Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-02-14


TO set at liberty those that were bound as
he had been. and in many cases even in
q worse sense. How successfully he did
ms work, the history of his life will tell
you; by what power he accomplished his
mission. he tells you himself it was moth
ing more or less than by the gospel of
Jesus Christ, whose power has not been
weakened by the flight of time. 1t still
SHINES on with undimmed lustre light
10 llghten the Gentiles, and some day it
VIII prove q joy to the people of Israel.
1t stun has the power to change mems
hVes as nothing on earth can change
them, or has ever been able to change
Them lt still carries comfort and conso-
latlon to those who mourn over sin and
sorrow. II still shows the way to a better
life here and the eternal life hereafter.
TO those who know by personal expert
ence what this power is. nothing can
take its place Even the church can not
do that, for the church is not the truth,
but the witness and keeper of the truth.
If faithful to her trust she is not ashamed
Of her mission, even as st. Paul was not
and for the Selfsame reason. However
much she may admire and value the other
means of grace, she cannot be ashamed
Of or neglect the gospel, for it is a true
Bethesda, a pool of grace. whore the poor
and the lame and infirm may be cured Of
all their diseases by the moving of the
Holy Spirit in IL. The gospel is not like
Arbana and Pharpor, those common rivers
| of Damascus, that could molly cleanse the
outside, but it is a true Jordan in which
such leprous persons as we all are
by reason of our sins may wash and be
clean. Let us then not turn our backs
on it, or neglect it in any wise, or think
anything can take its place. and we snail
find it by personal experience, The power
Of God unto salvation 1t will stay with
US to the last and sustain and soothe US
even when we walk through the valley Of
the shadow of death.
| And this brings US to say that the
power Of God is not unconditional. I am
not ashamed etc. The great steamer that
crosses the ocean is a great power, but no
one can pass over to the other side unless
he complies with the conditions. He must
/ board it and then trust himself to it's
ability to carry him over the sea- And 50
is it with the gospel. Powerful as it is,
! it cannot guide our feet through tempta-
ton and sin and sorrow into the way Of
eternal life unless we accept its offer and
follow its directions; for while it is the
power Of God unto salvation, il is 50 only
to every one that believeth. TO the Jew
first and then to the Gentle.
Like the beauties of the world about
us. it is intended for all alike, The quiet
| moonlight, the mighty heavens, with their
multitudes Of shining worlds, the sun
spreading his spendor over a sky of
cloudless blue, or tightening up the clouds
n wit a t.G
hues. the air we breathe, the water We
drink, or the lovely flowers of the field
we gaze upon, these are provided by the
| benefcent God for all alike-the rich and
poor, the learned and uniearned. 50 the
gospel and it's blessings are intended for
all alike. Some may penetrate more deep
ly into the obscurities Of the Bible or see
the beauties Of inspired poetry better, But
the comforts of the Bible, pardon Of sin,
reconciliation with God, peace ana hou-
ness and heaven are for all aine-the Jew
and the Greek, the Barbarian. Scythian,
bond and free. The blessings of the gos-
pei gladden. the heart of the laborer at
his toll, and the patient sufferer on his
death bed, If they comply with the great
condition Of salvation, which is, first Of
all. acceptance Of Christ as a personal
of the world is one thing; to believe in
Him and accept Him as my savior is quite
another thing. But this is just what each
of us must do and have done if we have
| learned not TO be ashamed of the gospel
and 10 know the power Of the truth in our
| hearts and lives. We must have an in
innate acquaintance, personal with Him
by the indwelling spirit, VINO teaches US
to cry Abba, Father. If you would have
| that cry answered, study His life as laid
| down in the gospels and you win know
| what | mean. You viii find Him not only
a character to be admired, but person
to be initiated and loved and trusted.
"And SO again. If we would fulfill the
condition of this power of GOD unto saliva
| ton, we must surrender our hearts to the
doctrines that He taught. There also are
found in the gospels and are especially
emphasized by our church during the first
six months Of the church year, into which
| we have entered and through which we
are passing Follow, brethren. her direc-
| tions, and you will not minimize or neglect
| those great fundamental truths that are
inseparably connected with His divine
| person.
| Christ and the Incarnation; Christ and
the Atonement; Christ and the Resurrec-
! ton; Christ and Immortality viii be the
great themes of our meditations, both pr-
! vately and publicly. and we will learn to
| say as earnestly and honestly as st. Paul
did: i am not ashamed of the gospel of
! Christ, for it is the power Of God unto
salvation unto every one that beleveth. 2