News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1917-09-05

lE8&8 2a8&$8l COlue u lOOh up
e*@ Es AW on him as he was,
! namely their own
Messiah and the Savior of men. The
change this would produce in their
lives and in their attitude towards him
is very obvious.
Repentance means the same in your
case or mine. 1t means believing on
Jesus Christ as he is presented in the
Bible, and conforming our lives there
to.
(2) The Second Step is Remission
| of Sins, that your sins may be blotted
out" the sins even of these murderers
| Of his Son whom he had raised from
the dead, if now they would believe
| on and accept him as such. And this
| same promise holds good for US, no
| matter what our guilt is. Though
| your sins be as scarlet, they shall be-
as white as snow, though they be red
like crimson, they shall be as WOOL"
"Blorted out" is the translation Of a
Greek word which means so much
Xenophon and Demosthenes use 1t in
the sense Of "expunging" a thing.
Aeschylus employs 1t in the sense Of
"eXtinguish," Herodotus to plaster
over" an object, and others to wipe
out as with a sponge or cloth. Judi
cially considered in the sight of God,
there is no more trace of your sins
the moment they are covered by the
blood Of Christ. And that Is the mo-
ment when in repentance you receive
him as your Savior by faith. That is
what Peter means in his first epistle,
where he speaks of the abundant
mercy" of God.
(3) The Third Step is Refreshing,
shat so there may come seasons Of
refreshing from the presence Of the
Lord" 1t suggests agriculture. There
is first the blowing up Of the ground
and sowing of the seed, that is re-
pentance. Then there is termination
and the coming up of the blade, then
the ear, then the full corn In the ear;
that is the plotting out of sin, and the
entrance of the sinner upon a new
life. But following this there must
be the refreshing showers of rain to
keep everything green, and to bring
the life to its complete and beautiful
fruition.
And so in the spiritual life, God who
begins the good work in us continues
1t. After we are saved and forgiven,
he does not leave us to ourselves, but
provides for our growth in grace and
in his knowledge. Times Of refresh
ing are sent from his presence. On
the day of Pentecost such a refresh
ing came when the disciples were
filed with the Holy Spirit. Later on
they were filled again. The same spir-
1t came on them of Samaria, upon Cor
nelius and his household, and upon
the young Christians at Ephesus. The
history of true revivals in all the CEN
turtles has been q fulfillment of this
promise. They have been times Of re-
treshing to mems souls. Every sim
cere Christian of long experience can
ook back over the years and count
the times when God has seemed to
open the windows of heaven to him
and poured out blessings on his soul.
t is for such a time of refreshing we
dead every time we sing that familiar
Terse,
Come Holy Spirit, heavenly dove
With all thy quickening powers;
Kindle a flame of sacred love
In these cold hearts of ours.
oh, for ssch time of refreshing to
ome now in the heart of every Chris
fan thus addressed What treasure
N earth is comparable with such q
resh breath from heavenl
(4) Finally, There is Reward, 'that
e may send the Christ who hath
cen appointed for you, even Jesus"
he coming of Jesus again is certain
vent of the future, and how near it is
one of us can know. To the wicked
nd unbelieving it is a time of wrath
nd of fear, but to them who have
ONE to God through him. ii is the
me of their salvation in the fullest
ense. 1t is the time of resurrection
they have died, and dead or alive
hen he comes, it is the time of their
Iorification with him. 1t is the time
[ their reward, for then will he set
. his kingdom.
Oh, who that has never done so will
2 persuaded today, thus to turn to
cd? Who will be moved by the ten
er pleadings of his mercy towards us
Jesus Christ? To-day, if We hear
IS voice, harden not your hearts,"