The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-12-23

word speak out more hope and immediate
blessing than the text: CAS- many as re-
ceiyed Him. to them gave He the rig9
to become children of God"
but some one asks, what is the process
PIX winch this is done? And ] reply in
she continuing words of this same verse.
Even to them that believe on His name"
put what Is it to believe on His name9
what Is faith? And we reply with Bus-
ton; Faith is the filial, trustful relation.
VIII wHIcn rne whole man, intellect, heart and
WILL sustalns toward the Lord .Tes1il
SS,hrlst. Christ said to His discipcs.
Come We after Me, and l will make
hshers of men" They obcyed. Heart,
intellect and will accepted and believed
Christ to have the right and the power
70 communicate to them 'sonshp" of
GOD. Disciples of Him who walked among
them as their Redeemer. And when they
| had gwen Him that simple confidence and
| proved it openly by obedience to His COM
| ma1d OF public confession of His claim,
| glad and willing to be known as His fol-
lowers and co-workers, at that moment
were they. given the right to be the chill
dren of Cod Then were they born not
OF blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor
OF the will of man, but of God. The gen.
ulneness of their faith and sonship was
aattested IN various ways To them saliva
ton IN Christ was equipment for service
to others. They did not doubt the d.
vine personality of Christ. but they fol-
lowed Him. Tucr child loves and rejoees
IN you when he. obeys you. Christ the
great captain Of Righteousness is asking
things, happy are We if We do them" This
means more than mere intellectual assent
to the doctrines and teachings Of Christ,
Tor 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: s: "This peo-
pie honoreth Me with their lips but their q
heart is far from Me. But in vain they do
worship Me, teaching for doctrine the
commandments Of men, And again, I
when He was speaking to this same arts
tocracyI of the intellect and stickiers for
the strict letter of the law, He said: "And
why call We me Lord. Lord! and do not
the things which I saw" ManifestIy,
give, honest, hearty assent to His claims
OF ,discipleship. He then promised poten-
tlal 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 bad exercised their faith in the
personal Christ, he babe 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 1t necessary to repent? And what is
John the Baptist. Manifestly It is neces-
sary And what is it? ut is a deep
change of the entire thinking, feeling and
willing man: and involves as its elements
contrition and confession,
prayer for pardon and peace, counting the
cost, and endeavor after new obedience"
Look at these for a moment. Enlighten-
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.
as to his own folly and
sin and consciousness that a fathers love
awaited his return. Ny brother, if some
things are uncertain, pray for enlighten-
ment and He who in the same chapter
Himself to be the light of
md confession. 81 have sinned against
heaven and in Thy sight was a life Civ
ng confession and prayer. 1t showed
hat faith in the Fathers love was sorry
md ashamed for it's past ingratitude. In
hat heart cry for pardon was the souls
eceiving Christ and because He received,
lie had the right to be q son of God. Man
epented and God by His divine act re-
generated
There are others here to-day who will
Omit the truth of much that I say, but
n whom and about whom there are OBJ
tacles which YOU have not the courage
nd the determined patience to overcome.
in in the soul, for, like st. Paul Of old.
on find law that when you do good
vii is present." false pride in ones
wn personality and achievement, for
here are not few of us, with IT thank
hee that | am not as other men are''
endencles; the environment of worldly
lterests and friendships, and the insin-
Gritty of many protesting Christians All.
ow many of us does this latter include?
evertheless, not a few are enabled to
Sc above these obstacles and become sons
God.
Again I ask the initial question of this
essage, can | do as l please? Or must
do as another pleases? And | believe
! honest study of the New Testament
i'll show us that the only freedom which
comprehensive is the freedom and lib
ty which God gives to our whole nature
hen we have accepted or received His
IN Jesus Christ to be orr Redeemer and
aster. May you this day my earnest.
eking friends, find the Christ whose
CRITICAL love, represented in this atoning
God, and receiving Him by faith. be
lied children of God, and if children,
en- heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs
tn Christ, if so be that we suffer with
ina, that we may be also glorifed to-
Their.
Every Man Painter.
Tpaint mo a niotrre - caid o,aot mos