Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1904-04-28
AT TRINITY
NJ. I. Church

y. >.
agent of Williamsport Dickinson Sem
mary, spent Sunday in town, and
preached in the morning for Rev. n.
4. Oleaver in Trinity Methodist Epis
copal Church. He told of the work of
the school, dwelling especially upon
the,facilities there afforded for music
al, and art, and elocution training, be
sides the usual classical and scientific
training of such schools. After rep
resenting the Seminary, he preached
from Ephesians 5-8, 8, For ye were
sometimes in darkness, but now are ye
light in the Lord walk as children OF
the light, for the fruit of the spirit is
in all goodness and righteousness and
truth. Proving what is acceptable un-
to the Lord.
Paul's letter to the Ephesians was
intended 60 inoite the christians there
to steadfastness. The inhabitants of
Ephesus were half Greek and half
Asiatic, and their religion was sup
erstitious compound of the East and
West. Diana was the chief object OF
worship. The temple of Diana was
renowned as one of the seven wonders
of the world. But st. Paul tells the
people that God can make tie temple
of their souls far more wonderful and
beautiful The language of the text
first looks inward upon the human
heart, blending the physical and the
spiritual life" Ye were in darkness.
Ephesus was notorious for its luxury
and lioentiousness, the outward cor
ruption was the result OF the spiritual
darkness. Sin is darkness, the sinner
and darkness are one, as light and the
Christian are one. The transformation
OF sinner into Christian is change
from darkness to light. Saul of Tarsus
in his conversion is marked illustra-
tion of this. The light that came into
the life of Saul is a symbol of God
himself, for God is light and God is
love- The language of the text second
ly looks outward upon the life. walk
as children of the light" " The Christ
ian life is all activity producing first
the fruit of goodness or benefCent
love. A chaplain on battlefield offer
ed to read the Bible to dying soldier.
The soldier said that he would rather
have drink of water. The chaplain
got it. Then he wanted pillow, the
chaplain got that. Then he wanted a
cover for he was cold, the chaplain
took off his coat and covered him.
Then said the soldier "If that book
tells how one man can be good to an
other as you have been to me, read it
to me-" When men live lives of prac-
tical goodness. sinners will be willing
to hear the gospel. The second fruit
I OF the Christian life is righteousness ;
| rightness toward God and rightness
} toward men. Rightness toward God
t may mean the payment of outlawed
} debts thus producing rightness toward
4 men. The third fruit of a Christian
' life is truth. Again the language OF
J the text looks upward to God, Ao-
/ ceptable to the Lord" 1t is possible
S to please the heavenly Father just as
it is possible to displease him. There
is famous picture in New York City
entitled "A Mothers Rejection. y L
= is the casting off from home OF /
. fallen daughter A picture turned tC
! the wall A name never mentioned
= What must it be for fallen child O
h God tn he raiented and tn he cast in
Q ! to outer darkness Live Christlike
: lives and you will not be rejected
j Walk as children of the light. Jesus
said Il am the light of the world.
e Let that light shine in all your life.
= George Lansing Taylor heard the cry,
s when he was out on the ocean, .
z man overheard" 2" his first impulse was
T. to run to the deck and try to help. bu
0 he knew that he would be i'll the road
Y there, his next impulse was to pray
a but Just then he thought Of his light
? and holding it to a window was jus
: in time to throw a beam of ligh
I where the drowning man could see the
rope thrown out to save him. ThC
s light saved him. You may think tina
t you are doing very little to save I
: ruined world, but light always dispel'
y darkness, aud brings hope, and point'
| to that path which grows brighter ant
< brighter unto the perfect day.