The Tupelo journal., 1903-12-11

tan, for thou sayorest not the things
of God" OF what avail that sinless
life, of what benefit to the human race
lost through sin, if as the Lamb OF
God without spot or blemish He did
not shed His precious blood for the
sin of the whole world. And by His
sacrifice what a transformation He
wrought! His blood able to cleanse
from all sin. Red blood to make the
black robes of sin white. Says Alexander
McLaren: ut is like some apparent
pieces Oh magic that you can see per-
formed In some of our dye-works now
adays. There is nothing else that will
touch my guilt except that n great
sacrifice offered once for all for a
worlds sins, for your sins and mine.
There is nothing else that will de-
liver me from the dominion of my own
evil, except the power of the life and
love of Jesus Christ planted in my
heart, and there bringing forth the
fruits of righteousness. There is an
old legend which says that the only
thing that could melt adamant was
the blood of a pure lamb. | believe
that the n power which brings for
giveness-and forgiveness is not mere
impunity-is the sacrifice of Jesus
Christ. And | know that the one pow
er, which, transfused into a mans life,
a make him live soberly, righteously
and godly is that blood which is the
life of Christ Himself impaired to us.
So, then, that which no man can do for
himself. and no man can do for any
others, n without which all else that
is done by is for ourselves or for 9TH
ers is inadequate to the necessities of
the case, is done. blessed be God. for
us in that shed blood of Him who in
death bore the sins of, and in life i'm
parts righteousness to, the whole
world"
T is this elimination on the cross
L TO which the soul must look for
cleansing from sin, and salvation from
it's consequences. We may sing of HIS
birth, we may rejoice because of His
triumphs over sin and sickness, and
the designs of wicked men, but we
must glory in the cross, for it is our
hope. Paul eXclaims: God forbid that
should glory, save in the cross of
our Lord Jesus Christ" And this, too,
must be the theme of our rejoicing.
That which appears as foolishness to
the world is the evidence to the heart
OF the believer of the power of God.
AnG as related TO tie believer, of what
does this power consist? 1t is more
than a saving power manifested in
the redeemed soul. Ii, after cCnver-
SIGN, man with a tendency TO sin could
De taken at ono into Heaven he
would, perhaps. need nothing more
than the salvation OF his soul, but, sur
rounded, as he is here, with tampta-
tons Il trials and difficulties. he
needs a keeping power in addition to
the saving power which gave him his
first song as he united with the angels
in the glad song of another sinner who
had repented. God does not leave man
to struggle on alone. His power is
manifested in behalf of His followers
at all times. The intimate relation
ship of father to child is sustained be-
tween God and His children. The
one who knows not the power of God
unto salvation" finds it hard to un-
derstand the keeping and sustaining
power of God. But with salvation
And these are they who are being
saved DAY by day, and who have a
sense of the power of God.
y UT the preaching of the "cross IS
l. to them that are perishing foolish
ness" 1t is such not because it is an
unreasonable Gospel, for it is worthy
of all aCceptation." but because man
finds it more convenient for his pres
ent dcsircc and ambitions to put away
the claims of the cross upon him. A
reasonable Gospel must be given a rea-
sonable hearing. God is ready always
to meet every soul and by His convict
ing and convincing Spirit reveal the
truths of this Gospel. The cross
means a changed heart and life, and
this is what nan in mis- sinfulness and
selfishness shrinks from. But man,
though he characterize the preaching
of the cross of Christ as fo~olishness.
cannot escape the claims of that cross
upon him. The death of Jesus Christ
has theoretically wiped away the sin
of the world. If the world to-day
every living being-would turn to ire
Christ for cleansing the fountain of
blood opened on Calvary's brow would
be sufficient to wipe away all sin. And
because the sacrifice of Jesus takes
in the whole world 1t gives Him a
claim Upon it which cannot be denied
or set aside. This claim is reasonable:
first of all, because man is made not
for time, but eternity, and only through
the power of the cross can man at
tain the privileges ano blessings OF
the eternal existence with God. In the
second place, there is nothing which
the world can give which will satisfy
the soul Of man. Imagine a big, s-rong,
healthy man from DAY TO Gay trying to
satisfy his stomach, which was cry
ing for solid foods, with weak sruels.
He might fill mis- belly to the point of
bursting with such food. but he would
not feel satisfied. So it is with man
who is trying to satisfy himself with
the things of this life. He may stun
to painful excess. but he will never be
satisfied. There has vet to be found
in this world thes oul which has fo,lnd
it possible to know perfect satisfaction
by the possession or enjoyment of
what this world can give. But Cod
can satisfy, and His Gospel can fiji
the unsatisfied heart and life. The VI
| sion of the cross can give a new in
| SEPARATION and hope which will not dim