The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-09-08
WITH GOD
is ESSENTIAL
Produces Unity Of Purpose and
Desire Says Rev. Merrill

NJ. T.. church. spoke yesterday morn
ing from the text: John l5:l-l6.
The last supper was ended Jesus
had been talking Ia His disciples about
Ills going away and coming of the
Comforter; had encouraged them
that they might not lose faith IN
Him and had explained other things
If II spiritual nature, but they had
not understood these things. lie had
dismissed them and as they are put
ting on their sandals ready tn go,
Jesus thinks of this alleeory that
may help them to understand their
! relation Ia Him. After the events of
! the morrow are past and the evening
| finds His body wrapped ia burial
clothes ana laid in the tomb and In
| the days 10 follow they may find en-
| couragament in the thought Of the
vine ana the branches. And so He
| fingers 4 moment or perhaps talks
| with them as they walk along the way
| toward tne Mount 81 Olives and the
| garden of G.thsemenc, 81 I'm tho
| vine, We are the branches, abide in
Me and | in YOU
! Perhaps the thing uppermost in
His thought was 10 teach His disci
pies their unity with Him. and their
dependence on Him and His depend
ence upon them. The branch is a
part Of the vine and the vine, while
| il may live without the branch. yet
1 To Ia,
other words, they receive their If"
through Him ana IL. expresses Ills
life through them. The union of the
branch and the vine is an organic
unon-a branch may be tied on To n
vine bu. it wi'hers and dies. 1t may
be nailed on or fastened securely in
some other way. but il does not pat
take of the life Of the vine. There
is no vital union. the branch and vine
are two distinct and separate things
Put in living union they are on"
the branch receiving it's life through
the vine and the vine bringing forth
it's fruit through the Eranch. The San
ilows M from the roots and out into
the farthercst branch with the ut
most freedom. Paul speaks OF IN,
Gentiles as being grated into the
trees ana this may serve as an H.
/, Illustration at the oneness al life be
tween Christ ana His diciples. for th'
graft IS 50 out and the tree Is so en-
, that when they are placed togethe
the sap of the tree can flow through
the veins Of the graft. then whei
property adjusted it IS covered viii
wax or clav to keep ont all eXtran
cous substances until the wound Il
, tcaled and that which WAS grated II
becomes as much "a part % the tre'
as if it had grown there in The be
ginning There is oneness of life
And this expresses the vital rela
i, ,,onship OF Christ and His diciples II
spiritual ,hings-"I in them and tho'
i'm Me, that they may be one as W
j, are one" There are many expires
A., sions of this relationship in the ne'
testament. Paul speaks in ines
, words: II live and yet not l. chrls
liyctb in me" -. John writes: III
9 that hath the Son hath life; he th;,
: hath not the Son If God hath n"
4, life" The graft is II strikig Illus
j., ration Of the retention of the indi
yiduality of the man who becomes
Christian. The graft does not lose IL
!, ,naiyiduality. but continues To be II
:. self. to bear its own likeness. yet
:. receives its life from 2nothei' An
ON II is with the disciple Paul neVe
>. becomes like Peter. nor Peter INK
Paul The unity of life in Christ pro
ducos a unity of purpose ana desir'
WE a-, Taught To pray Thy kine
dom come. thy will bc done IN cart
n as it IS done in heaven. 1t ~ "
: most natural prayer possible, II
are true disciples, partakers Of the III
|. vine life
-, We believe Gods viii To he III
"a highest and best of everything IL
a His children and So every on" VINO
d seeking the well being OF his fe'o
~ man is n branch that is bearing iru'
~ !, have = friend who Is in the chi'
labor bureau ! have another VINO
= +, missionary I'm China, and anoth'
il who is AN evangelist, another ~
teacher and others are working
:. otber WAYS for the helping and say
- ing of their brothers; they are u
y branches of the true vine rcceNi'
life and inspiration from the Maste
II Is the purpose of God that u
n world should he filed with holy, nal
- nv men and women and children
universal brotherhood, who sha
know God as their Father. ana ~
ONLY Degotten Son ~ their Broth
on and R,decmer There can II"
" ouostion but Cod works through me
" for the establishment Of His pm
noses. A multitude Of names con
before us through whom God IA
wrought great thngs-Paul, Luth'
Wesley. washington, Lincoln, MOOD
w Sankey. The names are too many
mention and there are more VINO
names are unknown to the world
- the national cemeteries of our la'
lie i5O. 900 nameless soldiers. hut
Honor them all for each gave his v
for his country and co in the bui'di
Of the Kingdom Ut God there
more whose names are unknown IN
- known. who are one with their J.
vine Master.