Arizona republican., 1919-03-31
RIGHTEOUS INDEED ARE THOSE WHOARE
 RIGHT bEFORE GOD
(Rev. C. A. Gilmore, Second Baptist
 Church.

(ReV. C. A. Gilmore, Second baptIst
 Church)
 gracious invitation to Noah and his family into a place of safety Text: Come thou. and all thy house into the ark. Gen. I: 1.
 The call itself is very kind. like that of tender father to his children, to come indoors, when he sees night or storm coming; come thou. and all thy house, that small family that thou hast, int othe ark. (a) Noah did not go into the ark till God bad him; though he knew it was designed for his place of refuge yet he waited for a renewed command, and had it. It is very com fortable to follow the call of provi- dence, and to see God going before us in every step we take. God does not bid him go into the ask but come into it. Implying that God would go with him. would lead him into it. accompany him in it, and in due time bring him safe out of it. Wherever we are, it is very de sirable to have the presence of God with US. for that is all in all. to the comfort of every condition. This was it that made Noah's ark which was prison. to be to him not only a refuge, but a palace. Noah had taken great deal of pains to build the ark. and now he
 
 we do in obedience to the command of God, and in faith, we ourselves shall certainly have the comfort of, first or last. Not Noah only, but his house also. his wife and children are called with him in the ark. It is good to belong ! to the family of Cody man.
 It is safe an comfortable tO dwell under such a shadow. One of Noah's sons was Ham, who proved afterward bad man, yet he was saved in the ark: which intimates, that wicked children often fare the better for the sake of their Cody parents. There is a mixture of bad with good in the best societies on earth, and we are not to think it strange In Noahs family there was a Ham. and in Christ's fam fly there was a Judas. There is no per feet purity on this side heaven. This call to Noah was a type of the call which the gospel gives to poor sinners, Christ is an ark already prepared. in whom alone we can be safe, when death and judgment come Now the burden of the song is Come. Come " the word says come" the minister says come" the spirit says 'come." come into the ark. The reason for. this in- Vitation is a very honorable testimony to Noah'S integrity, for they have been righteous before me in this generation
 Those are righteous indeed that are righteous before God that have not only the form of Godliness by which they appear righteous before men who may easily be imposed upon but the power of it, by which they approve themselves to God. who searches the heart, and cannot be deceived in men. character God takes notice of. and i. pleased with those that are righteou. before him. Thee have | seen.
 In world of wicked people. Goo could see one righteous Noah. Ina single grain of wheat could not be lost no not in so great heap of chaff. Tn, Lord knows them that are His. Goo that is witness too, will shortly be ; witness for His peoples integrity H, that sees 1t, will proclaim it befor. angels and men, to theid immortal hon or. They that obtain mercy to b. righteous, shall obtain witness that the, are righteous. God is. in a specja manner, pleased with those that ar good in bad times and places. Noah wa therefore illustriously righteous. be cause he was so in that wicked an, adulterous generation. Those that keel themselves pure in times of common iniquity, God will keep safe in times o common calamity. Those that partak not with others in their sins. shall no partake with them in their plaques.