Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-17
GOSPEL S MYSTERY !.
IS PASTORS THEME
MAN CAN'T UNDERSTAND THE
TRINITY
Rev. y. II. smaIe Tells Congregation
That Every Christian Is Con- =
neoted in Vital Way
with God

WITH GOO
Rev. J. H. Smale, pastor of the New
] Testament church, preached yesterda!
4 on "The Christians Possibilities" TAX
ing for his text
! There is q. path which no fow
knoweth and which the vulture's eye
hath not seen. The lions whelps have
not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed
by it." 10 the depth If the riches
both of the wisdom and knowledge Of
God! How unsearchable are his judg.
ments and his ways past finding outP
Jesus said unto her, Said 1 not urtt
thee that .if thou woufdst believe thou
shouldst see the glory of God?"
In the course of the sermons he re-
minded the congrei alton of the scrip
lures that reveal great experiences fol
the children of God in this life, as well
as in the life to come; such as 1.-THE
path of the just shineth more and more
unto the perfect day; God worketh
in you to will and to do of his good
pleasure; "I5e will give grace and
glory"
The preacher argued against inter-
| mittent revivals and retrogression in
Christian experience. Ht showed that
every Christian is connected in a vital
way with God. and as God is trans
cendant being, from whom ISSUES ex-
| csGaaiiis great and precious promises
| we may expect life of wonders to
the extent that. we are guided by the
| spirit OF God.
The Trinity Never Understood
| The argument was illustrated from
the nature of God. The phenomenon
of Godhead presented the condition OF
| Godhead subsisting in three persons
| The trinity is a path which. even the
most eagle-eyed among the children of
| men has never en- nor understood
| Likewise are we in the realm of. mys-
| terry when we consider the incarnation;
nor is mystery limited to the person
Of God, but to God in relation to his
physical works. There is no creature
that can comprehend in his philosophy
the universe in which we live. The
mystery broadens as we consider God
in relation to moral government.
How is the existence of evil compat-
ible with a God of perfection? Why
should any creature be exposed to sim
full influences? Why should there have
been serpent in the Garden of Eden
to tempt man? The negro's question
Is OIIcu uppcIIilOSls IL NOu lS
than the devil why does not God kill
the devil?'
!, Then what mystery in the truth
of the Father bruising his son for sin.
That he did so is a revelation of the
sin of man in a light in which 1t is
not seen by the superficial. Only, the
Righteousness of Christ in his sacrificial
offering on the cross can be accepted
by God when he receives the sinner.
Mystery. in the Scriptures
There are great ueeps in the scrip
lures when we come to the doctrines
of predestination and mans RESPONSE
bility and the punishment of the finally
impenitent Nor does the mystery end
after we have pondered all these
things, for they are equall- great when
the subject of God and his providential
ways is studied.
Very strange to man are most of the
ways of God. We are continually tread
ing new paths when we accept the
leadership of God in the knowledge of
the truth. A bright side to that lead
ership is seen in the contemplation of
God in his work in the realm of grace.
There is no finality to the gospel of
Christ Most people seem to have con-
ceived of it only in it's initial stages.
The gospel, however T.; more than the
forgiveness of sins and salvation from
hell.
Strong Words in the Gospel
Consider the possibilities of Christian
experience from the substantives of
| the gospel-"life, ''the earnest"
riches" rivers" Floods" height"
depth length" breadth" "the
prize of the high calling" 1.-THE glory
| thou hast given me I have given them"
IT, ot Ia ID al
verbs of the Everlasting" "the
latter reign" 'gr.ater things" Tex
ceeding abuntantly," exceeding great
ness of his power" ''far more exceed
ing and eternal weight of glory"
| Take look at the verbs the gos-
pel--..hath everlasting life," "springihg
up "out of the midst of him shall
fiow,'' "behold my glory" ito him that
overcometh will 1 grant to sit with me
upon my throne" mounting up as on
eagles Wings running without wear
mess" walking without fainting.'
| Then how much may we le;.rn of
what ii is possible for us to be and
to know by those who have preceded
us. Take, for instance, the lives of
Madam Guyon, Robert Murray Nc
Cheyne and Rutherford. Let me quote
to you a bit of the experience of the
last named This is how he wrote of
what he had in Christ:
Prisoner Has Kinely Comforts y
"No king is better provided for than
I am. My comforts are greater than
we can believe, my pen shall lie for
penury of wor-s to describe them. I
want both pen and words to set forth
the fairness, beauty and sweetness of
Christ's love. o how weighty is his
love. ] daresay that angels pens and
angels tongues, nay, as many worlds
of angels as there are drops of water
in all the seas and fountains and rivers
of earth cannot paint him out to you.
think his sweetness since I was a
prisoner hath swelled upon me to the
greatness Of two heavens. o for a soul
as wide as the utmost circle Of the
highest heaven ,aat containeth all to
contain his love-"
| But above all let US hear Rutherford
when he says "-here is gate yet of
| finding out Christ that / have never
| lighted upon. want nothing but a
further revelation of the unknown son
of God"
| oArE npANVEpc TAMpEp