Year: 1874

The Para BILE of the Fruitless Fig Tree
The Necessity of Faith-Sermon by the
Rev. DIR. Hepworth.


The Rev. DR.. Hepworth preached to large con-
gregation at the morning service In his new
church. lie selected his text from the Gospel
according TO st. Marx, xi., l3-'sHe found nothing
but Ieaves.u He said that the morning lesson
which had just been read was very instructive
one. 1t presented Christ in very peculiar atti
tude, and for this reason, perhaps, the story had
been a stumbling block In the way Of Christians
seeking the path rom darkness into light Jesus
was usually presented as the good Samaritan. but
in the morning lesson He was shown in the severe
attitude OF Judge. They had seen Him lifting the
dying girl rom her couch and restoring her to her
mothers arms. But in this instance He was seen
with the


AUTHORITY OF A JUDGE


pronouncing the doom of the fg tree which bore
no fruit There we're abundant harvests IN many
lives because OF the fruit that came from them.
We nave all had seasons of great disappoint-
ment, OF severe spiritual dependency, because no
adequate effect, apparently, has followed our good
resolutions. Regrets concerning past conduct
and regrets for evil thoughts entertained and
evil words spoken have. doubtless, filled US all. 1t
was his desire TO present a few words OF encour-
agement TO those who were just


STARTING UPON THE CHRISTIAN PATH,
10 look forward to those attanments which
would surely come as q reward OF patience and
long endurance. The first thing, then, winch tue
Young men and women should do was to break
away from the thraldom of evil habits. How was
1t best to be accomplished 1t was the very first
step to take in the direction OF the true
Christian path. How can find our way from
darkness into the eternal sunlightS great many
took the lalse position OF building on their own
honor and seif-respect. These were, doubtless i'm
pOrtant elements and were mighty in their lOrcc
sometimes, but were not necessarily effective In
the direction that would lead US toward the de-
sired result. There were some men whose Wills
were strong who accomplished what they under
took, but he insisted that those we're excep-
tlonal cases. that most men had made resoiu-
tions they had never carried out, and that most
men had determined on better condition Tor the
future, which was all


SHADOW OF SUBSTANCE


not yet attained. Many had made excellent reso-
lutions and were fully bent on carving them out,
when the mighty giant temptation wrestled with
and threw them into danger. 1t was very easy
he built not on an eternal rock but on sandy
loundation 80 that when he storm came the house
ieH. Now the method which religion would have
men pursue began by telling men that this was
not tDelr world. 1t belonged to God. The laws
which governed 1t we're not Of mems legislation
NO power OF theirs was sufficient to break any
law. No cunning or subtety could enable him 10
avoid a breacn or the law. Man was surrounded
ana watched, but was also protected on every
hand by


UNSEEN FORCES,


which were present III the stars above on the
earth beneath and In the lives men lived from day
to day and from year to year. God asks man 10
come INTO His house, where there was no rent to
where he could eat unsparingy OF the fruits Of the
earth. The hand OF God was held out TO man to
bid hin welcome; nay, 1T was as n everything
were his own. God made


ONE REQUISITEoN,


and II was exceedingly important; that was that
man should leel constantly under great and CRATE
ful obligations to Him for blessings, Tor paroons
and Tor mercies and that he should substitute Hts
wisdom for his own ignorance ana MS love iof the
hckieBess OF human nature. Man coud no nothing
for Cod, he could not add TO His glory. Whatever
man aid was done for himself Now, tnen, man
could DO one OF two things either love God or re-
main Indifferent. There was, however,


A THIRD CLASS,


who positively resisted the will of God and wit
tingly broke His gwen commandments. Ihey lo-
lowed their own will like the wliho'-tne-wisp,
which was in the meadow and marsh to-day and
In the swamp and mire tomorrow. The reverend
gentleman then proceeded at some length TO point
out the necessity OF having implicit iatth IN the
Almighty, which was the aimportant element i0r
eierpAt ssivatinn- yheIe mnu hs lalth ana man