Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-08-06
EVANGELIST BONNER
Preached Mt the Third Presbyterian
Church in the Morning.

Church In the Morning.
At the Third Presbyterian Church
Sunday morning, c. C. Bruner, the
Evangelist, occupied the pulpit ard
chose as his text, Romans Sis. He
said:
Perhaps nowhere in the scriptures
can you find a more complete state
ment of the beginning, the progress,
and establishment in a Christian ex-
perience than you find in these five
verses. And the Apostle is careful to
state that these religious accomplish
ments are reached and obtained by
faith in Christ. The faith that sue
ceeds is the kind referred to in James
End chapter, where the Apostle James
says: Show me thy faith without
thy works and ] will show thee my
faith by my works" We cannot pre-
sumo to disconnect our faith from
right actions and motives. That man
who would attempt to pose as a Chris
tian and still continue a life of sin Is
self-deceived. Our text speaks OF
being justified by faith and this faith
includes what the gospel demands.
Faith of this kind is that sort which
gave Abraham his title as the father
of the faithful. HE believed God and
1t was counted to him for righteous
ness"
1t was no doubt forbidden task to
take his only son and start on a three
days journey to offer him up as a sac
rifice, but he went forward until he
had proved himself a true servant Of
God. Some of our duties may not be
so pleasant at the beginning. but the
end will always be glorious and full Of
comfort. Christ said 'if any man will
be my disciple, let him take up his
cross daily and follow me-" Old hui
man nature, and old carnal nature
must be turned down and superseded
by this overwhelming desire to obey
God and bless the world. If we follow
our petty desires and human whims
we cannot please God or become true
Christians. Self-denial is a fundamen-
tai law Of true religion, and is man
ifested in the life and death of Christ
and his disciples.
We surmount everything by faith
Our past record, our present guilt, our
future embarrassments, yea grave OBJ
stacles, TO win the object of our affec-
tons. Jesus Christ, our Savior.
In the second verse we read: "By
whom also We have access by faith
into this grace wherein we stand and
rejoice in the hope Of the glory Of
God"
Who would not desire to stand and
rejoice?-this is the privilege of the
established Christian, who has made
his conservation perfect and seeks to
please Christ in all things"
But there is more than this; He
speaks of Hglorying in tribulation
also" Every affection, disappoint-
ment, persecution and trial must have
their place and be properly understood
so that we may be improved and not
damaged The presence of the Spirit
of Christ will assist US to turn our
defeats into blessings. A church made
up of such heroic believers will do the
work for Christ and lost and ruined
world.
And at the last he says: "And hope
maketh not ashamed because the love
of God is liked abroad N our hearts
by the Holy Ghost which is given unto
U.s."
Thank God for such wonderful pro-
visions of grace and divine help. The
love OF God is a match, more than a
match for the powers of wickedness
Satan cannot enter the heart that is
filled with love divine. Yes, to be "es-
tablished, strengthened, settled is
the high privilege of everyone OF Gods
children. We begin by faith. by re-
ceiving Christ. the person OF Christ;
we make progress by faith in Christ;
we finish our work by faith; and then
enter in through the gates into the
city,