Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1903-07-29


to be clothed upon in all fullness by
Jesus Christ. There must De a putting
OF before there can be putting ON.
The garment OF Christ's presence will
not fit over the garments Of the natural
self. The Christian must put of IL he
would put on. That is what Paul means
when he tells us to cruelty the flesh.
with the affections and lusts." The put
ting OF is a painful process. but the put
ting on OF Christ is the reward and
blessedness of the change Of raiment.
HIS Is illustrated by the experience
OF Augustine. which has made this.
our text. memorable. He says: Thus
was / sick and tcrmented in mind. Bit
terly accusing myself. and rolling and
turning about in my chain. till II
might be wholly broken. At length.
rushing into the garden. grooming in
spirit. all my bones were crying out.
soul-sick was and grievously tor
mented. l said to myself: BE il done
now: be ii done now And a voice
said: Why standest thou in thyself.
and SO standest not? Cast thyself
upon Him. Fear not; He will not
withdraw Himself To let thee fall. He
will receive. and will heal thee. Stop
thine ears against those unclean MEM
bers OF thine, which are upon earth.
that they may be mortified Then
arose a mighty tempest. bringing a
heavy downpour OF tears. | cast my
self under n fig tree. and gave rein
To my tears. and the food of mine
eyes brake forth. Why not now? Why
not this hour make an end of my IN
cleanness? And. 10. from the neigh
boring house heard the voice as OF a
boy or girl. know not which. singing
and oft repeating: Take and read:
take and read!' Checking the torrent
OF my tears. | arose. Interpreting IL to
be Divine command To open the Book
and read the first chapter | could find
| seized: | opened, and in silence read
the passage on which mine eyes fell:
Not in rioting and drunkenness. not
in chambering and wantonness, not
in strife and envying But PIT YE
ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, and
make not provision for the flesh, to
fulfill the lusts thereof No further
would l read; nor was there need, for
instantly all my heart was flooded with
light of peace. all the sadness of
doubt melted away" History's page
and his own confessions give us a
glimpse of the profiigacy OF Angus
tine: and we can understand that 1t
was no easy task for him to put off
the old life and nature and put on
ChrNt But this no did. and we have
in the foregoing n vision OF what that
struggle meant, and the peace and joy
which came whea he had by faith put
on the Christ whom he professed.
T HE world expects the protesting
Christian to wear the raiment OF the
redeemed. 1t IS constantly looking to-
ward the Christian for help in its dis
tress and need. II knows that Chris
tian profession, IL II be genuine. is fol-
lowed by the outward expression OF
good works. And, on the other hand.
1t is able TO pick out the Christian,
to know him when IL sees him by the
kindly word or helpful deed. re-
member hearing the testimony once of
a redeemed drunkard He had been
not only a dissipated man. but skep-
tic. He put all Christians down as
hypocrites, and refused to believe in
the genuineness OF religious expert
ences. All appeals by Christian work.
ers were fruitless. He was untouched
and unyielding. But one day a Chris
tian who was clothed with the COM
passion and love of Jesus came along
and found this miserable drunkard and
skeptic in the gutter where he had
fallen. He saw beneath tine dirt and
filth and besotted condition the soul
which God loved. He went down into
the gutter. He put his arm around
him. He lifted him up. He took him
home. The man was not so drunk
but that he knew he was being COM
passionately cared for He knew he
was having a new experience. that in
stead OF being abused and mistreated
by the wicked and thoughtless and
Stunned by others. he was being de-
livered from his wretched position. As
his brain cleared and he was able to
think. the question kept arising in his
mind: Why dill he 90 tbis?" II was
the first thing in his life that ever
made him realize that religion was a
reality. He said: II knew he was a
Christian. IL ever there was one. I
wanted to be one. tool" That man who
had been denying the reality of the
Christian religion was able TO identify
the Christian by the Christly raiment
he was wearing. Does the world have
an opportunity Of identifying you and
me as Christians by the raiment We
are wearing? Are we putting on the
Lord Jesus Christ in the home, on
the street. in business. in the social
circle. everywhere and always. in such
a way as to be easily identified as a
Christian?
a ND the people OF the world are
~ quick to detect the sham. They
may not have light enough TO realize
fhefr fno., $3.50, 4