Missouri Valley times., 1901-01-24
A CHRISTIAN.

ow Constituted. The Phil
osophy of Christian Ex-
perience Clearly Pre-
sented.
Those who we're fortunate enough
to get into the First Methodist Epis-
capal church last evening we're amply
repaid for any sacrifice involved by so
doing. Text Acts 26: 90.
Paul has royal message for royal
ears. And the power of true chris
tlan life never shown to better ad-
vantage than when the apostle Paul
told the story of his own conversion TO
King Agrippa One of the greatest
and most helpful forces in the church
today is christian testimony. BY the
word Of her testimony the church is to
te corquering power. The church
is strong i'll the number of her faithful
witnesses. She is weak in the num-
Der Of her members who have form
of godliness without the power.
Pauls testimony almost persuaded
Agrippi to be christian. What con-
stitutes christian? This, like other
Kindred questions, is deserving of the
most candid and lucid consideration.
Ii should ask our cinnamon colored
friend from the Orient, or our brother
"of color" from Africa's sunny plains.
this question they no doubt would
answer us, that christian is t,lr-
eigner who deals in rum and opinm
Or perchance he might say it is Yam
kee who trades us rum for ivory and
opium. To the foreigner as described
the man would receive his appellatlon
from the country from whence he
hailed. There would be some ground
for the suggestion since they were the
aitlzans of q sc-called christian conn
try. Ii We should ask the historian he
probably would say any citizen of
christian country is christian In
that case all that would be necessar,
W 'nld be- to be born in or become "A
citizen of christian country If we
interrogate others they might answer,
all born of christian parents are chris
tians. In that case parentage would
be tie all important thing, therefore
all should be careful in the selection of
their parents. Another might say the
proper and all Important essential is to
be baptlsed aud confirmed IN certain
church aud you will be a christian
That being true the one thing needful
is baptism aud confirmation. We
might go step farther and say, anb-
nit to the sacraments at the bands of
those who we're called rs was Aaron"
and believe that Jesus Christ is the
Son of God and you will be christian
Well, let us look at this question
little farther Let us ask, How does
person who is not christian become
one2 How, or by what process does
bad person become good? How can
get from the kingdom of sin to the
kingdom of righteousness These
questions are suggestive and perth
nent. What ever is essential in order
to make christian out of sinner,
that process, whatever you call it, ls a
christian experience" or rather more
correctly speaking the experience nee
essary to become christian. The
process is absolute. Without it there
is no means of salvation, and with it
there is no possible escape therefrom
A christian experience then is that
which person experiences in order
to become a.christian, and that with
out which no person can become a
christian. Now, person might have
q great many experiences and many
religious experiences, but be it ever
remembered that there is but ONE
CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE, and that it
IS that experience which one UNDER
goes in order to become christian.
Now to the process. Every step
required and taken on the way from
sin TO grace is step in consciousness
Keep this in mind and follow carefully
as we advance IN quest of the goal o
salvation. God does not ask, much
less require, soul IN persuit of so
great an attainment as eternal life, to
walk IN darkness.
The first fact in consciousness is the
fact of human guilt No soul without
first feeling it's need of salvation will
ever move toward God The conscious
ness that one is = sinner is the first
fact. 1t is the record of violated law
1t Is the pain that ensues as the pen
atty for sin. 1t is the cry of the suf-
tering soul for help. This fact is as
true as any fact in consciousness, like,
JOY, pain, sorrow, love, hate. These
are all facts in consciousness.
The second fact in consciousness is
the fact OF repentance, OF sorrow for
sin. Every person knows when their
repentance is thorough. They need no
person to tell them; ray, what is more,
no other person can tell them. When
the soul renounces all that is sinful
and moves toward God. it is fact in
consciousness that is absolutely neces-
ssry, for no soul can take the next
step IN the way of salvation who has
not thoroughly repented. 1t would be