The Newtown bee., 1906-02-16
TOWN TOPICS. LITTLE SERMONS. CALLING AND ELECTION.-BY 0. o.
 WRIGHT.
LITTLE SERMONS.

Matt; P: l4. "For many are called. but few
 Our calling is one thing, our election another. We are called, invited, urged even, to respond to the loving message of God the Father, through the Son. and by the Holy Spirit, that we may thereby enter into the life eternal. The love of Christ is the supreme call and test of our hearts. The open door before us. No one can reasonably doubt the divine call, no one can ques- ttOn the motive, every one who will l may enter in and know for himself the reality of the blessings of acceptance. But the invitation is one thing and the ready will to obey it is another thing. It is one thing to be called, it is quite different matter to be chosen, elected. Our spiritual privileges, how ever great and exalted, will never save us except as we respond to the call of God and improve the opportunities which bring us into the fellowship of Him who alone can redeem and exalt us: Means of grace do not, and cannot cerity and love. Food does not feed us save as we eat, digest, and assimilate 1t to the needs of our hodies. Truth does not enlighten and direct us in the affairs of the world except as we un- derStand it and live up to it's sure promptings. And so the love of Christ cannot choose and elect us and bring us into spiritual relations to God ex- cept as we have a real faith to lay hold on the promises of His Word with that sure hope of the reward which leads us to purify ourselves that He may make us partakers of the divine ature.
 The Holy Spirit cannot come into contact with our spirits, nor into union with our souls except by the faith of our willing and longing hearts. However loud the call of God to our minds and cOnSciences, there is no spiritual election or choice of us unto everlasting life save as we are willing, faithful, and humbly submissive to the striving and wooing of the divine love. with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto saliva tion." The elect are they who love. substances except as there is some bond of union between them, some chemical affinity in them both, some common quality or property that will make them one. And SO the Spirit of Truth can have no fellowship with sin, and God cannot choose to dwell in heart that is unbelieving and deceit- full. Alcohol will dissolve camphor and you have spirits of camphor as the result. But water will destroy the union and separate the compound.
 The magnet will draw the filings of steel simply because they are steel, and therefore can be magnetized, or have already the touch of the magnets mower in them And so the love of God chooses and sets the seal Of the divine nature upon every heart that truly responds to the electric touch. In the kingdoms of this world the in- vited guest may not love the king, but go to the feast with hatred in his heart. Not so in the Kingdom of Heaven. The guest is no guest of the eternal King of Kings except as in spirit and in truth he willingly obeys the gracious invitation, and enters in to the wedding feast, having on the wedding garment. And so must we also make our calling eand election sure.