upon

the face of the waters at the creation. Even reason cannot deny that He who created man can also new-create him. And that the new birth can be effected by such simple means as baptism and the Word admits of no objections at all; for reason itself must confess that the Almighty can do great things by small means. When Moses struck the waters of the Red Sea with his staff unthinking men might have ridiculed it as a very foolish act, but the waters parted and stood like a wall, and Israel passed through on dry ground. God is almighty and not only can He do what He pleases, He has free choice of the means by which to accomplish His works. But against Nicodemus, who was reasoning from reason, the Lord does not stand on the defensive, He attacks reason in its own domain concerning its knowledge of natural things. Of the wind the Lord says: Thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, or whither it goeth." What agencies, what conditions of the atmosphere caused the current of air which is now passing over this house? where did it start? when will it stop? If we must confess our ignorance in this and in so many other natural things which are subject to the research of reason, how should we presume to search out the secret works of Him of whom the 135th Psalm says: "He bringeth the wind out of his treas

uries."

In God there are things even more marvelous than the new birth; for to Nicodemus the Lord declared: "If I have told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things?" He calls the new birth an earthly thing, because it is a work done here on earth and experienced by men, as distinguished from things in God and works done in heaven. And now He mentions such a heavenly thing, saying: "AND NO MAN HATH ASCENDED UP TO HEAVEN, BUT HE THAT CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN, EVEN THE SON OF MAN WHICH IS IN HEAVEN." The Son of man came down from heaven and yet did not vacate heaven; He was in heaven and yet He ascended up to heaven. And still another mystery He tells us: "As MOSES LIFTED UP THE SERPENT IN THE WILDERNESS, EVEN SO MUST THE SON OF MAN BE LIFTED UP: THAT WHOSOEVER BE

LIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING

LIFE." Because the Son of man was lifted up on the cross and ascended up to heaven, therefore we who believe in Him have eternal life and by virtue of His ascension we also ascend up into heaven. Because there are many things equally and far more incomprehensible than the new birth, there is certainly no cause to be offended at His words..

Thus this whole text from beginning to end is full of things which are beyond the comprehension of reason. But reason would like to see into these things. Nicodemus wanted to see through the manner and the how of the new birth. Man is an inquisitive creature; what he is not to know just that very thing he wants to know. Should we give way to this curiosity and try to solve God's mysteries? Many have attempted it and have furnished abundant proof of its being a foolhardy undertaking. In spring the south wind rises and the weather turns warm. Now suppose a farmer begins to study to find out all about that south wind, and finally he sets out to travel south to find out where that wind started and what makes it warm, would not that man be on a fool's errand? His neighbor takes the facts. as they are and improves the warm weather to till his fields, to plant and sow, and in the fall he has a golden harvest to gather. Take the facts as God has made and revealed them and improve them unto your benefit, then you have the golden harvest of eternal life before you. Unto Nicodemus the Lord said:

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen." The Lord knows the facts and these facts He testifies in His Word. His Word we are to receive in simplicity of heart. Then our faith rests on Divine facts, facts which are our salvation.

Such a fact the Lord here tells us in the words: "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." The Lord testifies that in baptism the Holy Ghost regenerates us and makes us heirs of the kingdom of God, and should we dispute His testimony, asking: How can this thing be? With grateful hearts we should return thanks to God that He saves us, not by our works of righteousness, but from

mercy by the washing of regeneration through Jesus Christ. We must beware of over-curiosity in God's mysteries, lest our curiosity serve us like Eve's did her. If you have a plain word of God stand on it, then you have a foundation under your feet, and leave the Hows and Whys to God. If God has said a thing let that be sufficient unto you. On His Word we are to take our stand at all times, be our experiences glad or sad. And when we do experience the blowings of the Spirit, that He draws us to Christ, or prompts us to a good work, rebukes or comforts us, we should remember what the apostle commands the Thessalonians, saying: "Quench not the Spirit." 1 Ep. 5, 19. Resist not His promptings. If He prompts you to a good work, quench Him not, but go and do it; if He prompts you to prayer, quench Him not, but make your supplications known unto God. Knowing that He is a free Spirit we must not presume to prescribe to Him when and how He must blow upon us, and when at times there is a lull and we experience nothing of His blowings, we should do like a seaman in a calm, quietly wait and not worry; but when this heavenly breeze comes then set sail to follow His promptings. Follow the lead of the Spirit of Christ, and He will lead you into eternal life. AMEN.

I. SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.

TEXT: There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and Are iinen, and fared sumptuously every day: and there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried: and in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried, and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you, cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee, therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.-Luke 16, 19–31.

This Gospel tells us of two men who fared very differently both in this world and the next. The one was rich, dwelling in a splendid residence, dressed fine and having all luxuries and enjoyments at his command; the other lay at the rich man's gate both sick and poor, scarcely possessing clothes to cover his nakedness, hardly receiving food enough to keep him from starving to death, and the dogs were the only doctors that waited on him.

Is that the way it should be in this world: some rich, some poor? some having abundance, others possessing nothing? The modern apostles of equality declare that so it should not be, and they pronounce this constitution of society the main source of

the many evils under which civilized nations are suffering. The advocates of socialism and communism pronounce the unequal division of property and money the one great misfortune of the world, and they say, if riches and poverty would once be abolished and possessions would be equalized, then the golden era would return and happiness and good will would again rule on the earth. With glowing words will socialist orators contrast the present gloomy condition of the oppressed masses with the ideal happiness which they promise man in the future communistic state. These notions are nothing but idle dreams of men of reprobate minds, who " professing themselves to be wise, they became fools." Rom. 1, 22. The adage: "Many men many minds" ought to convince every socialist that community of possession could bring no common happiness unless men be made of the same mind. So long as some have the mind to scatter and others the mind to gather they must both feel very unhappy in a communistic state where there could be neither gathering nor scattering.

God's order is that rich and poor should dwell together, as Solomon says: "The rich and poor meet together: the Lord is the maker of them all." Prov. 22, 2. This is God's order and being God's order it is good. There has been and yet is great contention between rich and poor, and it has often resulted in much bloodshed and the devastation of whole cities and countries, but God's order is not the cause of this strife. The cause is the wickedness of men that the rich are selfish, arrogant and oppress the poor, and the poor are discontented and envious of the rich. God's order is wise and wholesome and good, but "sin is a reproach to any people." Prov. 14, 34. The misfortune of the world is not that some are rich and some poor; the misfortune of the world is that men will not hear and do the Word of God. The remedy for the evils in the world is not the equal division of property, the only one true remedy is the Word of God. Of Israel the Book of Wisdom says: It was neither herb, nor mollifying plaster that healed them, but thy word, O Lord, which healeth all things." If all would hear the Word of God the rich would not be proud and heartless toward