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Show II UTTUE SERMONETTES j BY THE PASTOE. a I "Because I livo y shall livo also." I come this morning with a cup of Messing and I wish to plnco this cup to tho lips oC every render of Tho Tribune. Trib-une. It is a dip designed for every fon and daughter of Adam who js willing will-ing to rako il. It is ample in its provisions pro-visions for the complete joy of each and of all. Ho who had tho power to lay down his life and the power to taUo it again has tho power to givo life to whomsoever Ho will; and ho wills to givo unto all whom will fnko it. When the sun shines bright and tho liomo is comfortable, and the members of (ho home are all in good health, and I there is no visions o the hearse coming io the door, wc feel littlo need of a comforting potion. But theso things do not always last; tho sun does not alwaj-s shine; tho homo is not always comfortable; tho members of tho home arc not always in health, and lhero aro frequent visions of tho hearse which wo cannot dispel. I am aware that this is not tho most pleasing subject for those of 3'ou who are basking, at this time, in tho sunslnno of comfort and pleasure; but of this one thing I am aware- also that-thcro arc but few who read this scrmonolto who are not under the cloud or havo been under it, and those who aro frco from tho shadows at the present time are hastening on toward tho vail 03 of the shadows. And it should be the principle in the life of everyone to dispense his or her blessings bless-ings every Hay so that; they may be in store whenever thev are needed." a The darkest shadow that was ever cast over this already darkened world was the shadow of the cross. And as I me uiscipios or our L.oru uegan to enter en-ter this shadow, no wonder their hearts were troubled: and it seemed at first like mocker3 for the Master ro say unto them: "Let not your hearts be troubled." trou-bled." And the burden of sorrow was not much lightened when Ho told them of mansions abovo iu our Father's house, nor even when he said: "Bccauso 1 jive yc shall live also;" for they saw Him moving right on into the thickening thicken-ing shadows until lie was lost to their view in the cold embrace of death, aud enshrouded in the tomb. And it was not until tho morning of the third da3 that the clouds bcfc'au to lift, aud the shadows flee away, and when they saw the empty tomb and the living Christ and heard His voice as He saluted them, 'All hail." the glorious light of tho resurrection burst upon them and they realized the import of the words, "Let not 3'our hearts be troubled because I live ve shall live also." Then, what is this cup of blessing and what docs it all mean to us? While it is not true that "all that a man hath will he give for his life," yet it is true ihat life is a most valuable and a most desirable possession. And so desirable is life that there are but few people who would not part with houses, aud lands, and money to keep it. or even io leugthen 'r. And .yet the fact remains re-mains that neither nioncy nor other earthly propert3. aud not even our dearest dear-est earthlv friends, can preserve our life to us. Death is master over all of these and laughs the barter to scorn. And if wc cannot secure a stronger ally , than money, or houses, or lands, or earthly friends, all hope is gone, and ( "wc aro of all men most miserable." I "Tf thou knewesl, the gift of God, and who it is that, saj'oth 10 I hoc, give mc. Jo drink, thou wouldst havo asked of Inm, ;ind ho would havo given the living water." "Whosoever driukr-th of tho water that I shall give linn shall never thirst; but. tho water that I shall give shall be in him a well of water springing up into ovcrlasting life.-' This is the cup of blessing which wo offer to you this morning: Life, life, life. And what does life, mean 1 It means union with tho Infinite; it menus extended ex-tended vision; seeing through tho mists, looking h 03011 d the shadow?; it means tho enlargement of tho field of opportunity, tho bounds of which aro not circumscribed by time; it means tho expanding oL energy commensurate with tho field of opportunity presented; it means the removal of tho tun' limit; and that death is only tho gateway to etcrniiy. But. moro "than any or all of these, life means service. Ho who is life, "came not to bo ministered unto but; to minister." Life is a gift, freely free-ly bestowed on all who will accept it; but service is rewarded. Thore aro no rewards with tho mere possession of life, but whoever serves is rcmcmborcd with a just compensation. "Ho serves God well who serves his followmen; but he serves best who serves both him and them.'" "This is lifo eternal, that thoy might know thoo the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom thou" hast sent." Ho who has done so much for us is entitled to our praise; he who holds our destinj in his hands demands our worship; ho who gave himself for us is worthy of our love; he who gives us life has a right to our service; and none of theso can we nirord to withhold from him. The people everywhere aro in constant need, and we who have cannot honor God and withhold when wc have the ability to help. "Because I live ye shall live also." It is not because Jesus Christ was born of a virgin; it is not because he was able to turn water into wine; it is not because he spako as never man spake; it is not because he stilled tho tompest or walked upon tho sea; it is not because be-cause he cast out devils from the unfortunate; un-fortunate; it is not because he raised Lazarus from the dead; it is not because be-cause he was betra3cd and crucified; it is not. "because of any of these or all of them together that we shall live, but because he "lives." And if he lives it is because he couqucred death and overcame over-came tho power of Satan. No greater reason for our life could bo advanced than that Christ lives; and that he lives is proof that ho is able to save us unto the uttermost. "Thanks be to God who giveth us the ictorv through our Lord Jesus Christ." The sting of death is taken away because he has removed re-moved our sins from us and made us partakers of the divine nature. The grave is robbed of its victory because the Christ has passed through it and has come forth again. When death has done his worst to them who arc without sin. he cannot separato them from the "love of God which is in Christ. Jesus our Lord." And it makes no differenc-o how heavy the stone that is placed at tho door of tho sepulchre, nor how securely the tomb is locked and scaled, "all who aro in their "raves shall come forth, they that have' done good unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil into the resurrection resur-rection of damnation." "Because I live ye shall livo also." |