South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-01-29
SIN IN EDEN IS
PASTORS SUBJECT
Nature is Aid of God in His
Appeal to His Children
Says Minister.

The first sin was treated in the
sermon by Rev John NJ Alexander
At the First Christian church last
night. He used as his text Genesis
go. where God sought Adam after
his sinful indulgence and asked him
Where art thcu?"
THE voice and call 81 God is that
OF parental love, which seeks 10 save
every erring, wandering child and
lead him home 10 the Fathers
house" he said Man is Gods child
and the call OF God is the summons
and arraignment 10 self-exercise and
examination.
God wants His children 20 under
stand their royal natures and divine
prerogatives. And. really when the
ear hears the real heart throb OF
human anxiety. man alike thirsts
and longs for God.
Calling Upon Men.
so tonight the Father comes
through His church and ambassa-
doris. with all the power Of loving
persuasion and high motive calling
upon men everywhere 10 repent and
do the works meet for righteous
ness. In this call there is not a
shadow OF constraint through COM
pulsion. nor the slightest Interior
ence with human freedom; God just
wants 10 direct II into the right
channels OF activity
The call is individual and uni
versaI Jesus Christ came TO seek
and 10 save that which was lost. The
heavenly powers cannot rest until
the last man OF the last backward
race OF the farthest pagan shore has
heard the message OF unutterable
love and fOTgiving mercy.
The last command of the Master
vas, Go into all the world and
preach the gospel TO every creature
The partialistic God Of Calvanistic
favoritism is today only a Pigment
il the memory OF church historians.
Nature His Aids.
God calls through nature. God
not only calls through revelation, but
lie calls through the myriad voices
of nature. The rising and setting of
the sun, the decay Of the giant oak,
ne change Of faces and the ever
filing cemeteries the migrauons OF
our loved ones as they go from us
seeking health and strength tell the
story of natures uuCeasing change.
progress and fluctuatiOn. Before
we are aware of the fact we find
ourselves walking down the wester-
ing slope TO meet God and eternity.
God calls through natural law for
the reverence and obedience OF man.
God calls through conscience.
There is a slark of divinity in every
man. for God made man in His
image. We carry about with us the
whole machinery OF judicature.
The call of the enlightened con-
science is imperative. A man may
follow his conscience and go TO hell
out il he fails 20 follow its leading
he is sure Of that abode Instinct
in all lower animal life. which. later
IN man. perhaps. formed basis for
his conscience. never deceives. The
duck migrates, the beaver builds his
dam. the squirrel stores his larder
for the future. Man is the greatest
failure In the universe IL his con-
science and it's pleadings for prep
aration for eternal life are untrue
"In conclusion. God calls YOU to-
night TO reflect on your place and
position Too many men are giving
God and His church absent treat
ment' In ten thousand WAYS God
is calling His children unto Himself
lie is calling through His church.
lie is calling through the lives Of
His saints. RE is calling through
His ordinances He is calling through
every benevolent and benefcient
institution. lie is calling through
the songs and prayers of His saints
What is your attitude toward the
calle Where are thou 40 one
can answer for You. Cease wander
Ing as prodigals and return to the
Fathers house Cease trifing with
eternal values.