The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-09-03
NEW PASTORS SERMON
REV. +. G.. NORTON At DOwNEY-
AVENUE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
Rev. ID. n. Lucas breaches mt the
First Baptist Church.

Rev. f. G. Norton, the new pastor of
Downey-avenue Christian Church, Irving
ton. preached his first regular sermon yes
terday informing. His text was from the
eighteenth verse of the first chapter of
Ephesians: 1.-The eyes of your understand
ing be enlightened: that We may know
what is the hope of His calling. and what
the riches of the glory of His inheritance
in the saints"
Mr.. Norton first explained the interest
Paul had in the church after preaching
for three years, and the text is portion
of a letter written few years later from
the prison at Rome. II was letter of en-
couragement for the church and should be
encouragement for all churches and Chris
tians. Continuing, Mr.. Norton said, in part:
in the passage Paul expresses the desire
in prayer that they might know three
ment. The first, what is the hope OF His
calling?" Hope plays great part in every
life. The largeness Of the hope and the
clearness with which 1t is perceived have
great bearing on our lives. Probably no
two persons have the same conception OF
Christian hope. 1t is sometimes merely
matter Of escape from sin. With some 1T is
Ephesians the apostle speaks of the Savior
presenting to himself church which would
be without spot or wrinkle, and holy and
without blemish. Let US consider these
three words, spot, wrinkle and blemish
The word spot suggests the spotting or the
garment with clay True it may be cleaned
and the clay removed, but the spot re-
mains. No human agency can eradicate IT.
So with our lives Our sins may be for
given, but the spot remains stain
through this life, but when we enter into
His presence we shall be without spot.
'The wrinkle suggests the marks which
and burdens of life leave their marks on
the soul, but hereafter these shall be
smoothed out and we shall stand perfect
and rejuvenated in the presence of God.
The word blemish suggests physical de-
feet. Few of are perfect physically. The
defect may be in hearing, vision, or some
organ of the body. So are we imperfect
spiritually, but hereafter these blemishes
are to be removed We are 10 be like Him.
Transformed into the likeness of the per-
feet man. This is the Christian hope. When
man once has this hope he can never live
the same without IL.
What is the richness of the glory of His
inheritance in the saints? That seems at
first to be impossible. We think more nat
urally of our inheritance in Him. The child
naturally looks to the parent for its in
heritance, but is IL nc also true that the
parent finds its greate. inheritance in the
child, and all tine treasures of the world
would not balance the inheritance which
the father and mother finds in son or
daughter So God has an inheritance in US.
For us He gives His greatest treasure We
are of more worth to Him than all the
world. When we think OF the great hope
He has set before us and the interest He
takes in us we feel helpless.
And what is the exceeding greatness of
His power toward us who believe? l stand
before great factory and in one hand hold
some crude material such as iron ore. In
the other hand L have the completed prod
uct of the factory, a watch. How can these
things be? Upon going through the fac
tory i find the forces of the universe have
been brought into use for the accomplish
ment of this purpose And so Gods pur-
poses take us and put us into condition. 1t
is Gods purpose TO bring us into perfect
condition and His power is sufficient. The
measure of His power was shown in Christ,
when, from His helpless condition in the
grave He was raised not only TO life but
far above the principalities and powers,
and seated at the right hand of God
The sermon was closed with an appeal 10
follow Gods purposes and wishes in life.
One young man made confession and one
was received into the church by letter.