News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1915-08-25

odist chapel where
gray-haired serv.
ant Of God was about to preach,
choosing for his text the passage
we have before us. Mr.. Spurgeon says
that this was the time and this the
text from which he dated his con-
version. Some ten years afterwards
he had the pleasure of standing in
this Methodist chapel and preaching
from the same text, the words of
which tell us two things concerning
Gods way of salvation.
A Simple Way.
/. The simplicity of the way-"Look
unto me and be saved" The way of
salvation has been made so simple
that the wayfaring man though a fool
need not err therein. Could anything
be simpler than just to, look away
from one object to another? From
the time when man first was lost from
God it has been simple thing to be
saved. Think of Gods treatment of
Adam after the fall He did not de-
mand that Adam do some great thing
to save himself. but, coming down, he
made for the man a coat in which
he might appear before him. 1t did
not require much reasoning power to
wear a coat already provided. When
the prodigal son returned to the ia
Their, the father ordered the best robe
to be brought and placed upon him,
hpv yroc n1nfhod onH fir
to go into the fathers house again.
1t required no great understanding to
allow the robe to be placed upon him.
The word is that ito as many as re-
ceived him (Jesus), to them gave he
power to become the sons Of Cod"
Think of Noah being invited into the
ark. 1t was not difficult thing for
him to step across the threshold and
be saved, but it was that step that
settled his destiny. Today the Lord
says 81 am the door, by me if any man
enter in, he shall be saved" How
easy a matter to cross the threshold
and be safe!
Difficulties to Be Overcome.
II. The difficulty Of the way-"Look
at me-" Put the emphasis on the
word me" The great difficulty in
being saved is to really look away
from everything else to him alone. The
people to whom Isaiah was writing
were looking to their idols, and he
was attempting to draw their trust
away from them to God, in whom
alone salvation could be found. The
same trouble exists today because of
idols In America today to which many
of the people are looking for saliva
ton. One Of them might be termed
the good mans idol and one the bad
mans idol. The one the good man
trusts in Is sincerity, and 1t has many |
devotees. 1t says If man follows
his conscience and does what he |
thinks he ought to do that he will be |
saved of a certainty. The apostle |
Paul worshiped the same idol, be- |
cause he says, 81 verify thought within |
myself that ought to do many things |
contrary to the way" What Paul |
thought he ought to do he attempted |
to do. He was sincere man, willing |
to go to any expense to do what he
thought he should do.
Reformation Inadequate.
The other great idol, the bad mans,
might be called reformation. This |
says that the man is to turn over a
new leaf and begin again, to put away
the things which are known to be
to quit this or that evil thing
and to change his way of living gen.
orally. 1t would be a good thing If
some men would change their way of
life, but merely changing the outside
would never secure salvation from
God. We do what we do because we
ire what we are. This is why Nico-
lemus must be turned from his relig-
Gus ceremonies, and Nathaniel from
lis prayers, although all these are
rood things in their place. Some years
Ego the U. S. S. Oregon went aground
m the coast of China near the port
# Shanghai and comparatively near
yanton. 1t was discovered that a dry |
ock would be necessary to make the |
leeded repairs, sand neither of these
'orts had such. Il became essential
or the salvation of the vessel that she II
e taken to Nagasaki. in Japan. She
ould be cleaned or coaled, and even
ictualed in the nearer ports, but all
would be valueless unless. the boat
ould be placed in a dry dock The
amage must be repairedeif the ship
vas to be saved.