The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-05-02
die I'LL! RISEN L!FE
GOOD ASSOCIATION ELEvATEs.
MANK1ND-BUT EARTHLY GOOD.
NESS DOES NOT SUFFICE FOR
sALvAT1oN-THERE MUST BE
CHRISTIAN 11FE-AN INTER-
EsT1NG SERMON BY REV. JACOB
pR1TT1NdHAM YEsTpRDAY-A
SERMON ON 1.-THE DUTY OF a
CITY TO ITS CITIZENS" by REV.
C.. Z, CLARK.

Slii ~ IT'S CITIZENS, by REV.
G. L. CLARK.
Sunday morning at st. Luke.s P. r..
church, Rev. Jacob Brlttinghom. the
rector. preached IN able sermon on THE
Risen Life" taking as his text. Colos-
SLAMS, 81 and .. Said Mr.. Brittlngham:
II We then be risen with Christ, seek
those things which are above, where
Christ lsitteth on the right hand OF God,
Set your affection on things above, not
on thinga on the earth"
The text brings TO our attention a pro-
found and precious truth, which applies
to our present mortal life, A certain
sort OF resurrection must occur now in
the time Of this mortal life. II we want
10 rise in the future in the likeness OF
the Divine Image, We must live to
God now. IL we would live with Him
hereafter; and we show that we are so
living when not satisfied with a mere
moral e1evation-a condition that may
be experienced by individuals. families
" oIiH CIVIL tlAtiOllS, NIlCh plOublk III #GOls
tact with Christianity. The person,
family, or nation which teaches Chris
tlanityi constantly, or even occasionally
IS elevated naturally by the contact.
Felix experienced an elevation OF o n
science when Paul reasoned OF right
e%ousness, and OF temperance, and OF q
judgment to come" Is
Agrippa was raised above his natural
level. when he cried 10 the same apostle,
almost thou p%ersuadeth me to be q
4 Christian"
Julian the apostle, was elevated by his
contact with the religion OF Jesus Christ.
He was educated In q Christian school,
but afterwards apostatlzed from the
faith.
We, see the same results among the
men and women " this day, who can
not help being raised above their natural
level by virtue OF their daily assocla-
tons with the true religion. There Is
not n person, or family In this communal
ty, who does not experience some eleva-
ton when brought in touch with divine
things. A lquickened conscience, n de-
sire for 4 higher and better life, refine
ment OF manners, Intellectual. moral
and social Improvement, are some OF the
signs af this elevation. but not OF the
resurrection to which the apostle refers
in the text. II Is indeed onetthlng I be
elevated or refined morally; 1t Is quite
another to be resurrected. or regener-
ated spiritually. When our Lord said to
Nicodemus. "Ye must be born again."
or from above" 1t staggered the great
teacher OF Israel because it involved so
wonderful a change and yet the apostle
meant Just Us much and nothing more.
81 M a y asenno1s - haIp~ tptcap uyitb
Christ" This. too, Is q wonderful
change. It is a passage from darkness
I light-a change from the coldness
Sard dampness, and stiffness OF death. to
the warmth and movement and energy
of life-a change so stupendous that the
apostle .likens 1t TO the resurrection from
the dead. and he also tells us how we
may know that the change has taken
place. This is an inquiry We are con
etartly making with ourselves. or OF
others. Flow do L know that I am in
deed and In truth a Christian? How
can ] know that I am risen with
Christi"
The question Is perfectly pertinent and
the answer is no less plain.
In the first place, ''If we then be risen
with Christi your profession means
something more than a mere moral ele-i
vation-seek those things which are
2 above where Christ setteth at the right
hand OF God"
The proof OF our fellowship with Christ
lies in the acting upon our resurrection
with Film which we profess. We must
imhibe fully all the blessings centering
in His person and work; we must follow
Christ In heart and mind, In meditation
and communion, in ways OF worship and
prayer. to the right hand Of God, where
He sitteth in power and glory, as u
2 complete and perfect redeemer, inter-
sScessor. mediator, forerunner, head. "un-
Z Ill His coming again. We u permit
nothing to stand between us and Him.
II we are risen with Christ" we should
then have no time, no taste, no will, no
room In our hearts to trifle with the In
yentions of men. II you believe in
Christ as the Image of the Invisible
God" IL you know that He is the Head
OF His body the church," that I'm all
things He has the pre-eminence; that
2 He made peace by the blood OF the
cross" that He Is "our hope OF glory"
that in Him "dwcllcth all the fullness Of
the Godhead bodily" and that In a
word, I'VE are complete In HIM" II you
believe ell this. then you have n very
satisfactory proof of your fellowship
with'Him. and instead OF being beguiled
with cntlcins words as to any other
mediator, or any other means Of sancti-
fication, you will show your real resur-
rection with Christ by seeking Him,
where He is only to be found, at the
right hand OF God. If you are doing
this honestly and earnestly and al
tiously, you have a proof Of a real. vital
and effective Christianity, a rising with
Christ from the death of sin, and an act
ual l"translation from the power OF
darkness into the kingdom OF Gods dear
Son." d
II. But the Risen Life sets its affection
on thinSs above and this means
thing more than seeking them. 1t Is
choosing, loving. placing our happiness
and delight In them and can OF at
tanning to them.
Next TO Christ Himself, the means
which lead to Him are loved and de-
lighted in by the sincere Christian. "a
Christian In deed and In truth loves the
Body of Christ, which IS the church.
the word of Christ, the Bible; the prom
Use OF Christ; the worship Of Christ: the
praises OF Christ; the sacraments OF
Christ: the a%nticlpations OF being with
Christ In body and soul forever In
heaven. IT were well for us to stop and
ask ourselves the question ngain and
again as to whether we really do love
these things. and II we find that VIC do
not love them, then we may well inquire
into the. cause OF this lack OF affection;