St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1904-11-12

TO connect UP tHG soul WIG CuIIEL Oy Inc
wire of faith is not all that is ueedful.
The motor stands there dead AMI inert.
There is no evidence Of the power aud
life which it may be claimed lies within
the wire and that dynamo. All the con-
nections are made, perfectly, and the
great generators back at the power
house are humming out their living,
vital current, but there is no evidence
outwardly OF the inner conditions.
Something more is needful. But turn
the switch and let the current pass
through the dynamo and at once We see
the outward evidence Of the inward
presence. So with the one who believes
in Christ. The wire OF faith has con.
nected the soul with its Lord and
Saviour, but the evidence Of that union
is only seen, yea and felt, as the life Of
the Christ flows through the disciple in
confession. AS well might the dynamo
be connected up with the water plug ut
the corner il the current of electricity
were not permitted to flow through it.
And the soul which claims union with
Christ by faith might just as we'll have
faith in the heathen's god unless the
quickening presence Of the Christ IS
permitted t. flow through the life in
open confession. do not believe it is
possible for one to know what Salvation
really is. u1:til the lips and the life con-
fess the CHRIST, in Whom faith is placed.
Salvation is not theory which can be
hidden ava! in the heart. It is not doc
trine to be locked within the secret
chambers OF the heart. and good to have
ready against the dying hour. Saliva
ton is living. real force in the life
which if resent within must become
visible without
TEAR friend. are you encouraging and
l. d.,uding yourself with half view
yourself that you have saving faith in
Jesus Christ and yet can keep it hid from
all the world? Are you declaring within
the Sec ecy of your own room your al
legianc. to Christ and yet are not will
ing to confess Him before men? Let me
tell YOU what Jesus said regarding such
as yo,,: "Whosoever therefore shall
. confess Me before men, him will con-
fess ESQ before My Father which is in
Heaven, but whosoever shall deny Me
before men, him will also deny before
My Frther which is in Heaven" Can
you In the face of this plain
and positive declaration profess to
believe that all that is necessary for
you is to have an inward conviction that
Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and
the Saviour of the world? Can you feel
satisfied with your position before God?
Can you feel safe? If you really have
Christ within. you must give expression
to that inward possession. Christ can"
not be hid. It was SO declared Of Him
when He was upon earth, and it is still
true. The declarations of Jesus that,
"Out of the abundance of the heart. the
mouth speeketh," that whatsoever was
in a man was that which would come
out Of man. are solemnly true.
A ND what is faith of the heart? What
Ais confession of the mouth? The
faith of the heart is something more than
conscious recognition of the claims Of
Jesus. The confession Of the mouth is
something more than vain and empty
WORDS spoken in the name of the Lord.
The devils believe and tremble, Scrip.
ture declares, and Jesus said: Not
everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord,
shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Many will say to Me in that day (the day
when all shall come in the presence Of
God to be judged) Lord, Lord, have
we not prophesied in Thy name?" But
Jesus will say unto them: Il never
knew you; depart from Me. We that work
iniquity." Yes, surely faith of the
heart means more than idle, inactive,
unresponsive belief in Jesus Christ; and
confession of the mouth means far more
than just taking the name of Jesus upon
the lips. Saving faith is dynamic force
which changes the life. and tunes TIE
lips to respond to the Divine harmony
of the soul. Saving faith involves at
least three things: Consciousness Of
the guilty and lost condition Of the soul:
acceptance of the Christ as the complete
and only Saviour from all sin. and obe-
dience to the will and commands of the
accepted Christ. What profit is it to
my soul il I recognize Jesus as the
Saviour of the world, If there is no:
within my heart deep sense Of my per-
sonal need of His cleansing and saving
power? I must be convicted sinner
before can be saved soul. But saw
ing faith involves more than conviction
of sin and recognition of Christ as a
Saviour. Christ cannot be my Saviour
until by faith accept Him as snch.
The acceptance of Christ as personal
Saviour must be as positive and formal
as must be the acceptance of a gift from
a friend before the gift is really mine
And obedience must follow acceptance
WHAT follows according to the Dr.
" vine prescription is confession.
This is the expression and confirmation
of that which has taken place within.
It has been said that thought is not
real end tangible until it has been ex.
pressed In spoken or written word. The
confession of Christ by word of mouth
clarifies the vision of faith, 1t clinches
the convictions, 1t confirms the aupes
and aspirations Of the soul. The con.
fession is the inseparable and the indis-
pensable twin Of the faith of the heart.