Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-02-28
THE PULPIT.
A BRILLIANT SUNDAY SERMON BY
THE REV. C. L. PALMER.
Subject: Gods Unspeakablc Gift.

Kingston, N. Y.-The following
Impressive discourse, appropriate to
the season, was delivered here Sun
day in the Reformed Church of the
Comforter, by the Rev. G. l.. Palmer
The subject of his sermon was Gods
Unspeakable Gift" preached from
the text 2 Cor. 9:15, Thanks be to
God for His unspeakable gift" He
said:
1t would increase our gratitude to
recount the blessings we have re-
ceived during the past year. God
has been very good to us as families,
communities and states. Even the
Fatherly consideration. Our senti-
ment for Providential care finds eX-
preston in the words Of the Psalm
list, "Bless the Lord, o my soul, and
all that is within me; bless His holy
name. Bless the Lord, o my soul,
and forget not all His benefits toward
me-"
But God has bestowed upon us
another blessing which is not tenn
poral or material. He has given us
His Son, tho Lord of Glory, to be
our greatest treasure. While we
should not cease to mention llfe's
daily comforts, and constantly thank
the Giver for them! nothing should
make us silent respecting the great
est of gifts in the person OF the
beloved Son. And IL recalling the
material blessings which have come
to us from the hand of God has the
effect of making us more thankful
for them, surely a short study OF the
text will have the tendency to make
us more grateful to our Father in
heaven for the incarnation of the
Eternal Son. 1t is to Him that
Paul refers in this text, Thanks be
to God for His unspeakable gift.
1t will not be breach of homiletic
law to Intentionally disregard the
context, because the text bears but
general connection with it, since this
passage is an abrupt expression or
thanksgiving which is not unusual
with the apostle. For example, In
Romans 1886, cob, the depth of
the riches both of the wisdom and
knowledge of God; how unsearchable
are His judgments and His ways
past tracing out; for who hath known
the mind OF the Lord? or who hath
DCDu his JOuIlotlloL W NV mum
first given to Him? and it shall be
recompensed to Him again. For OF
Him, and through Him and unto
Him are all things. To whom be tho
glory forever and ever ! Cor. 10:
81, Thanks be unto God which CIV
eth us the victory through our Lord
Jesus Christ" Gal. Is, ITO whom
be the glory forever and ever Eph.
500, Now unto Him that is able
to do exceedingly abundantly above
all that We can ask or think, accord
ing to the power that wOrketh in us,
unto Him be the glory in the church
and in Christ Jesus unto all genera
lions forever and ever"
An examination of the immediate
Scripture in which each Of the above
examples are located, confirm the
assertion that it is the habit OF
the apostle to introduce praise-songs
into his writings without logical ref
erence TO the context If we are as
thankful for the material and spirit
ual blessings of life as we ought to
be, like the sacred writer, we, too,
will break forth in doiologies of graf
itude to the source OF every good.
And the one gift to which most fire.
uuent reference will be made is the
Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.
l. In What Respects May Christ BE
Considered n Gift.
The term "Gift' is employed by
Paul to teach that Jesus was given
to be our Redeemer, and TO invalid
ate the excuse that salvation is too
expensive. The Savior being a gift,
nhtain lie benofits and imnosqihla
for Tho sinner In blame any one OK.
con+ bimenIP far boinr unsayed
oift is nresontel Voluntarily.
1osrs il thorafnrn. sucb. because lie
T., o;rnn "a we 90 avn rrinnd and do.
ii,e,.ar ri,bo,t mo ;ntorynn,ion of
n,on # wac an act or tho divine
voiitio, o1nnn thot the Son should
Loconon WAN mat He ehoul1 rnsid.
m mo carth for q season. that His
tin,o 10 occuniol in teaching tho FINN
S .nnI nrincin,n. NJ IIis Kinrdom
and mai ne cross should satisfy the
;nsticn or tho Almiahty The most
oo,,ta human iptallact could NOT have
thnnaht oP srnh a means of making
our saivation nossihln and even If II
bad faohnd IN come mind it's own an.
n nau r'@ in,nn.Sihilitv would have
r sN,o4horod no snarl, We can claim
nn orodit for ,his oft Divine voli-
tion Gosor,.os az tbo nroisn
VIZ, u ~ e. of ft nv ,rasnntod rnac.
oo,,.;, CIV ~ oftnn dnc,Irs In tho ro-
sc. ,,ns's a,st t,ot a,,o Toois to,
uepuion t, VI g. So o,,; ,n'' wy h,t ~ .n,
unmt' .n w. w. 81 i, ird;enosn1
touse y, az 'n SLristionS nansto,,t,,,
~ uue1ine th dnii,, nat"rn ~ CnJ'S
Ieai,1e .nae INC u",iS of vt,A = tbon thaT
Soounes' 49,, 49, ~ nf o ME fonIinc ~
ueser'e' hpseilce "a uni2 tuen'Ne p ,'
u.ealeS laoN VI opp S s.n, ,rth r.
~ CONSISTENT uiSeipleS ~ ,,o ultmo 'mJ
10 receive lhe ria.etia' ,. oicaS'ns4 -,
ne; pecause VI NJ hn,',5 ''' bon.
10 HOUOT bOu do IuSy onouiu, ~"