The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-05-09

the DEGREES OF God. Now, the only human
being that'WaS ever competent to handle
that subject was Paul, aud he would not
have been competent had he not been iu-
spired. believe in the sovereignty Of God.
aud believe in mans free agency, but no
one can harmonize the two. It is not
necessary that we harmonizs them.
Every sermon that l have ever heard
that attempted such harmonization was to
mo as clear as London fog. as clear as
mud. My brother OF the nineteenth CEN
tury, my brother OF the sixteenth century,
give us Pau'5 statement and leave out
your own.
Better one chapter OF Paul on that sub
ject than all OF Calvin's institutes, able
and honest aud mighty as they are. Do
not try to measure either the throne OF God
or the thunderbolts OF God with your little
steel pen.
What do YOU know about the DEGREES?
You cannot pry open the door OF Gods
mysteries Of Gods government now. much
less the mysteries OF His government five
hundred Quintilllon years uGo.
move for creed for all our lenomina-
tions made out Scripture quotations pure
aud simple. That would take the earth for
God; that would be impregnable against
intldelity and Apollyonie assault; that
would bo beyond human criticism. The de-
nomination. whatever its name may be,
that can rise up to that will be the church
OF the millenniu N will swallow up all other
denominations, and be the one that will bo
the bride when the bridegroom comsth.
Let US make 1t simpler aud palmer for peo-
pie to get into the Kingdom OF God. Do rct
hinder people by the idea that they may
not have been elected. Do not tag on to
the one essential OF faith In Christ any OF
the innumerable nonessentials., A man
who heartily accepts Christ Is q Christian,
and the man who does not accept Him is
not Christian, and that Is all there Is OF
1t. He need not believe in election or rep
rotation. he need not believe In the eter-
nal generation OF the Son: he need not be:
lteve in everlasting punishment. BE need
not believe In infant baptism. Hs need
not believe In plenary, insplration. Faith
IN Christ Is the criterion, Is the best, Is
the pivot, is the Indispensable.
But there are those who would add unto
the tests rather than subtract from them.
There are thousands who would not adept
persons into church membership tfs they
drink wine or II. they smoke Cigars or II
they attend the theatre or IL they play cards
or II they drives q fast horse But do not
substitute tests which the Bible, does not
establish. There is one pdssnge OF Scrip
to enter and to keep out all rho ought to
be kept out, Believe hi the lord jesus
Christ and thou shalt Be s& &feds,, Get q
mans heart right. and his lIle4 be right.
But now that the old cfeed8 have been
put under public SCRUTINY something radl-.
cal must be done Some WVdld split them,
some would carve them Honae would eion-
gate them, someswouId pbbxayiate them.
At tue present moIen3 the present
shape they are a. ipdrftSS. Lazarus. is
alive, but hampereds BitA the old grave
free and unIncumbered, tak@0H: THE cers-
ments OF old ;ocalcsiastic cal yocabu lary.
Loose her, and let her got y fy3s
Again, my text has gocd advice concern
Ing any Christian ha,Re6zed sFnd bothered
and bound by iear' 'os Hls own dissolution.
70 such the book refers when 1t speaks OF
those who through fear M death were all
their lifetime subject to bondage. The
most OF US, even live have the Christian
hope, are towards about DEATH.
Backed up by heteachlngs OF your Bible,
just look through the telescope some bright
night and see howsmany worlds there are,
pared with the number OF worlds In exist
suce, are less than thes llngers OF your right
hand as compared Nith sals the fingers OF
the human race. HOW'D oiiah then, for us
t. think that ours isthe only world aatf:tor
6ns Of our first renlisatiou us III getting
out of this world, think, will boz fhdtsf
this world we wersiyerY much SpenS.np ana
had cramped apartman and were kepton
the limits. The mpst eyen otiour small
world, is water, aud the water 10 the
human race, 'tDon,t come here y9a WILL
drown. A fewthoussndf feet up the at
mosphere Is unInhabt fable, and the at
says to the human race, aDon't
come up here or you cannot; breathe" A
few miles down the earth Is a furnace Of
fire, aud the fire says, "Don't come here or
you will burn" The caverns ofthe mount
aims are full OF poisonous gases, and the
gases say, Don't come here or you will be
asphyxlated."
And pneumontas and plsurisles ana con-
sumptions and apople1ies go across this
earth in flocks, In droyeHstn herds, and 1t
is a world OF equinoxcs aud cyclones and
graves. Yet We afe under the deluslon
that it is the only place at toSstay In. We
while the great ship, the City Of God, OF
the Celestial line, goes salling past AMI
would gladly take uBup IN llfeboat. My
Chrlstian friends, let me tear you4 do.
spoudencies hnd frlRl Its about dissolutlon.
My Lord commauds.s .sme reRatdlng you,
saying, Loose him. and tet lin co.
Heaven Is ninetyz9 9xe per sent. better
than this world, nttf0a8en4 fteFscent. bet
ter, Il million perscant. Take the
gladdest, brIghtest abllant days
you ever had on eattt Press them
all into ono hours i IE3 LOFT would be
as rsa%ls; spmpassa @isaEs soasy a9tsS
nave had In heSRst Sinaa Eha frstt er
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