The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-07-20

know" replied the doctor, but I
have a harder question, "Why did
He choose me?" This it was that
puzzled Paul. Why did He choose
me? Me-" he exclaims, who am
less than the least" Why me?
OF course you know the word hui
mility'' has changed it's meaning. In
olden times it was a sinister word
a word of slaves. Hardly could you
oyer a man a greater insult than te
call him humble. On the upturned
statue of Rameses, unearthed the
other day amid the ruins Of Men,
phis, is found this inscription: Il am
King of Kings. If any one wants to
know how great I am. let him try to
surpass one of my works" That was
the old appraisement. The world &C.
cepted you at your own valuation.
Therefore put the price as high as
possible. Once humility was a. stig-
ma. To-day it is a compliment.
| Christ took the hateful word and
made 1t honorable. 1t is the Chris
tian's loveliest virtue and his crown
ing grace. The old order OF chfVa!ry
has passed away. IT'S the NEE VINO
are mighty now.
Can a life become humble apart
from God? I will answer that ques-
,tion by asking another. Can a straw
! berry ripen without the sun? The
strawberry will grow and get juice
and color; but no berry ever had Its
sour sap changed into sweetness
| without the shining of the sun. 1t
| takes the whole solar system to grow
a berry. And it takes the power OF
| the Haly Spirit, the third person of
| the Trinity. to grow a simple grace
like humility. Ruskin says that II
you were to cut a square inch out OF
| Turner's skies you would find the In
finite in it. Just so, the lowliest
| grace is rooted in the Infinite. Where
is boasting then? 1t is excluded.
Grace shows Boosting to the door and
| bows it out.
II. He's a man characterized by
the gift of grace.
God resisteth the proud but Civ
eth grace unto the humble" Unto
me was this grace given" Was"
past tense. The great apostle to the
| Gentiles preached not because he. was
| gifted oratorically. Not because he
| felt a JOY in the exercise, but because
hs had been anointed. ITO me was
this grace given" The preacher
may have the strength of a Hercules,
the heart of a Howard, the tongue
| of a Cicero, the courage OF a Luther,
the passion of a St. Francis. He may
have all these things and fail. Not
until h. is given an JUNCTION from
| above IS he equipped for mis- work.
| His succers depends not on the depth
Of his thought or the sparkle OF his
style, but on the baptism of his Lord.
| He must be sure that God has spoken
to him before he can venture to speak
to others. Does he come from some
university? Then he can lift us to
learning. Does he come from some
school of music? Then he can lift us
to art. Does he come to us from
some Parliament? Then he can lift
us to politics. But il he would lift
US to God he must come from the sc.
cret of His presence. He must have
the fragrance of the Kings garden.
If he would lead US to Zion he must
know the way there. He should
wear the halo of the Infinite.
Now what is grace? Let US be
quite sure that We are travelling on
familiar lanes. It is not an aesthetic
outfit. Gracefulness' is, but not
grace. 1t is not a mere soft senti'
mental emotion. It is not simply
good will. 1t ts a great tidal flow.
It is the divine heart at work in the
world. Gods love as az energy 60
ing out to the sinner-that is grace.
You do not know much of village
pumps here in New York. Perhaps
You have never felt their interesting
romance. Do you remember those
| old wooden pumps in the country!
You had to wsrk hard to get any
water, and sometimes you had first
10 pour water in to get any out. How
different from a spring! A pump
labers, but a spring bubblee. Grace
is not love that is pumped out. Ii
is love that bursts out. l. is n spon'
taneous, gushing, artcsian. 1t is the
outrush Of .te love OF God. Love
with us is a passion. Love with US
is an attribute. 1t ia the great card
attribute Of the Divine Essence.
III. He is intrus:sd With q mes.
sage. And he must not change the
mcssagc-net a ~dipthons Of it. Can
the telegraph boz change the, tele-
gram? No: that is cot his province.
The APOSTLE to the Gentiles Is our
model. Never for one moment was
he in doubt az TO what he ought to
proclaim. 1t was not always pleas
ant. Sometimes it. was unpleasant
| and unwclcome. The faith he says
was once delivered to the saints. 1t
was not invented by them. 1t was
handed down TO them 1t was deliv-
cred. Nay, stronger than that. 1t
was "oncc for all" deliyered-deliV-
cred, be means, in It's completeness.
The minister is a voice. h mes.
sage does not belong to him. He be-
longs to the message. Preaching is
not a man using the truth. 1t is
truth using the man. He does not
possess II. He is possessed BY il. He
bears the burden Of a divine urgency.
Ever should we be on guard lest We
forget that the true minister is q
prophet, not a soothsaEer; not a fore
| tcller-a forthtellcr. He IS not NOV
ing away over there IN the realm CT
the remote. He is living here 10 tile
present. He deals with the tWcnti-
| eth century, not the tw~cnty-fret. He
is a man of his age. He is a living
voice. lie speaks for God. He is
| the interpreter of Col. Ills Office is
possiblc only to the basis of a rcVcla-
ton. He is the exponent OF a com
mission.
= 49, ~ - ~ c c nm Y