The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-09-17

because the band had stopped. He ordered
the musicians to play again, and the edect
was marvellous. II there would only. be
song in our souls to-day and in the church
there would be power. A mother saw her
child standing upon the edge OF preei.
start!e the child 80 that he would fall, 80
she attracted his attention By familiar
song she sang. There are men and women
standing on the very brink Of perdition -
day without hope, bat il the church were
but singing her song az she ought the lost
could be saved, and If one had song 9th.
ers would join with it. On the battlefield
OF Shiloh fainting and suffering Christian
soldier began to sing, when l can read
my title clear" In few moments an
other soldier with weak voice joined IN
and then another until score OF volees
were taking up the song. Oh. II we couid
but set on fire one church for God the
whole city might soon be under the touch
Second. what did Hezekiah do? We
have only to read the story to find out.
Q). He opened the doors, as indicated
in the third verse.
(2). The priests were santified, the 18th
(3) They went into the inner part Of
the house and made it clean. the 10th
verse.
i4l. They sancti6ed the entire house,
the 18th verse.
(5). They restored the vessels which
had once been used in the temple.
(6). "Aud Hezekiah commanded to OF.
fer the burnt offering upon the altar. Ami
when the burn: offering began the song OF
the Lord began again. also with the trum.
pets and with the instruments ordained by
David, king Of Israel. And all the congre-
CATION worshiped, and the singers sang
and the trumpeters sounded, and all this
continued until the burnt offering was
finished"
Third. all this is typical. We have no
song in the church to-day as once we had.
do not wish to be pessimistic in my view
Of the condition OF things; it is my great
desire to inspire the church with new
hone and a conception Of better things,
but no one is so blind to-day but what he
can see that the church is without the old
song she used to have, and beyond all ques.
tioE it is because the temple must needs
be cleansed. Why should not the work be-
gin now?
(l). 1t ought to begin with the priests
themselves as in the Old Testament story.
Christian Evans tells Of the time when
one day riding through a wood he dis.
mounted from his horse: hitched it to the
shadows and stayed upon his face before
God for hours waiting for his special bless.
ing or his special work, and when he re.
turned to his horse and mounted it and
the next day began his preaching service a
revival was started which swept the whole
country. Maze spent day and a night in
New York hote asking for Gods special
blessing because he needed it. and at last
must needs rise and say, "Oh, Lord, stay
Thine hand ! can hold no more" Murray
| McCheynne was so filed with God that as
he laid his hands upon a boys head and
said, II am very much concerned about
your SOUL" the boy remembered it and
when he forgot McCheynne's sermons he
felt the touch OF his loving hand upon his
head, and it pushed him into the kingdom.
Is il not true that too many OF us in
preaching have somehow become incul.
Gated with the spirit OF the world in this
age Of ssepticism? Is not the day upon US
| when we ought to begin anew our ministry
pledging ourselves to God that it shall be
only such q ministry as He could approve
(2). And the inner part OF the house
needs also to be cleansed. There is in
every church q circle into which God has
seemed TO call certain persons. 10 these
| now direct my message, to the .ofhcers OF
| the church Of whatever name, to the Sun.
day-school teachers and to those who have
become spiritually minded is the searching
question, rs thine heart right in the sight
Of God" In the SD chapter Of Isaiah
and the llth verse the prophet says, BE
! ye clean that bear the vessels OF the Lord" !"
God pity the man whose life is unclean,
while his Office is one the angels might
covet to fill. The searching power of Gods
/ tn ha va
teacher One of Mr.. Moody's teachers in
| Chicago was dying of consumption. He
must leave his Western home and return
to the home OF his boyhood in the East,
but before he would leave, entering car.
riage he drove to every home and besought
| the members Of his class to yield to God,
| and said Mr.. Moody, "When the time
came for him to leave Chicago his whole
class, every one OF them saved, gathered
at the platform of the station to wave him
farewell, and they all sang, .Blest be the
tie that binds our hearts in Christian
love-" In Galatians, the 9th chapter and
the lst verse, it is commanded. "fe which
are spiritual restore the wanderers in the
spirit of neekness," and alas, it is true that
men have wandered in multitudes from the
church, and we have done nothing to re-
strain them, let the work Of cleansing 60
| on.
| (3). The church as whole ought TO be
set right with God. In Zcchariah, the Sd
chapter and the first seven verses, we have
| the picture Of Joshua, the high priest,
standing before the angel Of the Lord.
He was clothed with filthy garments, and
the word OF the Lord came saying, Put of
the filthy garments and will clothe thee
with a change Of raiment." These filthy
garments upon the high priest are like the
habits which cling to some OF US. They
have sapped our spiritua, life, and we are
powerless in the presence OF the world.
We ought to put them OF and then put on
might win them to Him by the very way
we live. This will not be easy, for the pic.
ture of Joshua is with Satan resisting
him. l doubt not he il resisting US now
| in the presence of God, doubtless calling
attention to the way we have sung our
hymns this morning and uttered our pray
ers, but this picture in Zechariah also
tells us that Joshua, the high priest, had
a fair mitre set upon his head, and the
bands showed that service was hard. That
fair mtre is like the Ciscent OF the Holy
Ghost, for which there is 4 great need to-
day. Then Hezekiah saw that the vessels
of the temple we're restored. The church
| has had certain vessels committed to her,
as, for example. the Bible. We have
picked it to pic,,es until the faith OF some
| has been shaken. will you pray for
theological STUDENT" said a woman to me
this week. who used to be one OF the most
consistent Christians ever knew and one
of the most jealous. He doubts much OF
the Scripture. and as consequence his
life is not only Indifferent but inconslst.
ent" The time has come wi hen the Bible
ought to be put in the church in the place
it once occupied.
Preaching is another vessel entrusted to
the church. As matter Of fact, do you
believe that men would know they were