The age-herald., 1901-01-07
Opportunity Obligation and
 Work of the Living
LET US SEARCH OUR WAYS
Happiness the Legitimate Inheritance of Christian Life-Text from
 3rd Chapter, Verses 39-4o,
 Lamentations of Jeremiah.

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 obligation and possible accomplishment of | the living, the general thought being that
 this was a time for retrospection, introspec- l tion and resolve. That if any were dssat-
 isfed with their lives, 1t was their duty to 1 do better this was the object they should | set before them, and only work ~and re- l solve were necessary to accomplish it. l MT. Murrays text was from the third l chapter, Lamentations of Jeremiah. Verses 1 39-41. "Wherefore doth living man com 1 plain, a man for the punishment of his | sins? Let us search and try our ways and
 turn again to the Lord. Let us lift up our 1 hearts with our hands unto God in the 1 heavens" He said:
 Another year has been with and | gone from us. To some it came and took 1 them with it. They have gone home. To others it came and left us at its de- l parture as it found us at its coming. We l yet remain.
 Those who have gone are this morning with God in eternity. We who yet remain are here before Him in time. They have 1 taken up their abode in the realm of the l dispensation of justice. We still inhabit l the probationary sphere where it is our 1 privilege to avert wrath and by exercise of | sincere repentance and honest faith obtain mercy.
 | Tn view of this fact, have in mind now | practical consideration of our present actual conditions, our immediate urgent ob- l ligation, and our future possible accom- l plshment in the work and experience of the Christian life.
 Let us note them that the condition con- l fronting us is not only that many have I been here and are gone, but also that all l those who are yet here must go And that | between the condition of the two-that of | those who are gone and that of those who | remain-there is the difference to which l emphasis is given in the first verse of the text.
 Tn the one case, so far as earth and time | hath inspiration and determination, so far l as man hath opportunity for probationary l achievement here, the record is sealed-the l book closed. The result is now with eter-. | nifty and God.
 Tn the other case the record is not yet l finished; it is still in process of culmina- l ton. The book is not yet closed; it con-
 tinues open for the writing of today what | ever it may be for that of tomorrow. The l result is yet with earth and time: What
 
 ince of man to determine. Inspired with l the consciousness of ability to do and over l come, it is ours who yet remain, by the l available help of God, so to live, that when | we go our departure shall be crowned with l the garland of confidence and assurance, 1 and our memory constitute solid foundation l for hope without fear -to those we may l leave behind. And so it is ours this hour to I
 old year and hoary century behind us and l with the new year and Gods eternity before 1 us our present actual condition is one of l available opportunity.
 And so, with the Prophet Jeremiah I l ask, Wherefore doth living man com- l plain man for the punishment of his
 sins?' His past may not only be forgiven 1 of God, through Jesus Christ, but it may l also be retrieved among men, with the | help of God in the exercise of his own 1 honest, earnest endeavor
 '"To living men declare today that they may repent and believe as to escape the 1 punishment of all their sins past. l '.To living men I declare today that, by 1 the grace of God the Father through 1 Jesus Christ the Son, they may, under the l guidence of the wisdom of the Holy Ghost. | so lHlHk ana act, that tnere snail never l accumulate for them any punishment for l sin in the future
 l '.The purpose of the advent of Jesus 1 Christ in the form of man, as brother i among brethren, was not only to save dy- l ing man from sin. It was also to clothe
 and gird living man with such power to l overcome the world, subdue the flesh and 1 conquer satan as would enable him to keen | from shining.
 ''The true preaching of Christs Gospel | today is not emphasis of the fact that it
 is possessed of authority to declare to re- | pentant, dying thief, This day shalt thou
 be with Me in Paradise It is to make | possible of obedience the commands of
 Sinais Mount, by Godly exhortation to lay
 hold upon that gift of power tacitly prof
 fered dn the subsequent command. given to
 grateful, pardonsd sinner in Jerusalem s
 Temple. Go, and sin more'
 Let never forget that our Saviour
 first descended to bring heaven to earth
 before He ascended to prepare for earth a
 place In heaven. He came, not so much
 that dying men might be reconciled to
 death, as that living men might have life,
 and that they might have 1t more abund-
 antly. No man is fit to die until he be-
 comes wirthy to live. The man who Is
 truly worthy of life has no fear of death.
 Indeed. for such there is no death What
 seems so, Is (really) but transition
 "We are situated, then, as folows
 Speculation may obtain regarding the con-
 dition and opportunity of the dead. Some
 of us believe probation ends with this life | Others teach that 1t continues in the be-
 yond. There is lack of unanimity on the
 subject, and where unanimity fails doubt
 obtains There can be speculation re-
 garding the condition and opportunity of
 the living The sun of our probationary
 day yet shines. No matter what our past
 haunts or habits, as living men we need
 not complain, for our present condition is
 one of available opportunity to walk with
 God and make our future life harmonious
 with the character of our companion on | the way.
 ] And now let us note that to seize this