The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-05-02

cannot proceed to the grand subject
of Mans Redempti without recog-
MIXING the fact that man fell from the
lofty po5ition In which God had
placed him when he was created and
placed in the Garden Of Eden amid
the lovely surroundings ~ seen in
the Genesis story. That God hath
withdrawn himself, and left this. his
temple desolate, We have many sad
and plain proofs before US. The
stately ruins are visible to every eye.
that bear in their front. yet extant,
their doleful inscription. Here God
once dwelt' Enough appears of the
admirable frame and structure of the
soul of man to show that the Divine
Presence did come time reside in It.;
more than enough of viciaus defor-
nifty to complain he Is now retired
and gone-The comedy order Of this
house is turned all into confusion:
the beauties of holiness into noisome
impurities; the house Of prayer, into
a den OF thieves: for every lust Is a
thief; and every thief sacrilege. He
that invites you to take a view Of
the soul of man. gives you but such
another prospect, and doth but say
to you. Behold tho desolation."
Regeneration Is something now In
the mans life. The word suggests
this; 1t Is a birth, and this birth is
not the first birth, but the second. 1t
is not a development OF the life
which came by the first birth, but
birth separate and distinct and diff
ferent from the first. 1t therefore Is
properly called anew birth--fr his
conversation with Nicodemus. Jesus
called it being born from above. The
Err hf~@h t- La, M
heavenly; the first natural, the second
spiritual The first. birth reveals the
second birth links him to the Most
High God Because OF human
father and mother the man has the
natural life which follows the natural
birth: because the Holy Spirit gives
another and heavenly life to his spirit.
the man has the spiritual life which
follows the second BIRTH The
natural man is not shaped and
polished according to better pat
tern by this divine touch, but changed
at the center OF his being. This
change then becomes manifest as
the renewed spirit rules the whole
man
Baron woldemar Uixkun. of Rus
STA. was an atheist. Some missionaries
asked the privilege of holding SER
vices on his estate. to which he not
only consented, but he also built
hall where they might preach. He
attended the first meeting held there,
feeling that courtesy demanded IT.
and when the service broke up. told
the people who had assembled there
that he wished them all success. Il
think this movement Ia very we'll for
the peasants They replied "Oh.
no: II is very we'll for everybody" /
replied enpf1wtth- higher eauea
ton do not need II the Bible is
book written no differently from any
other book" They said, ut is the
Word of God" He went home with
troubled heart. He was led to read
the Gospel of John Says the Baron:
The book was changed; there was
new light in the book. My eyes
were also changed; there was new
light in them to see things in the
book. Jesus was so beautiful and so
great in my eyes that | saw he was
really more than a man. He was
truly the Son OF God. Then the
Spirit of the Lord began to teach me
and to show me that IL he was the
Son OF God. how precious was his
life and his blood that he gave for
us-much more than the life and
blood of one man. more than the life
OF all humanity together, because
humanity il only his creation. while
he is the Creator. Then I thought
Well. If the sins of all men are paid
then mine are paid Then came the
Joy the heavenly JOY in my heart
and then began my life--before 1t
was only death.
The transforming process by which
me image of God Is restored in fallen
man Is seen in Paul.s Hymn. of
Transformation 2 Cor. g.: Is: But we
TAI With unveiled face. behoIdinE as
IN mirror the glory OF the Lord pare
transformed into the sama image
from glory TO glory, as by the Spirit
of the Lord -
2 Cor 3; f. Toe We are Gods fell
lioW-#orkers, We are Gods hushandry.
GOD building" Christians. whether
they be ministers or laymen. are
laborers together with God in pro-
notinE the Kingdom OF Christ and
the salvation OF souls. However
humble may be our station in lffe II
we are engaged with him in Kingdom
service, We are occupying the most
dlgnlhed of all positions, Christ
has a work for each of his followers
10 do. and we are mot to. think of
ourselves more highly than we ought
10 think, but SO 10 think as TO think
seberly. as God hath dealt to every
man the measure of faith" (Romans
~: 81.