Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-05-02
CalnnaSe
Sermon
BY Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmaae. d. d.

New York. April i9.-ln this sermon.
appropriate 10 spring, the preacher
speaks cncourag cement TO those who are
now dropping into the soil the seed
that VIII yet bear fruit in good deeds.
gospel teaching and noble sacrifice for
others The text Is John ~. 30: Say
not We there are yet four months and
then cometh harvest? Behold | say
unto you, lift up your eyes and look
upon the fields, for they are white al
ready to harvest"
II these words were true when Jesus
uttered them to his disciples nearly
1000 years ago. how much more true
are they when spoken TO the men and
women of the present generation,
These nineteen centuries of gospel
preaching and gospel sacrifices have
not gone for naught. The preaching
and the life labors of the twelve apos-
ties. followed by those of Polycarp
and Athanasius and Augustine and
Luther and Calvin and Wycllffe and
Wesley and Whiteheld and Savonarola
and John Knox and David Livingstone.
were not all useless. Have no harvests
come from the myriads OF gospel SOW
ers who have been scattering their
seeds everywhere In every generation
Have we no harvests from the self
sacrifice OF our modern missionaries as
well as from the patient labors OF the
hundreds and thousands of Christian
ministers scattered al over the whole
worldi What would we think OF a
man who. having endless life and I'M
limited wealth. devoted years OF labor
and millions of dollars to work that
after 1000 years showed no signs OF
completion? We should say that man
was in fools business. Well, my
brother, do you suppose God Is en-
gagged In any such business as that?
DO you suppose all these labors for
nineteen centuries have gone for
naught? Nay. nay! In every genera
ton the toilers have been cheered and
encouraged by seeing the results OF
their abors. The word has never re-
turned void Wherever and whenever
II has been sown men have listened
and have turned from the husks OF the
world TO seek eternal life. Sowing and
reaping have gone on simultaneously.
The work Is still ready for the worker,
and we In our day have the additional
stimulus OF seeing what our predeces-
sors have accomplished by the very
means we have at command. Let US
consider this morning what those
means are that have been effective in
the past and will prove effective In the
future.
The Meaning Of the Sacrifice.
First there are the facts OF the gos-
pei Christ himself was born in man
ger He suffered and died and rose
again and assembled from Mount Olivet
for our atonement. our redemption and
our coronation By his shed blood he
has paid all the price for our emanci-
patton from sin. BY his shed blood he
has made II possible for us TO be pure
as he Is pure. perfect as he Is perfect,
and to sit upon n throne at the right
hand OF God. His redeemed saints are
at this hour singing his praises In
never ending hosannas amid the eter-
nal joys OF heavenly reunion, where
there is no sickness, no pain no part
ings. no sin, no death. Though we
should have the silver tongue OF the
most eloquent preacher that ever lived
and all the mental grasp OF a Paul
himself. yet today we would give the
faF tan IN tbiu UtnrfAnG avnprfn-
ton TO the atoning sacrifice OF Jesus
Christ 1t is the blood-the divine
blood-of our Saviour shed for the re-
mission OF sins that has made all this
harvest of the gospel fields possible.
And this truth is the more emphatic
because II is just here NJ the atoning
cross that the orthodox gospel minister
and all other teachers separate. The
crucial question is not. us some sup
pose. as TO the garden OF Eden or the
book OF Job or the experience of Jonah.
The one great issue which every Chris
tian has to decide Is not whether Moses
wrote the Pentateuch. 1t is not who
was the author OF the Psalms or OF the
book OF Ecclesiastes. II is not whether
the Bible itself Is verbally inspired. 1t
Is not as 10 the meaning OF the Mes
sianic prophecies. 1t is not whether
God created the world IN six days or
In 6.0O0 years. The great question at
issue is still that which was put 70 the
apostles. what think ye OF Christi
DO you believe that he died 10 save
men from their sins? Do you believe
that he is able 20 give eternal life 10
those who put their trust in him? Are
you willing 10 make him the guide OF
your life. your king who shall control
your thoughts and actionsl That Is
the main point at issue. aud that alone,
for II you can believe and do believe
that aud put your trust In him you
have the essentials OF Christian faith,
and the other questions are OF minor
importance.
Tho Essentials Of Faith.
DO You believe that Jesus WINS IN