The Atlanta constitution., 1902-04-14
The Saving Gospel.


The Saving Gospel.
Vser.sv. with mceknsss thu sngraited
vnri which is able 10 save Fe'i S'"'
James J. Il
Ionr before the advent of Jesus INTO
the world the wisest of men said. Inc
law OF the Lord is perfect, converting
the soul But after the coming ana
th. teaching Of Jesus His words ana
deeds formed the gospel OF HIS NE
They became the divine words OF tnat
system Of grace which supplanted the
old rigorous law. The law was a
school-seryant 10 guide us to Chrls'.
Having Derformed that office II ceased
of further authority and He became
To- Us at once the end OF the law Ihe
fuIfIIment and fulIness Of the law SO
that righteousness and salvation ana
sauctffcafion now come from him
through the word of His truth,
Jesus Himself said. My words they
arr splrit and they are life" Words
have peculiar value and force IN the
processes OF life Substantial words
are not simply the symbols OF ideas.
Each one is instinct with the spirit OF
the idea for which il stands and has
the mower i'm itself TO quicken the
hearpr into life and action Words do
not always require utterance by the
Voice. the vibratOry action OF the air.
the aid OF sound. in order 90 quicken
and thrill and impel the spirits Of men,
II words could become as dead
leaves and withered as flowers, mem-
orv would lose its chiefest pleasures,
history would become dumb as serried
mummies. poetry cease 10 inspire the
soul. oEatury fail 10 quicken a pulse
beat Of the patriot. and the very Cos
Del itself fall Iesden ON the cars and
hearts of men
Words vary in power as they vary
in their appeals. They start. arrest,
or modify action. whether physical,
mental. or spiritual the largest use
Of words among men in the daily trend
OF life il for their power over muscu-
lar and mental action They sound in
the tones al command. prohibition and
persuasion. The Forward. and the
Halt NJ the captain sets in motion
or brings 10 a staudstill the single sol
dier or the whole emhattled line Of the
army. The Thou shalt not" of the
law puts an effective ratchet ON the
uuraised arm. stops the bludgeOn n
mid-air and keeps the trigger Of the
leveIed gun impressed. The wOOing
pleas or the pathetic. fearful
don't" have imperilled empires, sac
rlIiccd precious lives. or happily saved
a soul from death and hell. Words
make wars. give birth to nations. eX-
alt ami dcbase rulers. scOurge or bless
millions. build mp ar break down the
safeguards of human society. through
th.. mighty measure of their power
over the thoughts and motions OF man
kind
Yet human words are pOwerless un-
less they speak from life TO life No
sane man argues with the dead. No
wise man tries 10 marshal trees. or
rally stones. or convert Clods 10 con-
quering hosts by the mere gibbering
OF words. There must be a sentiment
syuChr0nism between the speaker and
the hearer Of words tO give them
sense and power. The wireless tele-
graph works only when the sender
ami receiver are in sympathetic tune
with each other They must vibrate
with identical rythm in order that
words may pass and produce their
effects
So DC must be- among men. The
speaker and the hcarer must have
chords ~ sympathy that viii mutually
vibrate within the gamut OF concord.
The trial al the ear tests eventual
~ may SO attune them that one HUI
man spirit can speak to another hui
man spirit and then. indeed. words be-
come spirit and may make for life or
death This is often the mystery Of
Influence This is the key which leads
10 the uuravelment Of the strange
threads ~ power by which one man
moves another. or moves many. TO
righteousness OF ruin.
The opportunity ~ words To exert
their Gull force and produce their de
sired effects Is I'm the willingness Of
the he1rer Ii ne is unbiased. On
treatable and unresisting. words may
exert upon him the irresistible power
OF OmnipOtence. IL is the pTejudiced.
stubborn and antagOnistic spirit that
breaks words 10 atoms as glass balls
that strike a stone wall Such a spirit
defies the commands. the warnings.
the persuasiOns that would otherwise
save il or damn IT,
Mcckness is the attitude OF the
spirit that can be- helped in every
sovereign sense hy the words that
make for salvation. righteousness and
eternal life. They who will cast aside
precOnceptiOns. abandon unstable
judgments. suppress personal desires.
and with meekness and sympathy
hear the truth are those who can be
enlightened by its wisdom and find
safety in its eternity
Hence comes the certainty that the
apostle declares-that they who re-
ceive with meekncss the engrafted
word that teaches faith in Christ will
find il able To save their souls. The
word" is the truth as IL is in Christ
Jesus. and when that tTu--- is engraft-
ed in the spirit of a man it will save his