Evening journal., 1916-02-04
Preparation for Service
Sermon preached yesterday afternoon


on the stone at Bethel; Moses, while
tending the flock among the foothills
Of Horeb; Samuel, as he lay in sleep
Ezekiel. in the land OF the Chaldeans
Peter on the housetop; and Paul
caught up into Paradise. And il was
prophesiod that one Of the evidences
Of the pouring out Of the Spirit OF
God upon all flesh would be. that the
old men should dream dreams and
the young men should see visions II
is essential that the divine Lordship
shall be idealized before it can be re-
allied. God must be present in the
heart before He can be manifest in
the action. His power must be felt
in the soul before IL can be evident
in the speech.
The scene which Isaiah witnessed
produced upon his mind most pro-
found impression. AS he saw the
ranks Of seraphim around and above
the throne. and as the great chorus
choir in the temple service responded
to the voice Of the officiating priest.
he seemed 10 hear the angels chant
ing in antiphonal strains which re-
sounded through the corridors OF On
temple; Holy, holy, holy. is the Lord
of Hosts; the whole earth is full Of
his glory" And as the smoke arose
from the sacrifice on the altar. IL
seemed that his entire being was filled
with the incense Of the divine Spirit,
Then he exclaimed, "WOe is me; for
] am undone, because ] am man OF
unclean lips, and dwell in the midst
OF a people OF unclean lips; for mine
eyes have seen the King. Jehovah Of
hosts"
This vision Of the being OF God is
essential for awakenening conviction
OF sin. It comes by contrast. The
only adequate conception of God is
through the personality OF His Son.
Jesus must be TO us the highest ideal
OF divinity; beyond Him Il is impos-
sible for the finite mind to 20. And Il
is the revelation OF His greatness
that reveals our poverty. Whenever
a person proclaims his own sinless-
ness 1t is evidence OF a limited con-
ception OF the character OF Christ
The apostle bade us Grow in grace
and knowledge OF our Lord and Sa-
viour Jesus Christi II VIC grew
simply in the grace OF our Lord IL
might be POSSIBLE sometime to ap-
proach our ideal; but il there be the
growth that God desires. we will grow
also in the knowledge Of our Lord.
lt ought TO mean far more today to
be Christian than IL ever meant be-
fore in the worlds history. II we are
not satisfied any longer to lumber
along in an old stage coach, or to
light our dwellings with the tallow
dip, but are ambitious for the linz
tied express and the electric light.
ought we not to expect the same ad-
vancement in our religious ideals?
AT the close OF one OF our after
noon services. a lady said to me, Il
am sorry that you ever came to this
place for meetings" "Why." I asked.
Well said she. before these ser
vices began 7 felt very we'll satisfied
but now am utterly disgusted with
myself Said I, Praise the Lordi'
/ Praise the Lord" said she! what
do you want TO praise the Lord for?'
Because you realize. as never before
your own spiritual needs. This rea,
lization OF our own needs This rea,
lization Of our own shortcomings Is
absolutely essential for any health,
growth and development in the Chris
tian life"
It is just as il there lived in som,
rural community a youth who haC
considerable natural talent as an
artist and his rude crayon and char
! coal sketches had been highly praise,
by his circle OF friends Finally Ia,
impulse seizes him to go to a larg,
city and there TO exhibit his pictures
He takes them to a great art gallery
and holds them up beside some IA
nous paintings OF the masters n,
feels utterly undone. in a sense dis
couraged Yet in another sense h'
has never been so near 10 becoming
great artist
So il is with the conception OF Tho
character OF our divine Lord. II mus
inevitably bring a sense OF our owl
unworthiness and a stronger sensi-
tiyeness to sin. The rising OF the sun
OF righteousness within the soul re-
veals as well as heals by the rad
lance of His presence faults and fail
ures before unsuspccted even by
oneself now are brought clearly into
view. Such a revelation is the parent
OF true humility For we are not
bold to number or compare ourselves
With certain Of them that commend
themselves; but they themselves
measuring themselves by themselves,
ana comparing themselves with them
selves. are without understanding.
q Cor 10: 12l
'ost as the appearance OF Jesus TO