The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-01-04

1
en- the Name Of the Lord. Viii Pay My
Vows Unto the Lord" psalm cxyi, ~
Il Peseech You, Brethren, by the Mercies
Of God. That Yc Present Your Bodies Living |
Sacrifice, Holy and Acceptable Unto Cod and
Your Reasonable Service (2omans XII, y.
ooOr.-.-.-.-.-s-.-.-.-.-.-
Once made and accepted by the Lord
through the importation of the holy
Spirit. 1t cannot be annulled. Eat why
should we wish to unnul the Vow
Why should anyone who puts his hand
to tie plow look back? To use the
Apostles Illustration. why should the
sow that was washed return 20 wal.
lowing in the mire? why should we,
after having renounced the world and
received the begetting Of the holy Spir.
It, and after having tasted of the good
Word of God and the powers of the
Age to come. lose the precious taste
and appreciation of these. and return
In craving to the beggarly elements of
the world? Surely there are no good
reasons for so doing. Surely the joys
of the present life. as well rs the hopes
of the Kingdom to come. all should en-
courage us to fully ''set our affections
on things above and not on the things
beneath"
The world, the flesh and the Adver-
sary-all exercise influences contrary
to our Vow or Resolution to the Lord
to be dead to the world and to self
that we may be alive wit; Christ and
| share his glOry-suf'Nr va him. that
we may reign with u The poet has
expressed he proper t.Irught here, say
ing,
my soul. be on thy guard.
Ten thousand foes arise:
The hosts of sin are pressing hard
To draw thee from the prize
Much of our success In keeping our
Vow of Conservation depends upon
two things:
a. The clearness of our grasp of the
situation when we made our Vow and
the thoroughntss Of our Intentions; the
amount or weight thereof; the will
power eXerted for righteousness.
| (2j An additional feature of great
weight in the matter is the degree of
| Oll huON ltAlBts II 10 III llhI hllh NhAo
thought that the Scriptures declare,
MY people perish for lack of knOwI-
edge" God has given US his Word
and Informed US that it Is profitable
for doctrine, for reproOf and for cor
rection In righteousness, that the man
of God may he thoroughly furnished
He has advised us to search the Scrip
| tam al "a,
bling of ourselves together. And
where his advice liz followed and the
Scriptures are searched daily, not In
n formal manner, but with n desire to
know and to do the Lords will ana to be
guided In his way, n strengthening OF
the will Is effected. COrrespondlngly
there is weakening Of the evil In
nuenccs which oppose us ns New Crea-
lures and our Vow. The Word of God
Is so arranged as to provide meat In
| due season" for all of his faithful peo-
pie. whether old or young, In every
time. AS babes In Christ" MS young
men and as full-grown sons of God, 1t
Is for each of US IL storehOuse of Grace
and Truth, to make us strong In the
| iDiu anu Wv pOMtl VI illHl''
Only by apprOprlating this spiritual
food can wa have strength to fulfil our
Vow. to finish our course with JOY and
to attain the Kingdom. Item by Item,
0s our minds are able TO grasp its un-
| folding prospects of glory, honor and
| immortality. we are thereby strength
enGd by the Lords might In the inner
man.
In proportion as we realize the facts
OF the case we may appreciate what "A
great bargain the Lord has offered us.
We surrender In consecration our
earthly rights, privileges and pleasures.
and receive IN return more happifying
spiritual blessings In the present life
and the Inheritance of the unspeaknble
blessings and glorles of the future. 1t
should, therefore, become much more
easy to pay our Vows with willing
heart, as we grow In grace and In
knowledge of the Lord aud his Word.
Indeed. as the Apostle suggests, II Is
possible for us to reach the place where
we can rejoice In tribuatlon ALSO
knowing that thereby our future bless
Ing Is Increased
"What Shall Rendsr7'
As the consccrated believer consid-
ers what God has already done, and
what he proposes yet 10 do for his
faithful, gratitude wells up In his heart
and his inquiry H. what shall rem
DER unto the Lord for all his beneitsY'
The more he considers the matter, the
more he realizes that his talents and
opportunities are necessarily small, In
Significant Ii Is from this standpoint
that the poet wrote, 20 for n thousand
tongues TO sing my great Redeemcr's
praise"
1t IN well indeed to show our apprc
citation OF Gods grace by songs OF
thankfulncss and praise, but we are tc
remember that not merely poetic Gu
dences are oar acceptable songs, but
that from the proper standpoint life