The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-06-09
LITTLE SERMONETTES
BY THE PASTOR.

in the principles underlying our social
! structure TO allow much beauty or Sc
curity in the structure to be built upon
such foundation. Efforts at reforma.
! ton are not very costly in energy cX.
| pended, nor are these efforts very pain
! full; and it is for this reason that the
remedy is sought in mere reformation.
instead Of regeneration, which is ncccs-
sarily very painful Lust and appetite,
and passion die hard; and while nearly
everybody would he willing TO separate
from these, yet there are but few who
arc determined to cut loose from them.
IL costs much Of sacrifice. and rs in
tensely painful If society is to be
what ii ought to be new laws must he
adopted and enforced. The old laws,
''Ye have heard that It hath been said
by them OF old time must be dis.
placed by the, "but | say unto you =
commands, II YOU follow lust and ap.
petite, and passion. and love and greet
only your own kind, "what do yc more
than others?f
The regeneration of society is so
closely related to the regeneration of
The individual that 1T would appear at
first thought. to depend entirely npon
the regeneration of the individual.
However. this is not really true, no more
than the regeneration of the nation is
dependent on the regeneration of all
its people, But | will say this. that the
regenera ton of both the nation and so
cicty are more easily secured if the in
dividual citizen and member of society
is first rcgeneratcd These two would
naturally follow if all the individuals
are regeneratcd This brings MS to the
regeneration of man. Except a man
be born again, he cannot sec the king
dom of God. -
[ suppose that almost every human
being who has grown to the years of
accountability has Mt some period of life
undertaken 10 reform his or her life.
This has been tried by resolution, by
an effort AT turning about and facing
the other direction; by supreme effort
of the Will. And vet, who has not found
himself or herself handicapped in the
race by the almost overwhelming temp
tation accompanied by the old desire TO
crafty lust, appetite. or passion. And
these desires not having been eradi-
Gated or DESTROYED have become strong
er than resolution or will. and the life
has taken on fresh pollution. This cX
pcriencc Is So common, so almost uni
versal, that il is unnecessary for mo
TO further emphasize II. If then we
are 10 attain to the desired end and
gain the life of freedom from pollution
ana IlNe IN inns freedom. there, OF ne
cessity must be regeneration, a new
life.
] may not be able TO comprehend the
mysteries surrounding regeneration, but
do recognize in my own experience
the necessity of tins new birth. If !
live the new life. | must have n life
divorced from the old desires, a life
freed from the old habits. life of new
desires, life made up of habits formed
in harmony with the new desires
Christ told Nicodcmus that the new
birth was birth of the Spirit, and
that as those Israeiites who were bitten
by the scrpents were given new life by |
n look at the serpent of brass upon the
pole sci in the midst of the camp so
we who want this new life are to re.
ceive il by looking 10 Himself as He
hangs upon the cross. And as rcgcn-
Grafton is n necessity in my life and
yours, and as 1t Is God s plan to give
us the new life by looking 10 the Christ
of Calvary, as for me ! shall avail my
self of His plan. and look and live. |
do look and live. and so may YOU