Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-02-25

pulpit VI tAS L lCoOS ICA ian Shu SA 80
this city, has written a splendid arti-
Gle on Regeneration" which was read
before the meeting of the Americas
ministers on last Monday. 1t was sent
the Times Recorder by the ministers
who deemed it a very excellent arti-
Gle on the subject. 1t says;
The word regeneration is used to
mark the change that takes place in
the human heart when Christ is re-
ceived into it. This change st. Paul
speaks of is new creation. 1t is the
commencement of experimental relig-
ion and is alone among all the eXper-
fences that come to man. No other Is
like it known to humanity. 1t is not a
moral influence simply-the effect OF
religious truth upon the affections and
faculties, it is more, it is the retouch-
irg of the human soul by the power
that at first created it. Religious
truths and doctrines have place in
the work. They are necessary agents,
for regeneration would not be possible
without them, but they are for the
most part not recognized till they are
enunciated by divine revelation and
their moral influence is not felt by the
heart till they are directly applied by
the citalizing power of the Holy
Ghost-then they get a new signlflc-
ance and wondrous influence.
Regeneration of the soul
though a Supernatural work, is not a
miraculous change. A supernatural
work is one that is beyond the limit
of our nature. A miraculous change
is an immediate act of divine power.
All miracles are supernatural works,
but all supernatural works are not
miracles. There is a distinction to be
made and it lies in this difference,
that when divine power brings about
an event by setting aside natural
means it is a miracle. When it brings
it about through the use of natural
means it is supernatural. The super
natural employ agencies, the miracu-
ulOus does not. , hus when Peter neal
ed the lame man it was miracle. NO
means were used. He commanded him
to rise and walk. When Christ raised
Lazarus from the dead, it was a
miracle-no natural means were en-
ployed. None could be, they were sup
erfceded. The act was one of immed-
late divine power. The case Of the
FERROUS men and all those instances
where natural means were set aside or
would have been unavailing had they
been called into use. In each case the
result was miraculous. 1t was ac-
complished apart from the ordinary
operations of those laws that govern
our nature. Prophecy, too, in some
instances comes under this designation
that is those cases where Inspiration
oyerpowers the mind and conscious
ness was lost and the laws under
which the mental faculties commonly
we're suspended. Such form Oh
nrophetic communication was current
in old testament times and was mir
aculous. On the other hand, Where
means were employed in connection
with and in exercise of divine power,
the result is the supernatural. In the
Gift of inspiration, e. g. some forms
of if such as those where predictions
or iniunctions were suggested to the
mind without changing its ordinary
onerations-in the rule of providence
to where the divine controller takes
m natural modes of working but ADDS
supernatural causes and obtains sup
ernatural results. That is to say, dl-
vine powers operating in subJectlon 10
the established laws of mental and
rhvsical change. And lastly, in the
gracious influences of the divine spirit
rpon the human soul carried on as
thew are without forcefully disturbing
the established laws of mind. this
brings us to the point that we started
from. namely, that regeneration.
though a supernatural work is not A
miraculous one. 1t is not effected by
suyuending the laws of the mind and
heart 1t does not over-power the
nature as did some of those forms OF
Prophecy of which we have spoken
and deprive of consciousness. 1t is &C
comranied without setting aside any
Ct the ordinary operations of the men
tal or spiritual beings. In regenera-
ton. men possess and preserve their
reason as heretofore. The right and
,roper use of their faculties. They
are conscious entirely of all that takes
Mace The work is done in agreement
with and by the use of their will, and
mind, and heart. They are factors