The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1902-10-11

lure, ana tuc OIubucb ubco WSAc ouS"
as the most mediocre artist used. The
statue of an Angelo stepped out OF
a common block Of marble such a. any
one might cut out of the mountain. |
Just the ordinary paints and brushes,
Just the crude unshapen mass Of mar
BILE. Very different indeed in appear
ance from the finished product which |
artistic conception and the skill of
genius were able to call into being. |
So with the finished product of Gods |
workshop. 1t IL very different from
the crude materials which are hrst
received. And what of this raw ma
terial?
Scripture Is clear and positive In its
description and Identification OF the
raw material with which God has to
deal. From the Old Testament fash
such declarations of God as: "All our
righteousnesses are as filthy rags"
"There is none that doeth good They
are all gone aside, they are all to-
gether become filthy: there is none
that doeth good, no, not one" And
the New Testament lays bare the aw.
full condition of the human heart and
life, its desperate need, when 1t de-
clares: "Men shall be lovers OF their
own selves, covetous, boosters, proud,
blasphemers, disobedient to parents,
unthankful, unholy, without natural
affection, trucebreakers, false accus-
ers, incontinent, fierce, despisers OF
those that are good, traitors, heady,
highminded, lovers of pleasures more
than lovers of God" This long and full
enumeration by Paul is but the differ
ent manifestations of Che condition OF
the human heart and life, which is one
Of deafness, until il is called into life
in Gods workshop; for we are all dead
in trespasses and sins"
Let Ezekiel, the prophet, supply us
with metaphor which he applied TO
the house of Israel, likening them to
| a valley full of dead and dry and bleach
ing bones. The blackness and silence of
death there. Heaps on heaps OF hid
eous, grinning skeletons, but no life,
no activity, no usefulness there. Such
is the condition of the world. A great
valley full of the deafness and black
ness of sin. The world does not see 1t.
| for 1t loves darkness rather than the
light because it's deeds are evil. But
the Holy Spirit, the Active Agent Of
Gods workshop, is out in the world
trying to convince ii of its dead con-
dition. If you will let Him present
His overwhelming arguments to your
soul He will convict you of your con-
dition and your need.
The very best salesman in the world
with an article of the mostpronounced
merits would not be able to sell it un-
less he could secure an audience with
the prospective buyer. The need of the
latter might be most pressing, and the
argument of the salesman unanswer-
able, yet it all would be Of no avail II
he should refuse to listen. The Holy
Spirit is pressing upon the human
heart on every hand for an opportunity
to present His claims and secure raw
material for Gods workshop. Let Him
clarity your vision and you will be able
to see the dry bones all about. And
can these bones live? Is 1t possible
that out Of such hideous and revolving
material can be made saint to shine
eternal in the heavens? Is it possible
for that black and jagged rock before
the smelter door to yield the pure, un
furnished gold? Is 1t possible for the
blocks of steel and brass in the factory
to yield the perfect little timepiece
ticking off the vanishing minutes? Il
it possible that that blackish tar, tha'
foul-smelling refuse of the gas plant
can yield under the proper processe.
the pure white paraffine? Is it pos
sible that Mother Nature can take tn,
cold, black earth with its offensive fer
: tilizer and pour into your lap tn
, golden grain and the ripened fruit
All, how wonderful! But how infin
itely more wonderful is it that God cal
$ take into His workshop the raw mate
I rial of mans failure and recreate hir
{ in Christ Jesus.
d The Power of Choice.-But suppos
the gold quartz should refuse to yiel
p to the refining process, the steel an
:, brass should not submit to lathe an
!. drill, the black offensive tar shoul
: persist in flowing to waste instead {
/. into the retort where its different ell
y ments could be chemically separate'
= | OF hOLHeT ANNUITY suouiu uiSuaihi VII
}. turn from the rich, black loan to II
n glistening white hard sand OF the sc
e shore? No bright and shining gold, n
e busy ticking watch, no white paraffin
!, no grain and fruit. Useless would
: the plants established to carry @
d these processes. So is It with ma
e Unless he lets the Holy Spirit have hi
n to take into Gods workshop, there
i carry on the wonderful Transforming
$ work, the infinite love and power ,
!, God cannot be manifested in him. Ma
e can say to the quartz, the steel and I'll
3 brass, and the coal tar, you must. Bv
4 God does not go to the human heai
:: with any such imperative summon
q He has given to man the power
( choice. He must decide himself whet
p err to enter Gods workshop and subm
to the molding Of the Divine hand al
= will.
q The Process.--The world has be,
: asking with Nicodemus, ever sim
4. that midnight, conversation in u
u presence of Jesus, how n soul could
3 born again, how God could create
% , And the Lord comes with n