The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-10-09


things. If any man be in Christ Jesus,
| he is a new creature and
with him old things, old
| habits, old tastes, old pleasures
have lost their charm and much of
their power and all things have become
new. That there is a mystery about
this change no one denies. Our Lord
compares 1t to the wind whose effects
we recognize but the cause of whose
secret movements lie beyond the ken
of human knowledge. If there were no
mystery about it, 1t would not be in
harmony with all Gods other works.
But it is not a miraculous change,
| brought about in a way altogether diff
! ferent from that by which other chang
es are produced in the human soul.
How often do we see One passion domi-
nate over all other desires and become
the regnant power of life? When the
| life of nation has been imperilled,
have we not seen patriotism overmaster
such powerful passions as ayarice and
ambition, and lead men to abandon
| pursuits and aims which formerly alb
! sorbed them, and march to the battle
field to lay down their lives for their
| countrys safety? No passion in the
human soul is so overmastering and
| powerful as love for God. When fam
| ing love takes possession of the heart
1t dwarfs all other passions. Regener-
alton is the kinding of a new love in
the soul by the Holy Spirit which ov-
ermasters and drives out all other
loves which are contrary to it. SAUL
the blood-stained prosecutor, Bunyan
the profane tinker, John Newton, the
infidel and libertine, were physically
and mentally, in all the elements of
their nature, the same men after their
conversion that they were before it.
But the governing disposition and aim
of their lives were changed. MY be-
loved brethren let no philosophic
speculations, however ingenious, no sci
entific inductions, however apparently
forceful, no rational conjectures, how
ever plausible shake the steadfastness
of your faith in these fundamental and
essential features of the gospel.
1 pass from faith to life, from creed
to conduct. Be immovable in your ad-
herence in life and conduct to the eth
les of the gospel. Christ is the Chris
tian's model. Follow thou me-" is his
command. Conspicuous among the
qualities of character which he exhibit
ed in his majestic and peerless life are
such virtues and graces as dignity, pur-
lty, humility, patience, self-denial If
ready to forgive injuries, even deliber-
ately done by Others he still felt their
injustice. To those who grossly mis-
used him, he said, IF I have spoken
evil, bear witness of the evil, but if
well, why smitest thou me?" Was it
difficult for Christ to hold the chalice
of suffering in his hand and say to
the Father, mot my will by thine be
done?" 1t will be harder for you. The
acquisition and cultivation of every
Christian grace is the result of con-
flict. Write it in letters of light upon
the sky where it may ever blaze before
you that to be unmindful of Gods will
and wishes, who has touched the limit
of his power in the direction of his love,
to provide the means of salvation for
you, is the consummation of ingrati-
tude. will a man rob God?" RE
member the Sabbath day and keep it
holy The misuse of holy time is rob
berry. Untruthful in speech and false
ness in life are hateful to God and to
men as far as they resemble God.
Grasping greed, whether exhibited by
individuals or by corporate bodies, that
use circumstances or position to take
undue advantage of others, is thievery.
My beloved brethren, be We in the loyal
ty of your lives to heaven revealed
principles immovable.
What should be the supreme aim and
ambition of the Christian? To abound
in the work Of the Lord. We have
seen that the work of the Lord is first
TRANSPORTED, holy, personal character,
and then the evangelization of the
world and the subsequent salvation of
men. Gods service always costs and
often costs just where we feel it most.
1t is well for US to WILDLY realize this
so that when the claim is made we may
be ready to meet it. Sweep your eve
over the history of the Christian
church. John the Baptist was be-
headed. Jesus Christ was crucified.
stephen was stoned. One by one the
apostles with few exceptions passed
through a baptism of blood. The path
way of the church down through the
ages is marked by bloody gibbets and
blazing stakes. But history is Gods
judgment day. where truth and right
are indicated. Who would not rather
take his place with Christ than those
who crucified him, with John the Bap-
fist than those who beheaded him. with
Stephen than those who stoned him to
death?
Behind the dim unknown
Standeth God within the shadow.
Keeping watch above his own"
The Christian has entered the
Lords service for life and his work on
ly ceases when the master calls him
home. The work of some lies in hea-
then lands. Carey goes to, India to
translate the gospel into languages
enough to be read by three hundred
millions of heather. Judson goes to
Burmah and translates the Bible into
Burmese. Livingstone goes to Africa
and at last is found near the heart Of
the dark contenent in d grassy hut,
dead upon his knees. For others. their
work lies on the frontiers of our own
land, to labor in mining towns and
grapple with wickedness as gross as
heathenism. Their rewards are not
such as bestowed upon the hero of the
age; but it is better, nobler, more en-
during. and when thrones have crurnbl-
ed ana empires have sunk into ruin.
and when heaven and earth have pass
ed away they shall continue to walk
with God. Your work lies Just here.
and you are to accomplish it by charac-
ter manifestation in your own church.
Seek to abound in Christian work. Aim
to be fruitful in Christs service. mot
every one that sayeth unto me Lord.
Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of
heaven; but he that doeth the will of
my Father which is in heaven" Take
the prayer of George Herbert and
make it your own:
Teach me. my God and king,
In all things thee to see,
And what do in anything
To do it as for thee"
AS an inspiration in faith and I'M
| tagging zeal in Christian service, re-
member that your labor is not in vain
| in the Lord. That work in the service
! of God is not profitless or soon for
| gotten, we know in two ways First of
| all, history teaches this. Moses and
the generation he served have passed
away from the earth. The institutions
which he established have vanished
! because their mission has been accom-