Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 December 1898 — Minister’s Column. [ARTICLE]

Minister’s Column.

Abstracts of Last Sunday’s Sermons. Text —“Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.” Matt. V. 9. (This was the eighth sermon in a series on The Beatitudes which has occupied the Sunday morning hour. The last of the series will be preached next Sunday on “The Persecuted for Kighteousness Sake.”) We are first impressed with the power and influence of character when it is formed on the basis and in the successive order of the Beatitudes. A power to subdue and control the adverse and conflicting elements. It is seen in Christ commanding the tempestuous sea by “Peace, be still.” The T Jf peace maker is the opposite of the strife-maker. The latter represents Satanic character in lust, hatred, malice, revenge, anger and murder. The former represents divine character in order, harmony, love, mercy, forgiveness and peace.

But the peace-maker has reached his standing, |via: “Hunger and thirst for righteousness.” There are two kinds of peace-makers. The world’s kind and God’s kind. The rule of the former is by subterfuge and compromise. The latter follow God’s rule which is, “Peace by Righteousness.” kin says, “No peace was ever won by from fate by subterfuge or agreement, No peace is ever in store for any of us but that which we shall win by victory over shame or sin.” Christ was the Prince of ! peace-makers but he said, “I came Ito send a sword on the earth.” The ' I’. S. has just been a peace-maker, bv a war, in which she righted cruel wrongs. And there can be no true peace where wrong prevails. J The sermon closed with the quotations of a beautiful new poem by j Mrs. Helen Gates on “The Peace I Makers.” j By Rev. H. M. Middleton at j Trinity Church, Sunday A. M., I Dec. 4.