Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1908-03-19


daily routine work are our Bible
expositions. The preparation of one
self for preaching is always harder
than the preparation of a sermon.
Every man wrought in Jesus Christ
unto good works Is a preacher, and
he is blessed of God In his ministry
according to his faithfulness. There
are no special promises for the pro-
found. the learned and the brilliant
John did no miracle''-but there
are innumerable promises for the
faithful.
John stood for truth. He said
that Christ would thoroughly purge
His floor, that He would baptize with
the Holy Spirit and that He could
take away the sin of the world. and
II al! came to pass as he said. The
heroic prophet on the river bank
never compromised in matters of
principle. He was the same loyal
minister in Herod's palace as before
adm1ring crowds; he was the same
devout disciple in the Tower of An.
ton1a as he was in the wilderness,
Carlyle has said that ITO teach re.
ligion. the first things needed and
also the last and only thing is find.
ing OF man who has religion
man who has strength of character
enough to stand for truth and right
eousness.
Johns greatness was seen not
merely in his faithfu1ness but also
In his humility. Humility is not what
most men think it is. 1t is a COM
mon opinion that it consists in think
Ing meanly of oneself, of disparaging
oneself before others. How can a
man think meanly of himself when
he realizes that he is made in the
image OF God, that he possesses a di-
vine nature, that he is of sufficient
value to call forth the sacrifice of
the Son Of God? No; man was not
made to crawl but to climb. Hu-
nifty consists in willingness in
our greatness to stoop to the low
Hest children of earth and lift up
the fallen, comfort the sofroving,
strengthen the weak, to yield our
selves, as did Christ, willing sacri-
fees for our fellow men. John
knew the Importance of his COM
mission; he felt himself honored in
being selected to proclaim the COM
ing Messiah, yet he reckoned him
self mere voice crying in the will
derneSs, or bond-servant, un-
worthy to minister to his God. We
have read that an order being given
to adorn the walls of the House Of
Commons with pictures, Hayden sent
a petition to Parliament, asking that
he might have the privilege of paint
Ing one of them, and begged at the
same time that, 1t his request were
denied, he might be granted the
right to paint a single figure, and
that ii that should be refused, that
he should be allowed to put on few
touches. Fearing, lest even this last
desire should not be granted, he pc
titioned the government to let him
mix the colOrs for the artists, or
rather than be excluded entirely
from participation, permit him to
mold their brushes. So great and ey-
alted was the work to be done that,
with true artistic longing, he felt
that he would be honored in the low
llest service. Herein we lind the
secret of rue humility, the willing
ness to minister in the lowliest
places and to the most degraded Of
our fellow men, while possessing a
sense of our greatness as children of
the Highest, if only we can be used
of God in advancing His purposes in
the world
Still further, we see Johns great
ness revealed in his realization Of the
presence of Christ. To him the Mes
slah had ceased to be a coming de-.
lveref; He was a present leader, a
contemporary. Moved by this pro-
found conviction he felt as did the
Apostle Paul, that he mad but one
mission in life, to herald the presence
| Of his Lord.
Perhaps there is nothing that is
needed more to-day than a stronger
sense OF reality in our religious lives.
clearer vision Of the presence and
power Of God. We have in our
churches machinery CROUCH; we have
organizations and committees in
abundance. Have we forgotten that
without deep and abiding realiza-
ton of a living Christ these things
are vain?
What does drowning man desire
most of all? fine discourse on the
art OF swimming? A pamphlet on
the buoyancy of salt water? A sched-
ule OF statistics on physical en-
durance? Would not these things be
to him a mockery? What his soul
most desires is plank, a boat,
rope, a helping hand. What does
the needy world want more than all
else? A sermon on the art of spiri-
tual notation? A book on the up
lifting power OF human nature? A
statement regarding religious in
stincts? No; to an immortal being
engulfed by sin these are a mere
mockery. The world to-day is call
| ing for a real Saviour, one who is
actually present, to lift and strength
en- and guide. This is an age of ne
cations, an age in which slight refer
| ence is made to the blood atonement.
But the crying need of men, as of
old, is the preaching of Christ
crucified and risen Lord. BY faith
1--WE become identified with Him, by
faith We accent His sacrifice. by faith