Semi-weekly herald., 1910-04-14
FAREWELL coUNsELs.

"a Sermon preached On Sunday,
April 10. by Rev Alexander Turnbull
Acting Pastor OF the Baptist church,
Watch ye. stand fast in the faith,
quit you like men. be strong, Let all
your things be done In love" | Cor.
1914, IA.
When the time comes 10 say fare
well, there are 80 many things one
ought TO say. SO many one would like
TO say, that 1t is difficult to choose
Alright. or having chosen. 10 feel sure
that The appropriate message has been
given Under the circumstances 1t Is
helpful 10 come to the spired word and
10 feel that the messages there record
ed for the instruction and guidance OF
Gods people of old. passing through
similar experiences. are still profita'
Bile for us. Especially does 1t seem
so with the words of Paul the chosen
and appointed teacher OF the churches
of Christ, who never closes his dis
cussion OF the loftiest and most I'M
portant themes. without letting the
warmth of his heart and the tender
ness of his spirit appear in the loving
helpful exhortations addressed to his
converts. | have chosen, therefore,
these words from l. Corinthians, be.
cause they contain some of the things
! am anxious to impress upon your
minds and hearts in these closing days
OF my stay with you.
l. Watchfulness. In this exhorta-
lion TO watch. we have an echo of
the Masters oftrepeaied injunction to
his disciples, and we may well gather
from the prominence given 10 It, that
we have here truth of The first i'm
poriance. The Christian must be vigi-
liant always and for various reasons.
First, because of his own weakness
aud danger from temptation and the
assaults of the devil Second, because
the welfare aud honor OF the church
of Christ are committed to his keeping
And. finally, because only thus can
he be in the right attitude toward his
Lord. when He comes again. The
Christian then. must be on his guard
because while in the world, he is
constantly exposed 10 Influences thai
have tendency to make him indif
ferent 10 duty and to lead him into
sinful ways. The world is not a friend
to God. and is quick to criticize and
sneer at the Christian for failure. even
while 1t encourages him TO follow its
pursuits and he governed by It's prin
clples. The very first one to point
to the Inconsistencies of The Christian
and to stamp him as hypocrite, are
those worldly people who try to get
him 10 act like themselves and re-
ioice in his downfall Be careful, there
fore. 10 maintain he conduct of true
followers of Christ. thai We may be
blameless and harmless, the Sons of
God without rebuke in the midst of a
NfoDhtu anu ptTNtISt HdIlOll.
There is also the danger to he guard
cd against in the increasing efforts of
HE devil to lead us astray. We are
like soldiers in the enemy's country,
not knowing when or where we shall be
exposed to attack, and we must for
cur own safety and the welfare of the
f.. lA
guard TO keep ourselves from sin and
the cause of Christ from reproach
The unfaithful Christian not only
brings condemnation upon himself, but
dishonor upon the church, and thus
the enemy of souls gets double ad
vantage and works untold harm. See
our part TO prevent the devil from
marring or destroying the work of
God, either in your own life or in the
life of the church. Moreover. the
Lord is coming again TO take account
of his servants, and He warns us that
If We would receive the reward that
comes to the faithful ones, we must
be ever watching, for we know moi
the day nor the day of His return.
Our work must be done as under His
eye and ready for His inspection, so
that we may please Him and gladly
welcome his appearing
3 Stand fast in the faith. Stedfast-
ness is much needed virtue In these
days We have had committed TO
our guardianship as Christians the
truth of God and it is required of us
that we hold and obey it to the end.
1t has always been the fundamental
principle of our faith as Baptists, that
we hold to the word of God. and to that
alone, as the source of all our teach.
lnSs and practice: and there never
was day when that truth needed
more emphasis than it does now
degenerate church; an obedient and
loyal people keeping the command
ments of Jesus because we love Him
a church that welcomes every truth
sustained by the teachings of the word
and every believer in Jesus who shows
his spirit and walks in His footsteps
this is what we should stand for with
nnyielding fidelity. Let us exalt Jesus