The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-07-29
The RE- CREATION OF MAN
SERMON BYREY. Mr.. EETFR AZ
FIRST M ETHODIST CHURCH.
We Are of Gods Workmanship, of HIS
Creation, ind We Must he Rc-crtated
Unto Good WOrks--The Essentials Are
Honesty, Integrity and Example.

Honesty, Integrity and Example.
Rev. L. r. Streeter of the East Pearl
street Methodist church occupied the
pulpit of the First Methodist church
yesterday morning in exchange with
Rev. DR.. Eldridge, the pastor. His
sermon was on the "Re-creatio of Man
in Jesus Christ and he took his
text from Paul's epistle to the Ephe-
slams, chapter ., verse 10:-"For we
arc His workmanship, created in Jesus
Christ unto good works, which God
hath before ordained that we should
walk in them"
The apostle, said the preacher, in his
words draws the line between the actual
| creation and the recreation of man. In
Genesis we read $50 God created man.
Another place in the Bible we read
| "All souls are mine" Some people ex-
plain the presence of mankind on earth
in the way in which "Topsy," of Uncle
Toms Cabin" reasoned-"just growed,'
as if they were beings of nature, unat-
tached and unaccountable, But to these
and all others there finally comes the
realization of the truth the real eX
| planat'on of our existence, that 1--WE are
| His" We are Gods creatures. We
do not just happen to exist; we exist
for purpose, and we are accountable
| for our conduct. The man who be-
/ lieves that he is being of Gods MAX
ing aspires to higher purposes, The
! belief gives him more manliness, more
courage, more unselfshness. Give me
the man who thus believes. He will
make his mark.
But another creation is going on a
recreation, for, as Paul says, We are
His workmanship created in Jesus
| Christ" Paul thus speaks of this new
birth, this regenerated life, a re-crea-
ton in Jesus Christ. This doctrine is
not an eXaggeration; see the regener-
alton which has come through the
teachings of Jesus Christ. This is prov
ed by the betterment of Christian lives
the betterment of individual purpose
of personal attainment. Violence is not
necessarily implied as the result of this
change, this recreation We read Il
saw the Spirit descending" but how?
Not like lightning, not as tempest,
not like an eagle, but like a dove
Superna turalness in God does not
mean unna turalness in effect. What
is the most sublime change that earth
undergoes? 1t is the noiseess change
between night and day. We are not
stunned by the falling of the dew; by
the solar eclipse The gigantic forces
of nature are generally silent in their
operations. Just so the re-creative
work of God is done in silence. Re
creations in human lives may occur
suddenly, even violently. yet they may
and do come so quietly that the change
is scarcely seen from day to day.
Then, as to the object of this re-
creation Cor If we are concerned in
the one we must be in the other. This
recreation is to bring forth good
works." as Paul wrote But what are
good works?" That phrase. "re-creat-
ed in Christ Jesus unto good works"
reveals a most portentious and sub
lime purpose Do we bring this home |
to ourselves daily? We sing 20, happy
day, that fixed my choice and we are
glad that salvation is purchased by |
good works; but even then If we have |
been saved by God it is for the sole
purpose that we shall bring forth good |
works. We are of His workmanship. |
mere are TWO OF ItlTpb IO+IIlS Oh EDOU |
works First comes honesty; good old |
fashioned honesty How much this
virtue means touching Christian char
acter 1t embraces uprightness faith
fulness, honor and justice. Let us not |
deceive ourselves The unmerited
grace of God is no security TO" us, We
must see the truth. and live the truth
before God and man. Next comes in
tegrity and as touching all the virtues
not a few of them. Integrity means
Wilderness, completeness. How often
you hear it said: This man is good in
spots" Let me tell you there are none
who are not Christian in spots But
what about the vice against the virtue,
the bramble against the vine, the i'll
and frowning brow against
the song and the smile? These are the
defective spots which discount integ-
rty.
Lastly, consider then the value of ex-
ample in good works-honesty, integri-
ty and example A bad man may per-
form a good work, and good man may
perform a good work, but the good work
,f the bad man always leaves the man
behind. while the good work of a good
nan always carries the man with 1t.
It is what we are In ourselves that
what we truly are, behind the
mask of what we profess to be. The
sad truth must be admitted that in
hese days those who know us best do
lot always credit our profession or our /
orecept. They may, indeed they some 6
lines do, say that it is false, that it Is
,nly words. But we always have the
lefense in the example of a life mani {
estly re-created In Christ. We can do ]
more good by being good than in any t
,ther way. We can best preach by |
,lameless example
Last evening a gospel service was I
,eld at the church, at which Rev. Dr. /
Ildridge made a short address, mis- last q
,efore going upon his vacation. The v
ouble quartet also will not be heard n
uring August. Next Sunday morning i
he sermon will be preached by Rev. c. 7
| Buck former pastor of the First 7
fethodist church and of st. Johns now
he Fpworth church, and more recently
1cated in Bristol as pastor of a church
here. He has lately returned from a G
rip to the Holy Land.
Full of music. aren't your" sarcasti- 7,
r1y cd ha oh