The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-19
MISSION MEETING
 CLOSES TONIGHT
Large Congregation Heard Rev.
 Matthews Last Night
MUCH GOOD ACCOMPLISHED
Missioner Preached on Six superlatlve Blessings as Taught In John 3:16. Three Services to Be
 Held Today.

The Rev. John R. Matthews, the Epis- copal missioner, will conclude the mission at St.-Mary' s-on-the- Highlands tonight. The services last night were well at tended, notwithstanding the indictment weather and a great rally is expected on the occasion of the closing service
 The order of todays services will be; Holy communion a. m.. Bible reading D. m., sermon s D. m. The rector Of St. Marys says much good has been accom- plished by the mission and that interest in the helpful preaching of MT. Matthews is very general.
 The missioner spoke last night as fol- lows:
 If we were living in the days of the Inquisitlon and were persecuted for read ing our Bibles we would appreciate them more Picture the soldiers wrestling the Bible from the Christian woman and seeing the tears come down her cheeks. Suppose he said (Which verse do you like best?" Give me St. John, S-16: For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son, that whosoever be- HeNeIn III 1tl1ll Siluulu uol pOtlSh3 pht have everlasting life
 Although this Is so familiar, yet it is not so frequently preached upon, for clergymen feel that they cannot ade- quately express the love of God as seen in this verse. We have here six superla- tive blessings First, the greatest pos sible Giver-God. Second, the greatest possible gift-His Son. Third, the greatest possible dvantage-everlasting life. Fourth, on the easiest possible terms believing Fifth, to the greatest possible mber-~universality. Sixth, from the best possible motive-God so loved the world.
 The greatest possible Giver God as a social Being wanted man to enjoy Him in Paradise. Man sins but no sooner does he have to leave Paradise than God plans a way to get him back again.
 "rhe greatest possible gift. Love is better in action than mere sentiment. See how much God values your soul by the sacrifice He made in parting with His Son Christmas Day is one of our happiest days of the year, but Gods first Christmas Day was one of the saddest A mother can tell you better than l what her feelings were upon her hrst parting with her son. God looks at the empty seat or throne on the first Christmas and
  from His presence Then go to Calvary and read the love of God in the sufferings of Jesus An earthly father would sui fer if he saw his own suffering. l believe Gods feelings were going through an experience as He saw His own Son being physically crucfied. He must have loved YOU or He would not have made such a sacrifice for you.
 "The Greatest Possible Advantage!- Can any English words express fully the meaning of the words Everlasting Life? The Greek words are as ages upon ages. but let us also think of everlasting life here being not an abstract idea dsasso- ciated from the life of Jesus. The ever lasting life is Jesus Himself. It is His life and that is the reason why It Is eter- nal. Let Him into your heart and you have admitted everlasting life. The apos- tie St John says he that hath the Son hath the. life. Receive Jesus and you re- ceve life.
 "On the Easiest Possible Termsl-The rich stumble over the terms because no money is involved: the philosopher be- cause he has no intricate problem to solve. This belief is not merely theoreti- cal but an acceptance in the heart of what you already believe in, the head about Christ Your life Is affected by the life of Jesus.
 '"ro the Greatest Possible Numberl- God knows nothing of any one being foreign to Him. His parish is not merely Anglo Saxon, but wherever there is human being. He is one of the whoso- ever who need not perish.
 From the Best Possible Motive!-God does not do so much for us because He has to do 1t. but because He loves the person whom He wishes to save. Kind ness. and loving kindness may be differ entiated by comparing the kindness of a good nurse and the kindness of the moth CT toward her sick child. The nurse Is kind from a sense of duty, but the moth CT from a sense of love. He first of all loved you before He did anything for you. Your love may be changeable. but His never You can go against God but He Is not against you. You fight against love when you sin against God.
 "Think of the worst man you ever knew and you can say God loves him, though not your way. You feel bitter to- ward the Roman soldiers who cruclfied Jesus. yet God would say that He loved those men and they are those who are included in the 'whosoever.' The differ sence between Gods love and ours Is that God loves the imperfect and we love a perfect God.
 II ou are crucifying the Son of God by your sins and yet He loves you.
 "Open your heart to Jesus, who stands at your door and reciprocate His love by loving Him and going forth to love your felIow man Do so tonight"