The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1904-10-29

genuine, as the grain merchant mlSHt
the inferior corr that Dad been mixed
with that of first grade.
X TEIHTER has God turned over the
~ registry Office of His Kingdom to
man and commissioned him to write the
certificates of membership. But n
would think so to hear the bland way In
which some men, and even ministers,
discuss the matter and persuade men to
identify themselves with the visible
church on earth. Not long since at 3
gathering of ministers and lay delegates
! of one of the large denominations a
prominent pastor Of one of the large
city churches delivered a formal address
on the topic: Evangelism for an Age
of Culture in which he emphasized n
reiterated the statement that the old
Gospel of emotion and feeling was being
supplanted by a religion OF what he
called reason. Men were no longer to
be Influenced in the old way by the Cos
pei. The test was no longer to be b
a man experienced in his heart, but h
he was In his life. He told the story OF
a young woman of sweet and lovely
character whose life was devoted to
works of b~enevolence and philanthropy.
but who was not a member of any
church, neither felt inclined to be. He
told of how in conversation with her he
asked her if she did not love Jesus and
of her startled and perplexed express
sion. What do you mean by loving
Jesus?" she asked. And he explained
that 1t was loving the good and doing
good and living in harmony with the
teachings of Christ. He told her she was
a Christian without knowing it. And
this cultured and benevolent young
woman eventually accepted his view OF
the case and united with his church.
God grant that the work of Gods grace
had been wrought in her heart and that
she was really born into the Kingdom OF
God, but such views and methods as
were held and pursued by this pastor
are pernicious and dangerous, and are
the means of getting into the churches
an unregenerate element which event.
ually may destroy the spiritual life and
~evangelizing force of the church. 1t is
q usurpation of the Divine prerogative!
1t is destructive of the true mission of
Christ to the world! 1t is a direct and
positive ignoring of the plain teachings
of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
WHEN Jesus Christ said that except
wv a man be born again, he cannot see
the Kingdom of God" l believe He
meant just exactly what He said. And
when He goes On to define the new birth
something distinct and apart from the
operation of the flesh, or the natural
man, l know that Salvation is not some
thing which man can get himself into by
his W effort. but something which God
does for him, "for by grace are We saved
through faith; and that NOT OF YOUR
SELVES; it is the GIFT OF GOD" And
If the new birth is an operation of the
Holy Spirit, and l hear Jesus say that
the Spirit shall convince of sin and
Righteousness and judgment to come"
I know that the test of membership in
the Kingdom of God is not what man is
in his external life. that it is not what he
does for himself. even though he pro-
duce a character that bears likeness to
Christian principles. but that it is a tes.
of what the Holy Spirit has done with
in the heart. l do not believe that it is
possible for one to experience the re-
generative work of Gods Spirit and live
in utter ignorance of the blessed trans
formation. for God plainly declares that
1.-THE Spirit beareth witness with our
spirit that we are the sons of God"
There is a witness within which is better
and more reliable than all the external
evidences Of church membership or ex-
cellences of character. The solemn
charge to Nicodemus is one which comes
to every soul: eye must be born again"
It is not: Ye must be made over. We
must be renovated. for at the very best
when you get through you have the
same old man for chat which is born of
the flesh is flesh" But it is: aye must
be born again" Ye must be regenerated.
Ye must be made anew.
F An Tesus heen talking to the sinful