Norwich bulletin., 1909-02-15
Missing the Grace Of God the Subject
of Rev. Charles n. Ricketts, at Con-
sregational Church Sunday Morning
Other Notes of the Village.

At the GreeneVille Congregational
church Sunday morning Rev. Charles
II. Ricketts, delivered a scholarly and
interesting sermon on Missing the
diligently lest any man fail Of the grace
of God. Hebrews 1915.
The speaker said in part:
1t is one Of the great pathetic facts
Of all Christian history as far as we
can see that men by their deliberate
slnfulness fail OF the grace Of God.
Every great promise Of God is condi
tional. Christ died on the cross that
grace might become the common hsr1-
tage Of mankind. But mankind must
do something before 1t can become a
personal possession. Even free grace
will not force itself upon unwilling
hearts. It is the man who thinks
enough Of the grace Of God to stretch
forth his hands after 1t who gets it..
Tt is just the same in grace as it is in
the common things Of life. Look about
you and you will find that the men
and women who are the greatest sue
cesses in their various trades and pro-
fessions are those who have stretched
forth their hands with the greatest en-
ergy and wisdom. We miss the grace
of God when we let II slip by us
through lack OF energy St Paul in
writing the passage Looking diligently
lest any man lall OF AIAb grace VI NrpN
meant by the word fail Coming short
Of" And that testing question that we
Christians need to apply to ourselves
as well as to the unbeliever is Are you,
am I, falling short Of the grace Of
| God.
what ST. Paul is seeking TO DO by
| this passage is to hold out warning
| or a caution lest we fail of the grace
\ of God. This caution implies three
I - p n
Importance of Grace.
II ought not to require any elaborate
/ argument to show that the grace OF
! God working in and through our hearts
| is Of supreme importance. II the worlc
were divided into two parts, putting al
| the protesting Christians on one SIDE
/ and all the non-professing and non
| practicing people on the other, sim
| gle glance would be quite enough tc
/ satisfy one which OF the two Is wor-
\ thler. II we look into a good mans
\ heart we shall find that his aspirations
/ lead him to desire to be truly obedien'
| TO the will Of God. Now the principle
/ to true obedience lies in the grace
/ which he offers freely to every man
Therefore its supreme Importance.
Ease Of Requirement.
Il As impossible to read the Biblc
/ with any degree Of intelligence withoU
perceiving with the utmost clearnes'
that this inestimable blessing is no
only revealed to our view but pressed
upon our acceptance. By looking dill
gently" as st. Paul says, grace may b.
acquired. Would 1t be reasonable 70,
the Bible to command impossib',
things Is II not one great merit Of tn
Bible-parhaps the greatest merit-tha
it always commands US to do not ONLY
what we ought to do but what we car
do by putting forth a reasonable
amount Of exertlon?
Danger of Shortening.
Why did st. Paul express himsel
with such earnestness unless it wa
very possible that we should conn
short Of grace? Let him that thinketl
he standeth take heed lest he fall. I
may be that there has been a wonder
full reformation in your character AM
conduct, radical change Of heart, bu
unless YOU are watchful and exercis
the greatest care you may come shor
of the grace Of God.
| Let US Join IN a prayer Of David
Hold up my goings IN thy paths tina
my footsteps slip not.