. DR.. w. G. Campbell, of the First
| Presbyterian Church preached a sermon
Sunday from the following text: "If we
then be risen with Christ" Col: 81.
Dr. Campbell preached to large congre-
! cation as follows:
If 1 were asked to give title to this
chapter and name to my sermon would
| call 1t "The Christian Life.' Paul is
talking about Chri stians. and telling
them what they should do. Paul was
| warm spiritual doctor. His diagnoses
were always correct. His prescriptions
are exactly adapted to the case. Not to
take his medicine is to make great mis-
take. The mistake may be fatal.
His first prescription is, "Seek those
things which are above" Notice that an
important word introduces each state
are "Saek Set, Mortify.' In this com.
mand he tells just what the goal OF a
mans life must be hcavenward. The
tendency of a great many is earthward.
They try to secure all they can of this
earth. That is well enough if they get
1t in the right Way and make the right
use of it, but when these things are
sought that they may be expended in
gratifying the selfish and impure desires
of the human heart they are curse.
Money is good thing, but if the price
man pays for million of dollars is the
destruction of himself and his children, a
million OF dollars is too much. The vast
majority, however, sell out at very
much lower price. The word Paul uses
is an active word To find the things
above they must be sought. They do not
come unsought. Active exertion must
be put forth. We estimate the value of
n thing by the cost to us. God intends
that we shall value religion. We must
therefore seek it earnestly
Paul's next prescription is, "Set your
mind on things above. Another active
verb. Christ said that mans heart
was where his treasures were. Religion
requires attention. The body follows the
mind. Where the mind is to that point
we direct our energies. To that point
everything else in life conforms. Every
thing in mans life should conform to
the religious portion, the spiritual.pnrt of
his being. The bodies receive most at
tention. What one shall eat and what he
shall wear are made the most prominent.
The reason is that the mind is directed
earthward. Paul says this is mistake.
Mans duty is to seek the things above.
People do not have faith enough for this
They cannot trust God. Christ said that
IL we SOuBnG Lne htuHQOm OF GOO
first, all other things should be
added to us. God never intend
ed tc prescribe n way for man
to walk in without having in view the
very highest and best interests of that
SOUL The body with all it's needs would
share in that prosperity. Paul says
Christians are dead. Death appears to
be destruction. Death us not destruc-
ton An organism is destroyed but not
the matter which composes it, Life is
relation Death is the change of that re-
lation. The relation of soul and body
give us life. The change of that relation
gives us death. These people were once
a part of the world and then they were
alive to it. Now the relation was changed
and they were dead to it. Paul says
Christians are dead to sin and the warld.
Suppose am not dead to the world, then
am not.a Christian. That IS startling
statement
The apostle uses another strong word.