The Washington herald., 1918-03-03

BnIy Sunday last night delivered
this sermon:
Marx. twelfth chapter. thirty-fourth
verse: Thou art not far from the
kingdom Of God"
A person may be very near the
kingdom of God and lose OF all
cases Of spiritual ruin. none are so
distressing as that of man or woman
who under similar circumstances have
been brought as near as you now are
and yet refuse the last step.
A sad sight is that Of the ship that
goes down when the passengers are
within sight of their native shores,
and the towers and spires of the sea-
port town make a bright silhouette
against the blue skyline for back
ground.
Whatever became Of this young law
yer to whom Jesus uttered these
words? I do not know. presume
he never did profit by them or the
Bible would not have left US to guess
for the last 1,soO years. I presume he
never did enter the kingdom of
Heaven. although he was even as near
as you are now.
II you make a will, that will is
not in force as long as there is a
living breath in your lungs. But
the minute you pass from the
realms Of the living. that will Is in
force Some people are nearer the
kingdow Of God than others. Un-
til you accept Jesus Christ and are
born again by faith in Him, you are
out OF the Kingdom. The moment
you accept him and are born again
you are in the Kingdom.
The difference is not one of de-
gree, but Of kind. There are no
degrees Of salvation.
You find yourself in the middle
Of circumstances that have contrib
uted to bringing you nearer to
where you find yourself now. The
elements Of character may develop
into circumstances. These circum-
stances are appealing to the best
elements of your character and by
making that appeal they have
brought you nearer to realizing
that you ought to be a Christian
Says City Changed.
Your condition of mind may be
due to elements of. character. You
are compelled to admit that you are
in a condition of mind toward good
and religion that you were not in
some weeks ago. This city is in a
condition of mind about God that
she was not in weeks ago. She was
looking cross-eyed at the cross
then Her mind and her heart Is
open now.
That condition OF mind is brought
about by circumstances; series of
meeting, the prayers and everything
Jhat has been said or done. and the
Element of character is the condi-
tion OF your mind and the circum-
1880 nave brought you where you
now ind yourself.
Not far from the kingdom of
Cod"
In the cathedral at Strasburg
there is a clock so wonderful that
some of the ignorant suppose It to
have been fashioned by the fingers
of angels. 1t is said that the man
that made that clock was not paid
for his work, and was angry. and
crept into the place at night and
went into the tower and touched a
secret spring in the clock
The clock ceased to run The cock
forgot to crow, the milkmaid failed
to trip along her way, the anvils
did not clang and the apostles did
rot march in solemn procession.
Then they paid the man and he
went and put his finger on the secret
spring and the clock began to move.
trfpped on her way, the anvils clang-
emn procession.
,oF rxynn1A
run at the touch Of the makers fin
gers on the secret spring. The clock
was an automaton and when the man
touched the spring 1t moved.
You are not an automaton, but
what you lack Is the secret touch Of
God in your life. When that touch
is applied you'll become all that God
Intended you to be; and that touch
viii not be applied until you accept
Jesus Christ.
The only difference between the
clock and you is that It was an auto
naton while you have a mind. You
have the power of choice You can
rebel You can defy God You have
an intelligent medium Of communica-
tion. God can communicate what this
viii is. / could not communicate to a
snefock or a piece Of wood. my viii.
aSat is pliable, plastic. There Is a
rnsatum of communication. and that
medilm Is your intelligence.
~ Needs Secret Touch
II il s4A to see men and women
that are pArfeet but for one thing.
That clock Needed the secret touch
and that is has one thing that you