The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-11-18

Who perverted the atoucment, Will, many
others were disturbed IN mimi and heaIt bN
the judaiZiuS teachers who weTC saying
We know that Co spgke unto M1sey. as
FOR this man. We know not whence he Is.
1t was Il plinstaking task to guide and
2utrd the exposed. poorly Informed ana
unframed church Of apostolic times. This
apostle. whose experience was the great
est. SAW the necessity of giving 10 the IN
diVidual a simple precept which would be
available "a guide, guard. and comforter
for this he goes out OF the realm OF the
theoretical unto the practical. His test Is
not dcctrtnal. hut experimental.
christianity has its doctrines. alike pro
found and sublime. Il has instruction Tor
the most learned. The most advanced may
eNpectantly accept thriStS invitation, Learn
Of me. But what is more. Christianity has
assurance FOR great and Simple-we all may
assure our hearts before him.
This witness is the witness Of conscious
ton. The instruction required is definitely
stated to bt TWO great C0mmandment..
Then comes determination, "a man deal
Ing fairly with himself. Do ! love in any
tolerable sense OF the word. Is there any
life or sincerity in my profesSed love- Does
it take the form OF obedience to God. and
siblc questions. and any man can answer
them. More difficult tests may IL put
aside and this one relied on. And hereby
We know that We are 81 the truth and
shall assure our hearts before him.
The witness Of the Holy Spirit is not
displaced by this method. II pTecedsS this.
ana ID me ldlEtf ~ iuitI-- fLiiIFl iF SUI
stituted by this. hot | venture 10 say that
this assurance Is rather more available for
hours of depression than the other one
can at any time put himself in the way
Of this assurance.
H. apostle here clearly indicates that;
the evidence of the heart can re relied on.
This proposition T. supported by two state
ments. II our heart condemn US. God viii
cOnGemu US. II our heart is nee from
any lurking sense of condemnation. then
we rightly have confidence toward God.
This il most nGSlVII.4 fuHtTlnH 4Hf Is the
Magma Charter of private judgment No
one NAV vote ne in or out Of the Kingdom
of Cod. I may be voted in or out of formal
fellowship. but beyond that. priest "r as
sembly cannot go.
The danger that John sees in this test
is that IL will not b. faithfully applied. and
test. he inserts j tremendous warning. II
our heart condemn US, God is greater than
our heart. and knows all things The heart
may refuse to join in the estimate Of our
self. which We seek To establish. and assur-
ance. peace, will not COME. But even 50. let
us 90 ON in the procession. The heart has
no voice. and no one will he the wiser. Cod
knows all things. and is ON the side of our
dissenting heart. Go make peace viii your
heart: then YOU can bave confidence toward
God. The heart Is rather more than con-
science or Judgment. 1t is the indicator
which shows when steam has genertted-
No indication. no steam. The heart has
private cansciousresS of motive. attitude
and Of knowledge acquired. and viii nOt
rest TN these harmonic. in it's hest hope.
bIShA AhIlSSl AitNtANS III" lfll NIl'4l il'~
outside of assurance. Those who cannot
confidently rest in assurance IF Obedience
and love are greatly lnper1led. They are
gTsvely susceptible To a misguided and e
misdirected life. If not Ia eternal loss.
But some man will say. The Indications
are that few enjoy this assurance Likely
this il true. Tell me-. IL not Christian civil
izaJion almost a mi-uomar% Are there not
reasons for fearing that modern Christian n
ity IS. In a considerable measure. 4 perVer-
sion Of ChrisTs teachings? \ revival Of
Christian assurance. born of faithful self
examination, would save the Christian
world much ~ its present shame and sor-
row. and restore to Christians more gen
orally earnest conviction. religious JOY and
confidence toward God"