The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-02-15


puts on respectable attire and moves into
q home appropriate for a man of vast es-
tate. His worldly circumstances were all
wrong last year; they are all right this
year. On the next street is a man who
was from perfect health Frustrated, and
be seemed to be sick unto death, but a
skillful physician took correct diagnosis
OF his disease and by prompt and vigor-
Gus treatment restored him to his former
vigor. As to his health he was all wrong
before; now he is all right. In these two
ways / illustrate my theme.
Moral Bankruptcy.
By sin we have all been morally bank
rupted. Christ the Lord from his inf-
mite riches pays our debts and empara-
discs US in his mercy. From his richest
wardrobe he puts on us the clean robe of
his righteousness and gives us a palace in
the heavens when we are ready TO 60 up
and take it. Now, as to our spiritual es-
tate we are all right. We were morally
diseased, but Christ the physician, by a
bath in the fountain of his grace, cures
us Now, az to our spiritual health we
are all right. That is the way we come
to the righteousness spoken of in the text.
1t is a contributed righteousness, a made
over righteousness, an imputed righteous
ACSS- III hOhleul YOU get lHlO TlSQI re-
lations with Christ the Lord that moment
you can appreciate the magnificent COM
fort of the text, and I defy you, in all
this great book, from the first verse of
the first chapter of Genesis to the last
verse of the last chapter of Revelation,
to ind me n passage with higher and
deeper and broader and longer comfort
than that Of the text, which is as deep as
the Atlantic ocean half way between the
continents and high as the sun when the
clock is striking u at noon. But 1 shall
be swamped with the oceanic tides of this
subject unless the Lord help me to keep
a foothold. Say We to the righteous that
it shall be we'll with him."
Bear in mind that but few people can
stand worldly success. Water is n good
thing, but too much of it will drown.
Fire is a good thing. but too much of it
will destroy. Light is a good thing, but
too much of it dazzles and blinds. Sue
cess is a good thing, but too much of it
has overwhelmed many for this world
and the next. If it were best for US, we
would all be millionaires, live in palaces
like the Alhambra and be as personally
attractive as Cleopatra appeared to An
tony. But the most of folks could not
endure such superabundance, and it is
absolutely necessary in order to keep
them right that 500 men out. Of 1000
should find life a struggle. 1t keeps them
out OF mischief. After Adam was eject
ed from the premises where by ten min
utes of employment a day be could keep
the garden and dress it the best thing
that could happen to him was compulsion
to work and fight. The ground that
bloomed with spontaneous flowers and
rustled with harvests that owed nothing
TO pillow or hoe became hostile, and bram-
BILE was substituted for rose, and the
panther growled where before he fawned,
and horn and fang and hoof became bel
ligerent. That Edenic ejectment shows
us as nothing else ever could that idle
ness or only q few minutes of employ
ment a day are doom and overthrow.
Put 1t down ameng your blessings in
stead of your misfortunes that you have
to work hard with brain or hand or foot
or all three of them.
Riches and Good Works.
How many men do you know worth
e2s0.O 900 who are deyout and consecrated