The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1904-11-30

IN you when he obeys you. Christ the
great captain Of righteousness is asking
men to follow Him. 'If ye know these
things, happy. are ye il ye do them" This
to the doctrines and teachings Of Christ,
for this may remain only profession and
not pass into feeling and action.
You recall the searching words of Christ
speaking to the intellectual failures of the
Pharisees, in Matthew XIV: 8: "This peo.
heart star from Me. But in vain they do
worship Me, teaching for doctrine the
commandments Of men" And again,
when He was speaking to this same aris
tocracy Of the intellect and sticklers for
the strict letter Of the law, He said: And
why call We me Lord Lord! and do not
the things which l say?" Manifesty,
give honest, hearty assent to His claims
of discipleship. He then promised poten.
tial freedom, personal liberty. But the
mere exercise of faith was not enough.
Christianity is something larger and finer
than even the genuine exercise of faith
in the person and work of Christ.
Faith unfolds itself in many forms Of
Christian experience and activity, all of
growth and service When St. Paul
wrote to that little band of men at Ephe.
sus, who had exercised their faith in the
personal Christ, he bade them grow up
In all things into. Him, who is the head
even Christ" But lest there may be some
among US this morning who, in thinking
this whole matter over, do not find it so
difficult to believe this Divine Son of
God, but who do not quite appreciate the
relation of a man to his sin, to his fail.
ures, his deliberate acts of wrong and evil,
is it necessary to repent? And what. is
repentance? "Except We repent" cried
John the Baptist. Manifestly it is neces.
sary. And what is itg ut is a deep
change Of the entire thinking. feeling and
willing man; and involves as its elements
enlightenment, contrition and confession,
prayer for pardon and peace, counting the
cost and endeavor after new obedience"
Look at these for moment. Enlishten.
ment! This is the work OF the Holy
Ghost. 1t was not until the prodigal son
came to himself that he started on that
wondrous pathway TO lifelong blessing.
Enlightenment as to his own folly and
sin and consciousness that fathers love
awaited his return. Ny brother, il some
things are uncertain pray for enlighten-
ment and He who in the same chapter
proclaimed Himself to be the light Of
men will reveal the. path to contrition
and confession. 81 have sinned against
heaven and in Thy sight" was a life Civ.
ing confession and prayer. 1t showed
that faith in the Fathers love was sorry
and ashamed for its past ingratitude. In
that heart crv for pardon was the souls
receiving Christ, and because He received,
he had the right to be a son of God. Man
repented and God by His divine act re.
generated.
There are Others here to-day who will
admit the truth of much that l say. but
in whom and about whom there are oh.
starles which you have not the courage
and the determined patience to overcome
Some of these obstacles are the power OF
sin in the soul, for like st. Paul of Old,
you find law that when YOU do good
evil is present." a false pride in ones
own personality and achievement. for
there are not few of us. with 81 thank
Thee that i am not as other men are
tendencies; the environment of worldly
interests and friendships, and the insin.
cerity of many protesting Christians. All.
how many of us does this latter include?
Nevertheless. not a few are enabled to
rise above these obstacles and become sons
of God.
Again ask the initial question of this
message, can I do as 1 please? Or must
/ do as another peases? And ] believe
an honest study of the New Testament
will show us that the only freedom which
is comprehensive is the freedom and lib
erty which God gives to our who'e nature
when we have accepted or received His
Son Jesus Christ to be our Redeemer and
Master. May YOU this day. my earnest,
seeking friends, find the Christ whose
sacrifcial love, represented in this atoning
blood. and receiving Him by faith, be
called children of God. and if children,
then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs
with Christ, if so be that we suffer with
Him, that we may be also glorifed to-
uat her