Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-12-08
Journals
Saturday
Sermon

In former sermon 1 tiled to show you
that all were called 10 be saved. and that
God neglected no means 20 secure for each
one his salvation. Notwithstanding all
this the sentence stands that few are
chosen"
The spirit OF the times anxious to facil-
itate the work OF salvation. and 10 render
Il compatible with more agreeable occu-
pations, gratihes itself with blazoning
forth the kindness and benevolence Of
God. and his desire OF that salvation, and
In concealing or diminishing the diff
culties and obstacles which oppose its at
tainment.
The worldly or irreligious are soothed
by the fashionable doctrine, that II ig in
consistent with his goodness 70 reject
the creatures whom He loves, or doom
them TO eternal punishment. The more
thinking too often run into a still wilder
fanaticism. and deluding themselves into
the belief OF some system OF instantaneous
justification and inamissible grace, be-
come assured that their lot is invariable,
and their salvation decreed. But, my
brethren. Jesus Christ Is the same yes
terday and today" He has pronounced
that salvation is an attainment of din1-
Guilty that OF the many who enter the lists
many, very many, must be foiled. Men,
then, may speculate on his attributes, or
pretend to fathom the mysteries OF bis
justice, but still his strong and impressive
sentence stands twice recorded and unre-
pealed, that many are called, but few
are chosen
IL Is. then, folly TO avert our eyes from
this dreadful declaration. 1t Is folly ike
King Jaachins. to efrace or destroy the
words OF threat which have been pro-
nounced against US, while the author
ity which dictated them Is beyond our
control. der. xxxvi)
The small number OF the elect must, In
spite Of all our decisions, strike US.
whenever we peruse the sacred page;
ana the fearful consideration that those
who are saved form only happy excep-
ton 10 the bulk OF mankind, must terri
~ Us when we mediate on IT, 1t Is true
that the mercy and goodness OF God are
unbounded but they have powerful
counterbalance In the folly and perse-
verseness Of man. Hence religion exhibits
to US an unceasing struggle between the
one. ever desiring and promoting our sal
walton: and the other ever thwartng ana
too often successfully. his benevolent de-
signs.
The Almighty anxiously desires the sal
walton OF all His creatures; I'm spite OF this
the number or the elect is small.
But n He Is so anxious for the saliva
ton OF all men. must not His wish be nec-
essarily attended with success?
NY dear friends, viii answer this ques-
ton by an example from holy writ.
When the Israelltes left Egypt they were
led forth by the Almighty to be con-
Quoted into the land flowing with milk and
honey, which He had promised 70 their
fathers. To use His own expression; AS
the eagle teaching her young TO fly, and
hoverinR over them. He spread His wings
and took them on His shoulders; the Lord
alone was their leader" Deut XXI,
ii-l2). "An were under the cloud. and All
PASSED through the sea" When they were
hungry. He gave them bread from heaven;
when they thirsted. He changed the rock
into streams OF water" They all eat the
same spiritual food and they all drank the
same spiritual drink Did not Goo theh
desire and desire with earnestness the &C
compllshnent Of His designs? And yet
nv brethren, with the most of them
God was not well pleased for they were
overthrown In the Wilderness. q. Cor. X.
six hundred thousand men marched out OF
EQvpt. only two OF these entered the
promised land.
This example Is applied by the apostle
to the painful subject upon which am
speaking. Now all these things. says he
happened to them in figure. and they are
written for our correction. upon whom
the ends OF the world are come. Where
fore let him that thinketh himself TO
stand. take heed lest he fail.
Had the doctrine that few will be saved
out Of ali that hope for. salvation been less
clearly expressed In Gods word, II might
have been considered an ingenious device
OF pious men 90 teErify the wicked into
repentance and preserve the good from
transgressing
Rut wherever we look at the history of
Gods providence, we ind but too clearly
that the number OF those who can hope
with reason for this eternal blessing are
but a small remnant "a To use the figure
OF Isaias, like the few grapes which are
left upon the vine By the gatherers, Ike
the few ears which may be CLEANED IRON
the field after the harvest. Abraham alone
Is called forth from the land OF idolaters
TO be rescued from perdition; only seven
thousand men who have not bowed the
knee 70 BaaI form the remains OF Gods
religious kingdom In Israel. Tobias alone
OF the twelve tribes goes up to Jerusalem
to worship God; Daniel alone at the
court Of Babylon observed the stated
hours OF prayer, when its practice be-
comes dangerous; the three young men
alone refuse. Of all the satraps. TO fall
before the golden statue OF the King. In
the gospel the same disproportion OF
numbers is foretold of the true followers
OF Christ They were reminded that In
in Israel but that only the one Of Sarepta
was saved from famine; that in the days
OF ElIseus there were many lepers, but
none were cleansed except Naamau, the
Syrian. They were told that the way Of
salvation was difncult, and followed ~
few.
They were assured in fine that many
are called. but few are chosen! When
you consider by whom these awful words
were uttered; that IL was by Him who
had come down to preach the gospel OF
peace and reconciliation: by Him who
was blamed for his condescension to sin
ners and publlcans; by Him who bled and
died for the redemption Of man. oh! how
ever. painful II may be. we must conclude
that among the thousands that we see
around as. catering themselves with the
prospects OF salvation, many, too many,
viii be deluded and disappointed
And II we contrast the conditions Of sal
walton required by the gospel with the
course OF life pursued by the generality
OF mankind. surely we shall not hesitate
TO acknowledge the justice Of the sem
tence. For IL they hope to obtain this