The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-12-01

morally equipped TO face this problem.
they did not then possess God nor did
God possess them. They were COM
panions OF Christ, hut they did not
possess Ills spirit. But now they were
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 to-day. You
and l can never help the lame, man
until we not only possess God bat are
possessed by Him.
Another element in the solution OF
the problem was that the two were in
perfect accord. six months before
Peter had forsaken Christ, while John
alone ran the gauntlet in the terrific
blast OF passion in the city OF hate.
hut Peter never again shirked his
duty. John had been ambitious for
the supreme place among the apos-
ties, 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 or
the morally lame on the part or the
Church OF God as were manifested on
that day.
The love OF prominence must GO.
whether il be OF individual or church.
or denomination. Passion must cease.
One of the reasons why the church
OF God Is not omnipotent is because
there is still this lust for prominence
on the part OF individuals. churches
and denominations. and instead OF self
abandon We are absolutely too self
conscious. every one OF us. Again
they solved il in giving the power OF
Christ 10 the man: "In the name OF
Jesus Christ rise up and walk" The
communication OF ideals will never
save men from moral lameness. Ideals
must live in personality. That is the
difference between Christianity and
everything else. Ii is the communica-
ton Of power. the touch of God-the
touch OF divine power I'm the heart.
Let lis feel il this morning. In the
name of Jesus of Nazareth. rise M
and walk" Let il touch upon your
weakness. II IS here. Let il do for
YOU and me what il did for that lame
man.
Ii breaks the power Of cancelled sin,
And sets the prisoner free.
That is what Peter and John did.
Thlnl; OF IL! There was the lame man;
there was the critical public: there
MuS llit llftiANiN VI AAANii N''
| failures, and there was the power OF
| Christ 1t conquered them all, and
| the man arose, and stood M. Not
| only did he stand, but the solution o.
| this problem included every other. He
can earn his own living now, ana
needs not assistance. Every problem
| OF life Is bound up in the problem
OF the lame man being stralghtened
and strengthened. 1t is smooth sail
| ing after that Lastly. the man be-
| came a benefactor and praised God.
He inspired the faith of men. Before,
| his very presence created pessimism;
| now IL 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 eXhaus.ers of the moral life of the
| world. Which is it? My subject
| gathers round these two points: First,
| the lame man, and, second. the men
| who through the instrumentality or
Jesus Christ cured him. We as
| Christians stand in the apostles
place. Let MS, 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 inspire our fellow men for Christs
| sake!