Evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1907-1913, 1907-11-04

the first of the series Of sermons by
local ministers to be published on
Mondays by The Evening Journal M
McCurdy said in part:
The Holy Spirit and the Christian.
(Sanctifieation.)
Our study of regeneration ought tc
have resulted in this distinct convic
ton that under the tutelage of the Holy
Spirit using the word of God as text
tbook we had by one specific act ac
1complished our emancipation from the.
Ilordship Of sin as principle in our
lives. But the freed slave is by no
means ready to exercise all the privil
eges of the mature citizen. The new.
born babe cannot accept the response
/ bilities of manhood The beginner IS
mot expected to do college work New
iertheless in the first flush OF feeling
the newborn soul feels that no other
course Is open than that of | John
1919 whatsoever is begotten of God
doeth no sin, because his seed abideth
in him; and he cannot sin, because
he is begotten Of Cod" He does love
God, therefore in the language of John
l14:2S, IF man love me. he wi,
keep my word implicit obedience
is the only course His experience is
found in Galatians 2:20, Il have been
lcrucified with Christ; and it is no
longer | that live, but Christ liveth
in me: and that life which l now live
in the flesh | live in faith, the faith
which is in the Son of God, who loved
/ me, and gave himself up for me-. The
question of Romans ~, 'He who died
to sin, how shall we any longer live
therein?' was but one answer. But
T in experience comes this bewildering
inconsistency, that even while we CON
fess that this newly begotten principle
of love in our hearts make us hate
sin and our earnest desire to please
the object of that love wrings from
us the sincere avowal that we will
never lend our members as instrIi-l
ments Of unrighteousness, yet we do
sin.
Moreover the very writer's from
whose inspired words we have quoted
admit the probability of sin in that
provision is made Tor forgiveness for
these same sins. See how John writes
MY little children these things ] write
unto you that we may not sin. And If
any man sin, we have an advocate with
the Father, Jesus Christ the right
eous: and he is the Precipitation for
our sins, and not for ours only, but
also for the whole world
How are we to understand this seem
ing inconsistency? Has the new birth
not freed us from the dominion of sin.
Does sin still reign in our mortal bos
dies? 1t is in answer to such ques-
tons as these that many pious souls
have set forth many strange doc
trines. ''The Second Blessing" the
kindred nature. The unscripturalness
of all these lie in the claim that by one
definite act akin to that which was
taken when the new begetting was
realized the highest spiritual attain
ment is accomplished The Bible no.
where speaks Of any such act apart
from the full surrender that everg
heart must make at the time of con-
version. HE that loveth father Or
mother more than me is not worthy
OF me: and he that loveth son or
daughter more than me is not worthy
of me. II any man would come after
me, let him deny himself, and take
up his cross and follow me. For who
soeyers would save his life shall lose
it; and whatsoever shall lose his life
for my sake and the gospels shall save
it" Surely there can be no surrender
more complete than this. Moreover,
the universal Christian experience 4
contrary to any such teaching We
do find that sin is struggling to re-
gain its lost dominion even against
this new born supremacy of Gods love