Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1902-10-23

not want more of the Holy Ghost, but
the Holy Ghost ought to have more OF the
church. And sometimes, because HIS RUE
is not followed He in measure wlthdraWs
Himself and allows the forms to stay, but
the power is departed The oil IS gone
but the lamp is there. There are churches
where prayer is offered and the Bible
read, and church-going religiously kept up,
and there is positively not even the sem
blance of power. They are described in
the words of Scripture as having name
to live. but being dead" They remind
one of the guard found in, the exeavate,d
city of Pompei. lie stood with ms hei'
| met and his armor on, and his bony nngci
clasping his spear, and yet not living III Is
Just the same with the church, :.
A little thing at first may result IN loss
of power in the entire church. "A wrong
financial policy might do it. A spirit OF
criticism might accomplish it.
There is an insidious disease which
slowly and secretly turns the vital organs
Of the body to bone. 1t begins by ossty,,
ing little fragments of tissue here and
there No medical skill can arrest its pro-
gress. Nature is perverted from her
healthy process of assimilating and nntrl-
tion to tie creation in the system of moth
ing but bone. What should be life to mus
! Gle and nerve and sinew and arteries,
turns to solid and hfeess bone. AT length
the heart is reached and vita parts OF 't
become bone, and its beautiful work or
pulsation, by which life is. sent in red
streams to the very tips of the fingers,
ceases and death cnsues. Such is the
moral induration which the sensibihtes
of a soul suffer, when long appealed to BY,
the services of religion, to which 1t wlll
not give back a throb OF responsive 1eei-
ing"
II the church is to be governed by the
| Spirit. every Office bearer in the church
should be influenced by the Holy Ghost
Ministers should be filled. Paul gives an
| illustration of one phase of this truth
Acts 10: 9-l2-"Then Saul, (who also is
set his eyes on him, and said; o full OF al
subtlity and all mischief, thou child OF
| the devil. thou enemy OF all righteousness
wilt thou not cease to pervert the right
ways of the Lord? And now, behold, the
hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou
| shalt be blind, not seeing the sun tor
season. And Immediately there fell on
him a mist and darkness, and he went vent
about seeking some to lead him by the
hand Then the dcputy. when he saw
what was done, believed, being aston
shed at the doctrine of the Lord
The Holy Ghost only fl Is the man whose
desire ia to honor Christ. Philosophy,
noetrr, art. sociology, ethics, are well
enough in Their places. but their place Is
not in the pulpit The Holy Ghost has
pledged Himself to witness only to the
s,o's ut :tSu' ~ .hni, "',l ,h;no ort and while
,housn' tn.e nn?a' ~ il''s a., loa,r;,, of the
ne was schpo'e" III al ''' '''' mus VI '''>
'aF, ,, ne S''"' ,, ..s., to u,o
we pfeach hFlS' 'Ln''iei "n.o ~
Jews a stumbling block, and unto tne
crool,o fonIshoes- hut unto them that
are called, Christ the power OF Hoa anu
the wisdom OF God,,,
Peter is another ILLUSTRATION; Acts -; =; o.
Then Peter, filled with the Holy "hoS,t'
SAID unto them: Nc rulers OF the peonle
and elders OF Israel" Acts IL; 10; 10
And as | began to speak tn" Holy "hos'
fell on thtm. as on us at the heglhnlhT
Then remembered, the word OF the i.ord;
how that He SAID, John indeed baptizee,n
with water, but ye Shall be baptized win
the Holy Ghost
do not know Of any one IN the New
Testament Scripture furnishing us bet.
ter argument for the use OF the word OF
God in preaching than Peter himself. Take
the sermon at re0tocost, II YOU VIII, 1t y
simply string oI texts OF Scripture. !,
YOU should ask, But is this all he SAID,
| answer; 1.-THE words Of Scripture are an
that the Holy Ghost thought worthy Of
record" Peters words would have passed
away with his own generation The word
of God ahides forever.
stephen furnishes an illustration Of the
fact that to be filed with the Holy Ghost
does not always mean human success:
Acts 6: 5 to S-"And the saying pleased
thn whole multitude, and they chose Ste
nhcn. a man fnll of faith and of the Holy
Ghost, and Philip. and prochorus, and Nj
canor, and Timon, and Parmcnas, and Nj
colaS, a proselyte Of Antioch: whom they
sct before the apostles and when they had
praycd they laid their hands on them.
Aud the word of God increased. and the
nnmbor ir of the disciples multiplied in ,Teru-
salem greatly, and 4 great comnany OF the
nriest. were obediept to the faith. And
Sfenhen, fun of faith and power, did great
wonders and miracles among the people
Arts :, 55-"But he, being full of the
Ho'v Ghost, looked w stcadfastlv into
hnaIo, and cav tho glory of God. and
IN,, .tn,l;,, on thn riCht hand of