West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-05-06
THE SONS OF GOD
GODS PLAN IS VITAL
Annual Sermon Before the Baptist
General Association of West
Virginia in Session at Anderson
Delivcrcd by Rev. w. II. Bay
les.

where. there had fallen upon my spirit
"A shroud of gloom, thick. dark. de-
spairing. Care. doubt. distrust. "A very
legion of demons. had besieged my
soul. and my spirit was crushed II
was in fact the bluest sort OF blue
Monday" | had promised To be pres
ent this morning at the opening of the
public school and speak at the chapel
services. AS | drew near there were
before me some two hundred care
iree' gleeful happy children. laugh
ing. leaping shrieking. in full aban-
don TO the ecstasies OF Childhood's
playtme. From somewhere came the
challenge Child of God! Why this
sadness" And the cheering saluta-
lions of those children came as buoy
ant breezes some fresh May morning
lifting the clouds and clearing the way
Tor day of glorious sunshine. NV
sonship became to me that day "A glad
der reality, and life took on more
abundant measure. My thought his af
ternoon is Of
The SONS OF GOD
My text is Ephesians l:4-G. He
choose us in Him before the foundation
OF the world that we should be holy
and without blemish before Him in
love; having foreordained us unto
adoption as sons through Jesus Christ
unto himself; according to the good
pleasure OF his will. unto the praise
of the glory of his grace"
These are great words. great with
depths of meaning that il is not our
purpose now to explore. But linger-
ing here, may we gain clearer vision
and gather strength and incentive for
the tasks to which we shall presently
return
l. Gods Eternal Plan is to Surround
Himself with a Great Family of
Children Who Shall be Conformed
to the Image of His Son Jesus
Christ
ON the pinions of this great pro-
phets vision we are carried hack over
the bloody marshes. the green 6elds
the vine-clad hills OF human history
back beyond the mist-enveloed foot
nils OF prehistoric time, back still be-
yond the white capped mountain peass
oI creation into the limitless deep of
Eternity. Here i'm the vastness. robed
III glory, thronged i'm majesty. sits tbe
Almighty Father OF the Ages and NJ
our spirits. in the unapproacbabIe
aloneness of Diety, I'm counsel. In the
mind OF the infinite there lies clearly
the plan of the ages that are TO he
The throbbing heart of that plan. tbe
one thing into which the Eternal
rather pours His infinite affections is
that He may surround Himself with
q great family Of children. each of
whom shall be like unto the Eternal
Dearly Beloved, and Only Begotten
Son. Thus amid all that we do not
know OF the deep things in the pur-
pose of God this can we say with con
yiction. that
GODS PLAN IS VITAL.
II has to do with human life upon
the earth The age-long work of crea-
tion in which the visible universe was
brought into being. was but for the
furthcr creative word of the Almighty
Let us make man i'm our image and
after our likeness and let him have
rule over these works of ours" The
breath OF God in his nostrils const-
tuted him a living soul, the Offspring
OF the Eternal Father, the delight and
presently the grief of his heart but
always the centre OF His great love
plan. Human life was sacred prico-
less. Around il were thrown all sac
red ministries OF law. sacrifices and
ceremonies institutions for the nur-
ture and culture OF life holy because
diyinely ordered for their ministry In
HE But these things, however HOLY.
were less holy than life. Not boIv
things but holy lives was ever the aim
OF the Creator. Alas that man did NOT
comprehend it, With the passing ont
OF his mind OF the true conceptior of
the Father, there passed out also tho
true conception of the sacredness Of
human life. Life became cbeap Tho
very things that were meant for tba
nurture Of life swung round the con
ire Of his thought and human life was
made to pay the forfeit. Again and
again has tie earth been soaked with
priceless human blood. Life sacrificed
in The mistaken interest of that which
had been designed to serve and safe
guard life I'm the divine plan All crea
ton was for ministry TO human ufo
The holy hosts Of Heaven are minister
ing spirits sent forth to do service 10
the heirs Of God and his grace Sacred
places sacred seasons. sacred tempIes
sacred fcasts. the sacred priegtbood
sacred ordinances.the whole parapher-
naIia OF ecclesiasticism and sacerdo-
lalism are cut away by the sweeping
statement OF Jesus. God is a Shirt
and those who worship him must wor-
ship him i'm spirit and I'm truth" Tho
most sacred institutions. even the Sab
bath. most sacred I'm the esteem OF
those who heard Him, lie declared ~
be made for man and not man for
them. In His care for the interests Of
man God has been wonderfully kind.
Each soul that awaKens here may ex-
claim with Walt Whitman.