The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1905-11-23

morally equipped to face this problem:
they did not then possess God nor did
God possess them. They We're COM
panions of Christ, but they did not
possess His spirit But now they We're
wholly possessed by the Spirit OF God,
and that was the first step toward the
solution Of the problem before them.
And it is the first step today. You
and l can never help the lame man
until we not only possess COD out are
possessed by Him:
Another element in the solution OF
the problem was that the two We're IN
perfect accord. Six months before
Peter. had forsaken Christ. while John
alone ran the gantlet in the terrific
blast of passion in the city of hate.
but Peter never again shirked MS
duty. John had been ambitious TOR
the, supreme place among the apos-
files. but now he had grown in grace
and lost the passion for prominence.
Friends the same conditions are neces-
sary to- day in solving the problem OF
the morally lame on the part OF the
Church Of God as We're manifested on
that day.
The love Of prominence must 60,
whether it be of individual or chufcn,
or denomination. Passion must cease.
One Of the reasons why the church
of God is not orhlipotent is because
there is still this lust for prominence
on the part of individuals. churcnes
and denominations. and instead OF SELF
abandon we are absolutely too SELF
conscious, every one Of us. AGAIN
they solved it in giving the power OF
Christ to the man: In the name OF
Jesus Christ rise up and walk Ihe
communication of ideals Will never
save men from moral lameness. !deals
| must live in personality. Ihat IS tue
difference between Christianity and
everything else. It is the communlca-
t;on of power. the touch of God-the
touch of .divine power in the heart.
Let us feel it this morning. In the
name of Jesus of Nazareth. rise up
and walk" Let it touch upon your
weakness. It is here. Let 1t 90 1or
you and me what it did for that lame
man.
# breaks the power of cancelled sin,
And sets the prisoner free.
That is what Peter and John DID.
Think of it! There was the lame man
there was the critical public: there
/ was the memory of their. own past
failures, and there was the power OF
! Christ. It conquered them all, anu
the man arose, and stood up. Not
only did he stand. but the solution OF
this problem included every other. ne
can earn his OWL living now. anu
needs not assistance. Every problem
of life is bound up in the problem
of the lame man being Strengthened
and strengthened. 1t is smooth SAL
! ing after that. Lastly, the man oe-
came benefactor and praised COO.
He inspired the faith Of men. Betore'
his very presence created pesslmlsm'
now it was faith and praise. The at
mosphere of the man became factor
and an asset in the progress of the
world. We are either contributors 10
or exhausters of the moral lie OF the
world. Which is it? My subject
gathers round these two points: tlrst'
tbe lame man. and. second. the nen
who through the instrumentallty OF
Jesus Christ cured him. We as
Christians stand in the apostle 8
place. Let us, under Christ, cure the
lame. and if we stand in the lame
mans place Christ will make US
whole. May we, like Peter and John;
help the lame man to praise his Goa
and insnire our fellow men for Ch-ists
col-ai