Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1906-07-26

''LI4So1OH HCt IuOTc IQOdrUOQdOlG at
the hand Of God than sins Of commits
sion. Sins of omission are so vague.
and attenuated that thev cut little or,
no figure in our consciousness. We.
need to be preached to that these are:
the great lack among mortals in the
consciousness Of Almighty God. The
higher and grander the object Of your,
trust, the more beautiful the charac-
ter fashioned. Really remarkable that
we are so constructed that we. can
trust beyond sense perceptions. Il
shows us to be spirit more than aught;
else. The heart in us all was destined
before the foundation of the earth to
be. Gods guest chamber. Forbid him
entrance, entertain less important
guests, and the spirit is burdened.
and the heart is sad It is His resi-
dence, by both creation and redemp-
ton. And still we are such foolish
children not to yield to God and find
rest. eternal rest. infinite calm. that
no turmoil in time or eternity can.
overthrow. All this helps us. to see
why trust in Jesus produces beauty.
in the life. He was the beautiful life,
'par excellent" All the virtues bios
somed and emitted fragrance in Him.
Of course, self-forgetfulness is en-,
HANGED and made more sure through;
love. And faith and trust always.
blossom into love exercised toward a.
spiritual object. Love is the peerless
transformer of our life. All else is
medal. Love only is ultimate. Love.
only is allpowerful to mold like unto
itself. Love God and you become God
like. Self slips out the same door
that God comes in. They pass each
other .on the threshold. The evictef
tenant goes out bruised, defeated,
friendless. The victor, ruler of our.
fate, comes in with all strength OF
cheer and grace Of countenance, and
all wealth of blessing in His out
stretched hands. No trouble hence
forth to forget self. and no difficulty
to be beautiful. In forgetting self
we forget our weakness and failures,
our disappointed hopes and Sorrows !
Then the soil is ready for the good
,, seed to be sown, for truth and right
eousness to grow, for beauty to bios
som. !
This array of foundation principles
is hardly complete without self-sur-
render. The give-up principle in life
counts for all. The reason we do
not find is because we are afraid to
lose. We fail to take hold of truth
because we fail to let go of ourselves.
Through obedience we become divine.
All, you say, you are beguiling us into
religion. Just so. Did you dream
you could possess beauty of character
| without being religious? We desire to
proclaim nothing other than the old
gospel. But to set it before you in
new dress and under an attractive,
bewitching title. A man hearing the
second sermon Of this series forced
! his way to the pulpit after it was
| done, and exclaimed, Il thought you
would be sensational. The subject
| looked it, but you eyerlastingly
| preached Christ tonight. I am both
( disappointed and pleased" Yes. That's
where the effectiveness of the gosDef
comes in. It refuses to be suppressed.
| No topic, if the preacher be true, can
| strike home, however roundabout the
| Journey it takes, without meeting
| Christ somewhere in the way. Ana
| when the meeting takes place, Jesus
| always gains the central place, ana
| glides into our consciousness as the
| hope of glory. Christ's place OF resi-
/ dence is in the heart. He is the God
| destined Master of Ceremonies. He
/: directs the life issues that emanate
from that citadel of attack and de-
tense. Lett Him in and all is we'll
Then it Isl easy to keep the heart
Ewith all diligence. Remember, the
theart.s emphasis is always right
Emerson said another lasting thing'
What the heart deems great is great.
The Master OF Men as our Master
will see to it that all the lie issues
will be true and beautiful. Sorrow
will not corrode those outgoing tides
of affection. Sin VII not weaken
trem. Death Will net obliterate nor
cverwhelm them. Nor eternity ex-
haust them. God viii recognize tst'
beauty and exela;n, 'WeH done; eas'
ter into the soys CT thy Lord