The age-herald., 1900-11-05

honestly sought forgiveness of sin ana been willing to make proper restitution for that sin, that God did not take away his transgression and banish 1t from him as far as the east Is from the west. And any man who will continue in that near ness to God which was his when he sim eerely and openly sought the favor of for giveness for the transgression of the past, will never fail of possession of that om- nipotent power which will make him mas ter of the temptation of the future.
 No man should ever come to God but in earnest Simple uselessness Is 1t to ap- proach Him otherwise. No man should ever pretend to live with God who does not. Such pretense is the destruction of self and an attempt to destroy others by such deliberate perversion of the power of God as can be accomplished by the prae- tice of deceit of man. Sometimes we can practice such duplicity with men, and for a time accomplish our purpose with them as successfully as were we honest and sim eere Occasionally we may even thus im- pose upon ourselves. But never can we so deceive Him who is ever about our bed, who reads our thoughts and spies out our ways.
 If we have approached God in the past if we pretend to live with Him In the pres ent-reservng some confidence or clinging to some sin, let us not wonder this hour that We are without personal knowledge of the reality of the fundamental truth that He is our sufficiency in all things. But if we have come unto His presence, and if we live there today, free from all attempt at concealment, we cannot but wonder, not only at the grace of the for giveness that is ours, but also at the con- sciousness we have of wisdom to avoid temptation and power to overcome sin.
 If man would enjoy life and afford him self the greatest satisfaction and peace, he must live in harmony with God be- cause he is of God. That he may thus live he must have the power of God If he would possess this power he must not simply appear to do what God commands. but he must do it. And I am here this morning to declare unto you that if you come to God, acknowledging Him in all your ways and determined, the Divine grace assisting. to make and keep those ways His, you shall realize the blessing of accomplishment the Father ordains shall be the heritage of His children. You will
 
 you shall also have the continual witness of the Holy Spirit of God that you are conqueror.
 And now let us note the encouragement we have to come to the Father with all our needs that we may learn to know His love and be convinced of the sufflciency of His power He has made two declarations which themselves alone are sufficient to to bon fo ha confident. I mean the declarations re- garding one thing He never forgets and an- other things he never remembers. How often have I heard Bishop Wilmer refer to them both. You say there is nothing re- markable, necesarilyT-abe God not forget ting any one thing for it is impossible for Him ever to forget anything. The wonder is not that He does not forget this thing but that He specifically declares that He does not forget it, as if there were other ] things He did forget, but this He could not.
 Like father piteth his children" says the inspired word, "so the Lord pit | ieth them that fear Him. For He knoweth l our frame; He remembereth mever for l gets) that we are dust.'
 Yea, many a time turned He His anger away anu ulu uOL SllI up HIS wrath OF He remembered never forgoO that they were but flesh" We are inspired to hope by the declaration of God that he never forgets we are human, and so inclined to error.
 But now you say it Is remarkable that God should declare there is one thing He does not remember for it seems impossible that He should not remember everything. l reply, the most remarkable feature of the declaration is the nature of the thing He says He forgets. That one thing, of all others the last we should suppose, is ou sins. Yes, the one thing we have to regret in time and to fear in eternity, God de- clares He will not only forgive but abso- lutely forget, upon simple conditions. Sinful man that I am Who shall de- liver me from the body of this death?" is the cry of universal man, as he honestly views the retrospect of faithless life, and (ContiLued on Seventh Page)