The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-05-16

is particularly f0rceful ana convincing |
as to who Christ was and for what n
lie came into this world. We shall n
in the fifth chapter much TO aid in un-
Outstanding Christ and to encourage
in faithful service. Lord, increase our
faith" The chapter opened with an
| accoun of the healing Of one at the
| pool of Bethesda at Jerusalem The
lesson we seek is the healing OF our
| spiritual infirInity, our souls. Take
your Bible and read the account up to
the close of the ninth verse. You will
learn that the angels of God, who were
| sent sometimes TO chastise as when
| they came from Heaven to send plaques
| and pestflence pom the people for
transgression, were also sent on mis-
sions of mercy as when the angel, as
in this chapter, went down into the
pool and troubled the water for healing
that the sick might be healed. There
were many sick, but the record tells
Of but one being healed on this partic-
ular day. How impressive this is-but
one healed. This is like the Gospel and
yet unlike it. Salvation, healing by
faith in the blood of the Lamb, is as
free as air or as generous as water, and
yet how few really are healed among
the children Of men. Think Of that. 1t
is true hat seemingly, even really, a
great many are saved, ~cleansed, sane
titled, but still how few as compared
with the coutless millions h reject
the atonement, spurn the Divine offer
my of life eternal and are never cleans
ed, are never saved. 1t is pitiful and
painful, and yet a stern, unyieldlnS
truth. MANY are called, but few are
Jesus limited? Nay, not in the least.
Jesus tasted death for every one, for
every child Of Adam-for all the
Adamic race. How much that race
embraces we stop not here to consider.
Opinions differ. How very few, we re-
peat, compared with the teeming mil
lions of the generations of the earth
ever reach the healing waters, are ever
~cleansed, purified, sanctified by the
Holy Spirit? How small the number
that really know the adorable Son of
God as their Redeemer, who believe in
Him unto salvation, who through Him
and by Him have found Him very pre-
cious to their souls. and live a life
of faith in Him, pressing on Iii the
Christian race and daily seeking to find
those Pisgah heights whence they gain
delightful, most comforting views Of
the promised inheritance. How few
who make professions of faith, join the
church, live according to Gods Word
his own, His n standard of faith.
Few indeed appear in outward life
to (. in conformity with Gods unerr-
ing Book, and to be pressing on in the
Christian race in that narrow way, the
end whereof is eternal life. That wise
evangelical writer of the Establish
ed Church from whom we sometimes
quote and gladly says this, and we copy
from him now rather than from au-
thOrs of other churches. He says, and
it is close. and true and Scriptural:
Few are they out of all that know,
] who so much as profess to receive His
faith. Few out of those who so pro-
fess, few are they who in their hearts
effectually believe. Few are they who
walk by faith. Few are they who obey
with love. Few are they which hunger
and thirst after righteousness, which
set their affection on things above,
which u all things on earth but
loss for Christ, which follow Christ
even unto DEATH" And may we add,
land few there be that find Him" We
learn in the sixth verse that when the
Master saw the afflicted mana great
sufferer for thirty-eight years-He said
to him: will thou be made whole?' '
A simple, easily understood question.
surely-the very question of all others
the blessed Saviour asks the impenitent
and lost-'Will thou be made whole 2"
1t is a simply willingness on our part
to be saved that is required-not abil-
ity to save ourselves, but to be saved
by Him-to be saved from all sin-sin
of all kinds and degrees-"a readiness
to have that wrought in us by AL
mighty God which we cannot do for
ourselves. A submission of our will TO
e. His will; a conviction that His way
of saving us through Christ is not
only all sufficient, but all wise, all
good; a lively desire to be so saved,
any "ASA AN Il
of this salvation; these are the things
implied in this question put to us:
wilt thou be made whole?" (Girdle-
stone.) Bethesda means house of
mercy" 1t was a good place for the
sick and suffering to seek. There are
people sick we'll nigh unto death of a
more pitiable sickness-sin,- that
brings forth death. The disease is
rooted in the soul and Families the
life, and is incurable by mortal medi-
cament or skill 1t makes this life a
failure and one of suffering in soul and
body, and a certain forceful looking-for
of worse things to come. And still
all over the land and all lands there
are millions upon millions who urn
away and refuse that spiritual healing
from the only Physician-the Son of
God-whO can heal and save. Space
Il YIN n ~I ~ 49, - e - A.