The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-01-08
GOD CHALLENGES THE
ATTENTION OF MANKIND

The Reverend Doctor J. p. Cannon. pas
took FOR his text yesterday morning Isaiah,
MY. -. Look unto me. and be ye saved.
oil tht ends of the earth. for | am God
and there * Hole else" He said IN part.
Some one has saii: rhere ate many
echoes In 'te world. bat voices are few In
sphere OF religions. and as regards the
question OF salvation. We may sag more
There are many echoes. but only one voice.
j. Is the voice Of him. who. at sundn
times. and in divers manners. spoke iu time
past unto the fathers by the Prophets and
halH II these last days spoken unto us bI
his SON It Is thu voice which rings
through this Bible from It's OPENING 10 IFS
CLOSING page. always giving forth thu same
clear. authoritative tone. This Is the voice
Mhict We hear Ia the text The speaker
i JehCIah-the only living God-'A just
God and savior He challenges the ati-u-
tton oi all mankind. and calls them TO look
10 him and him alone for s,Iyafiou II
hts: from the lips OF Jesus Of Nazareth
when lie says: Come unto me all We that
labor ana are heavy-ladeu. and / Will give
YOU rest. II any man thirst. let him come
unto me anu drink He calls all men unto
himself, as the author OF salvation. HIS
very name MEANS Savior, and the TESTIMONY
OF Scriptuf" concerning him is-'uelther 5
there salvation in any other; for there Is
none other maine under heaven given among
men whereby We mus; he saved
The voice In both Testam-rrs IL the
same. anu the speaker is the same. We
az lbAf 81" OI iNiS hk The following
verse. there tile prediction f. made and
confirmed by an oath: INTO me every knee
shat bow. every tongue shall swear Twice
in fh- New Testament thai rrreS,rtiop Is
quoted and applied T." the asrenGed christ
He II Is 10 wh-m -yery kr-e shall bow and
ny whom every tongue shall swear. II IL
then from MS Ups who sits al The fathers
right nand clothed with honor aud mai.stv
THAT this invitation comes.
Notice irsf mat the ground upon which
the invitation il based. the warrant for II
l. the TACT that h. who makes IL il God
Look unto me-. aud b- -. saved for
ain God and there Is none else Tina IL.
ritation car cnlN be extended I,v ON. WIN
!s divine. No creature "au with any pro-
Frlriy AS" such words. They ARE empty,
inoct;is words. nnd"srr. ling % our heed.
except a. the\ are followed by the assur-
ance that he who utt.rs them is God say
ine l. q divine ~pTer2gttlve. Salvation Is
many ways. BE- 81 help To rs nut ,n no
tru- sense %, the word, no cr.arura can
save as. God alone can save. cur rondi-
liver H..
Salvation from sin implies. first. the for
EiFencss 81 sin. With this IT must begin.
Eut. 'wft" can forgive sins bur God only -
That cheil,nga has meyer been answered
When jesus >aii TO the paisiri man: Thy
sins %" forgiven thee the Jews understood
him 10 claim a divine pr-rrRHtive: and he
did not deny IL. The parduninc pow..r be
longs to the king. lie. against whom the
c'iGnses have been committed only has the
right 10 remit t.-iu. 7. even I. am he. thI;
b!"itsth out thy traHsgrs-SiorS.'
Again. forgiveness s only possible when
i ransom mas bean paid. Jetorah Is a lust
COO, ana savior He cannot extend m-rcy
az the Expense "f justice. The claims Of ius-
tir- must be met and satisfied IN a surf
ctent ransom hefprp siu can b.. RENTED.
Without shedding of blood Their. IL no 10
mission. But that ransom can be paid only
D. d divine R.dr-T-T. None OF them crn
b. any nranS redeem his brother. nor give
10 God II ransom for him. 'rs. xlix. -.
No creature can ever do more than meet his
own Obligations. After y" have done all we
are Improbable servants. lie who would
meet the GHSatt-f-d claims % a broken
law against those who have tTaDSC"rsSrd
II must b" on" Who. i9 his original "Stat. l.
above that law. not sUbi-rt to it, demands.
and ;" has somewhat 10 oTf~r hev.nd What
he himself owes. I'm uth-r words. he must
lie divine. H-ICs the Scriptures ALWAYS rep
resent exemption a. tie work ~ God. As
10y our Reaermer IN" Lord OF hosts il his
nam: the HOLY one If Israel. Nrh. Nlvii. =.
Again. he who would say. us from our
sins must not only secure cur pardon. hut
deliver us from the r~eigning power Of sin.
He must create IN us - clean heart. and
renew a right spirit within US. But nothing
short OF divine power IL adequate to this.
To change Il human heart is as clearly be-
alton Of a world.
They who tell us Of a Christ who is
merely II mIn-3lthnugh the best and
wissst Of men-whatev-r els" they may Of
fer. do nos offer "a a Savior. Whatever
else they may publish they do not publish
"Second-This text. and every other Cos
pei message, makes demands upon Us
which none hut God can make; demands to
which We cannot Weld unless he who makes
them is divine. Look unto ne come unto
me- believe on me Such are the mes
sages OF me goSp.L Thsy demand for the
TcpoSe such a trust in any creature. for,
like ourselves. he is finite. and therefore
fallihlc. The entire. unfaItering .r,st of
our souls can only he given to him who *
God over ali. The gospel likewise demands
for the savior our unqualified submission.