The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-12-21
lowed Him. .Srnr child loves and reiofce1

lowed Him. .Sonr child loves and rejofces
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 if ye do them" This
means more than mere intellectual assent
to the doctrines and teachings Of Christ,
for this may remain only profession and
not pass into feeling and action. .r
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
heart is far 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 ye me Lord! Lord! and do not
the things which I say?" Manifestly,
then, Christ was eager that men should
give honest, hearty assent to His claims
|of discipleship. He then promised poten-
fial freedom, personal liberty. But the
tnere exercise of faith was not enough.
christianity is something larger and finer
b the person and work Of Christ.
Faith unfolds itself in many forms Of
fhristian experience ard activity, all of
e bShb a and e serTieesS v res St. Paul.
(pte to that little band of men at Ephe-
4, who had exercised their faith in the
sonal Christ, he bade them grow up
iall things into Him, who is the head
e1 Christ" But lest there may be some
ang us this morning who, in thinking
tEwhole matter over, do not find it so
di1lt to believe this Divine Son of
Gdbut who do not quite appreciate the
relbn of a man to his sin, to his fail
urehis deliberate acts of wrong and evil,
is necessary to repent? And what is
rTePtsnee? Except ye repent" cried
saryI And what is it? ut is a deep
cham of the entire thinking, feeling and
whitman; and involves as its elements
enlighment. contrition and confession,
prayeor pardon and peace, counting the
cost 4 endeavor after new obedience"
Look Nthese for a moment. Enlighten.
ment! This is the work of the Holy
Ghost.!t was not until the prodigal son
came himself that he started on that
wondrd pathway to lifelong blessing.
E~nlighuhent as to his own folly and
sin andhsciousness that a fathers love
awaitedb return. My brother, if some
things Aunccrtain. pray for enlighten-
ment auEIe who in the same chapter
proclalm1 Himself to be the light of
men wilAveal the. path to coEtritio4
and conf\on. 81 have sinned against
heaven ann Thy sight" was q life Civ;
ing c%onfettn and prayer. 1t showed
that iaithA the Fathers love was sorry
and astAmfor its past ingratitude. In
that hearth for pardon was the. .soul's
receiving. ct, and because He received,
he had the bit to be a son of God. Man
repented a4od by His divine act re-
generated.
There are hers here to-day who will
admit the tn of mich that I say, but
in whom anbout whom there are OBJ
staeles whicHku have not the courage
and the deteAed patience to overcome.
Some of thes4stacles are the power OF
sin in the so1or, like St. Paul Of old,
you find a la4at when you do good
evil is presenAa false pride in ones
own personally and achievement. for
there are not dy OF us, with II thank
Thee that l aaot as other men are"
tendencies; the {ironment of worldly
interests and t1lships, and the insin-
cerity of many Kissing Christians. All.
low many of usEs this latter include?
Nevertheless, not few are enabled to
rise above these 4cles and become sons
Of God.
Again I ask thdtial question of this
message, can I d. please? Or must
I do as another Mes? And I believe
an honest study &he New Testament
will show us that tbnly freedom which
is comprehensive iA freedom and lib
erty which God givb our whole nature
when we have accad or received His
Son Jesus Christ to bur Redeemey and
Master. May. you tiday. my earnest,
seeking friends, finae Christ whose
sacrifcial love, represad in this atoning
blood, and receiving IN by faith. be
called children Of Gdknd if children,
then heirs, heirs Of 4and Joint heirs
cether-