The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-02-26
REV. WILLIAM BEST.
breaches GOOD
SERMON
On Things Spiritual Plain
Advice Given to Audience
at Msndenhall Church.

q fl~H
Advice Given to Audience
at Msndenhall Church.
The following sermon was delivered
last night by Rev. VIM. Best at the
Mendenhall Memorial church Of East
Grand Forks:
Eafnest Of Holy Spirit.
II Cor. ". 6. us
1t is a truth which is proved alike
by Scriptures and experience that this
is a world OF trouble and suffering.
Wherever we turn our eyes we see
misery in. some shape of other staring
US in the face. No matter to what EN-.
ployment we betake ourselves we find
that 1t has it's difficulties and trials.
The ocean Of life Is anything but u
smooth and pleasant one. 1t -is ,ruHied
by many q blast of adversely. Its hap
py hours Of calm ana sunshine are
neither OF very long duration nor az
very frequent occurranceM The daily
experience Of every man amply veri-
fies the statement of the patriarch:
Man that 10 born OF woman Is of few
days and full Of trouble"
Nor is the believer exempt from the
Affections which befall the rest of the
human race. No. He finds the con-
trary to be the case. His thoughts and
sympathies run counter to the
thoughts and sympathies of the world.
He and the world are deadly enemies.
They hate each others dispositions
and practices. Hence the believes
while he remains in the worlds ex-
posed not only to the trials that are
common to all mankind. but also to
the bitter persecutiens which he has
to encounter on account of his Chris
tianity. He has to: strive against the
current Of public opinion and to pull
hard against the wind and tide Of per-
secution.
Such was Papl's experience. He
speaks Of his contendings as being OF
avery formidable character. He says:
We are troubled on every. side. yet
not distressed; we are perplexad but
not in despair: prosecuted but. not for
saken;; cast down but not destroyed"
What was the secret of hts strong con-
fdence and calm resignation? It was
simply this. He knew that their trials
would last only for a little-that they
we're sent by his Redeemer to prepare
him for better and happier world.
He knew that this life was but the
mere dawning of his existence and
that after Its brief hours were fled he
would enter on bright and endless
day Hence he exclaims: "For our
light affection which is but for
moment worketh for US a far more
exceeding and eternal weight OF
glory.
What Pledge Has the Believer
! What pledge has the believer to as
sure him that there remains for him
home in heaven? The Apostle certi-
fies us that It Is the Holy Spirit whom
God gives as an earnest of the better
world. We know what is meant by al
earnest. When we sell property VIC
are presently paid small part Of the
price in token that the bargain iss ra,i-
fled and as pledge that bye and bye
we shall receive the remaining part.
This money we prize not on accour. (
of Its own intrinsic value, as on ac-
count Of it's being a promise of future
payment.
Now what an earnest is to the price
that is to be paid the same is the pres
ent work Of the Holy Spirit within the
believer to the future Inheritance
which Christ purchased for him by
His death. From the Spirit the be-
lever receives his new nature BY tho
Spirit the first feeble germs of spirit
ual life have been implanted with In
him. What are these germs of spirit
ual life but the beginning Of the
heavenly Inheritance. Feeble they
may be and feeble no doubt they are
vat first; but carefully nurtured by the
divine planter they grow on continu-
ally towards perfection until they be
transferred to the more congenial soil
of the heavenly paradise.
The Christian ON earth receives
from the Holy Spirit his fIrst expert
ence of heavenly pleasure. His new
nature has only to be more fully de-
veloped and it will be a perfect
haven. He feels that heaven is al,
ready begun within him for the Spirit
has begotten In his soul those thoughts
and feelings and desires which per-
wade the hearts Of all who surround
the throne on high. These thought,
feelings, desires and inward peace are
"a blessed fOretastK OF the more COM
nlete and uninterrupted pleasures Of
the inhabitants Of the heaenly Canaan.
They are an earnest of the treasures
which are in store for: the people OF
God. IS
Az the faint glimmering dawn
which at daybread appears In the east
is token and promise ofiapproaching
morning as the buds of early spring
give promise Of future leaf; flowers
and fruit; 30 the believers present ex-
perience -his love, peace. joy, hope
knowledge are q blessed pledge and
foretaste. Of far better things to come!
Absurd for any man whose heart
is not renewed by one spirit, who is
an utter stranger to those gifts and
graces which are to the believes an
earnest Of better thjngs to come, abb
surd for such an one 20 long "a he
remains unregenerate tn entertain any
hope Of 5reaping pleasure IA heaven.
He has no conception what the Joys
of heaven ara. He pictures heaven in
his fancy as some happy Elysiunr whose
charms consist In pleasant land