The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1900-09-07
CHARACTER BUILDING"
The Theme of an Eloquent Sermon by Rev.
F. S. Lyon.

F.S. Lyon.
Rev. Frank s. Lyon, pastor of the Bap-
fist church, preached two very forceful
and helpful sermons Sunday which were
listened to by large audiences both morn
ing and evening. The music was excep.
tionally fine and added much to the inn
pressiveness of the services. Miss Lyon
sang a solo at each service: In the morn
ing Coenan's "Come Unto Me-" in the
evening Shelley's "Abide with Me-"
Miss Lyons Interpretation of each piece
was faultless and her singing above criti-
cism. The congregation was deeply inn
pressed with the singing. the effective
ness of which was enhanced by the SUI
perb playing of Mrs. Van Ness, church
organist.
Character Building or Building for
Eternity" was the theme of the morning
sermon.
Text, Peter, lbs: "Grace to you and
peace be multiplied in the knowledge of
God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that
His divine power hath granted unto us all
things that pertain unto life and godli-
ness, through the knowledge of him that
called us by his own glory and virtue
whereby he hath granted unto us his
precious and exceeding great promises:
that through these We may become par
takers of the divine nature: having es-
capped from the corruption that is in the
world by lust"
Yea, and for this very cause adding on
your part all diligence in your faith,
supply virtue; and in your virtue, knowl-
edge; and in your knowledge, temper
ance; and in your temperance patiencs;
and in your patience godliness; and in
your goodness, love of the brethren;
and in your love of the brethren, love.
For if these things are yours and abound,
they make you to be not idle nor un-
fruitful unto the knowledge of our Lord
Jesus Christ"
Great importance is attached to the
building of fortune, reputation, an
education. But that which far outweighs
them all, is the building of character.
The supreme importance of character
building appears from the fact that of all
our possessions, character is ours alone
to keep. Riches fly away. knowledge
vanishes. Reputation lives and dies with
Col 80 nha oh fAr
ever.
In this lesson on the building of char
acter, the apostle refers to the architect,
the artisan and the material God is the
architect man is the artisan, and all
divine resources the material. He en-
courages us to build by the words, "He
hath granted unto US all thing that per-
tain unto life and goodness" Then He
gives us precious and exceeding great
promises: OF wisdom, strength, courage
and success. And his promises are sure.
Then He places before us an ideal, the
divine nature of which we may become
partakers. With these announcements
we ought to build well.
Next the apostle addresses us as arti-
cans, and tells us how we are to proceed
in the work: adding on your part,
faith, virtue, knowledge tenn
perance, patience, godliness, love of the
brethren, and love, which evidently
means love to the world as God loves it.
Thus we have the seven elements
which enter into the building of right
eous character. Following this the apos-
tie refers to the motive that should in
cite us to thus build: "For il these
things are yours and abound, they make
you to be not idle nor improbable"
In verse eleven of the context, we
have the final sealing of the character:
''For thus shall be richly supplied unto
you the entrance into the eternal king
dom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus