The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1909-12-10


| ing, our thanks continue. We were
lifted from the horrible pit aud the
| miry clay of sin aud condemnation
and our feet were placed upon the
| Rock Christ Jesus. II was In conSe-
| quence of this that n new song was
| put into our mouth, even the loving
| Kindness of our God. And this Is the
| first cause for our thankfulness. All
other blessings rest upon this blessing
| and all other thanksgivings should
properly. therefore. include thanks for
this blessing.
Additionally after being justified we
were indicted into a still further grace
or privilege, namely, the privilege Of
| becoming members of the Body of
| Christ, members of the mystery"
class. The invitation to this class the
Apostle expresses thus Il beseech you
brethren. by the mercies of God (your
| justitcation that We present your
bodies living sacrifice. holy. accept
able unto God. which Is your reason
able service" (Romans xii. II. Through
this grace or privilege. If accepted, we
gain the opportunity of change Of
nature-from human to Divine. Our
human nature justified, cleansed. made
acceptable to God as II sacrifice
through the merit of Christ, il sdcri-
| feed on us faithfully. will be replaced
by spirit nature and glory. honor. i'm
mortality. joint-heirship. with our Lord
and Head. What cause we have in
this for thanksgiving! What shall we
render unto the Lord our God for all
his benefits towards us? I'VE will
take the cup of salvation this cup, the
cup of self-sacritice, and call upon the
name of the Lord for assistance to
drink of the Masters cup. We will
pay our vows of conservation unto the
Lord-publicly before all his people"
psalm cxvi. l2-l4,.
Every Joy he sends me
Comes sweet and glad surprise"
The very fact that we do not know
everything; the fact that we are ever
learning as pupils In the School of
Christ. so far from being a cause of
disappointment. Is Il source of pleas
ure. The heart that has come into
faith-union and communion with the
Lord learns something more daily re-
specting the Heavenly Fathers love
and care, and each fresh item of
knowledge is a new well-spring of
pleasure. He satistieth the longing
soul" Blessed are they that hunger
and thirst after righteousness, for they
shall be filed" Goodness and mercy
follow me all the days of my life"
These are the experiences Of those ripe
Christians called upon by the Apostle
to give thanks unto God in every mat
ter and to know that this Is Gods will
in respect to all those who are mem
bers of Christ-"in Christ Jesus
psalm evil. 0; Matthew v. 6; Psalm
xiii. O..
Thanks Through Tears.
Let us not overlook the fact that ouI
text indicates that we are to give
thanks for our sorrows. our trials, ouI
disappointments, as we'll as for our
joys and pleasures. for everything in
cludes all things. Nor is this the only
Scripture to this effect. Hearken &c
the Apostles words which urge the
members of Christ to rejoice in tribu
lation. not because tribulation Is JOY
producer. but, as he explains, Tribu
lation works out additional patience
and patience brings additional expert
ence and larger experience brings lar
ger hope, until we are not ashamed OF
our tribulations. because of increased
love of God shed abroad in our hearts
thereby (Romans V, 3; viii, 35).
The basis of all these blessings and
rejoicings both as respects the future
and the present experiences is faith
First, in the fact that there is q God
Second. in the fact that he has a noble
character. Third, in the fact that his
Wisdom. Justice. Love and Power are
Fourth. in the fact that all of those
powers are enlisted in the salvation OF
the world. Fifth, in the fact that that
salvation began to be worked out by
our Lord at his First Advent. Sixth
in the fact that it is still working out
in the selection of his Church Sew
enth, in the fact that shortly it viii
begin to take practical shape in the es
Establishment of Christ's Milennial King
|
that Kingdom blessing shall extend
to every creature of our race.
So, then. let every man to the extent
Of his enlightenment appreciate and
confess the Almighty God and give
thanks unto his name. because he is
good and because his mercy endureth
forever And let those who have tast-
ed of his grace pursue on. that they
may grow in grace, grow in knowl-
edge. grow in faith and grow in char
acter-ikeness to our God. And let his
saints addressed in this text more and
more appreciate their wonderful privi-
lege, their high calling of God in Christ
Jesus-to be heirs of God and joint
heirs with Jesus Christ our Lord-if so
be that they suffer with him. that they
may be also gloritied together And
knowing that they have need of faith
and patience and character develop
ment, let these firmly trust the Great
Teacher, come what may. and give
thanks for every experience of life,
knowing that our Father is too wise to