Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-04-01
RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

METHODIST CHURCH.-In the Methodist
Church, on last Sunday morning, DR.. Roszell
| preached a most able and eloquent sermon on
''the character and work Of the apostolic minis
try" By the apostolic ministry, he meant
| those who have been baptized of the Holy Ghost
| to preach the word unto men. He did not mean
the apostolic ministry as Transmitted by the old
debauchee bishops, who once cursed the Church
of Christ
His remarks were founded on the First Epistle
of Paul to the Corinthians End chapter and End
verse;:
among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucifed."
He began his discourse with an allusion to the
vast and varied responsibilities of the pulpit to
the awful and august duties of the minister. to
the solemn and sacred position he occupied. He
said preacher in the selection of subject suit
able to his congregation must do so through
earnest prayer, profound study and deep re-
search.
A preacher cannot, like other speakers, select
his subject to crafty the taste or please the i'm
aginatlon. He must not cater to the pleasure
of his congregation, whilst he leaves their morals
neglected and their lives unreproved Mere
intellectual labor is not what is required of him
The people do not ask him for his opinion, but
for the word of God as embodied in the law
He must not transcend the prerogatives of his
Office as defined in the law. 1t is not his privi-
legs to Gull from the Scriptures such themes as
will crafty The feelings, Or subjects on which to
construct beautiful theory of morals.
In the writings of st. Paul. we find the char
acteristics of the apostolic ministry sublimely
set forth. He here gave glowing description
Of the character of ST. Paul, expressing his ad-
miration in the strongest terms. He admired
him as Saul of Tarsus, for he was man, per-
feet, bold, upright, honest mana courageous and
heroic teacher and as serious when in error, as
he afterwards was in the service of God when he
became converted. For such men there is some
hope, even though they be in error; but those who
oppose the truth of the Gospel from selfish reasons
can never be won over by any force of logic or
power of rhetoric. Paul surrendered to Christ be-
cause he was overpowered by competent testimo-
n.y. Hehad been the hig -churchman of Judaism,
the great Puseyite of his age and so wooded to
his stubbornness that it seemed impossible to
rescue him from his error, until God smote him
down with thunder-bolt near Damascus.
St.Paul was philosopher and philanthropist.
AS philosopher he was endowed with far SUI
perior sagacity and deeper discernment into
the neral nature of man than Shakespeare. AS
philanthropist he surpassed the illustrious
Howard. He understood the nature of man and
symp athized with the necessities of his condi-
ton. His intellect was as free from superstition
as his heart was from fanaticism. No quibblings
of sophistry could confound his clear and forci-
BILE logic, and no ill-feelings could overcome his
true and great benevolence. His character is
signalized-r remarkably so-by that sublime,
self-sacrifcing devotion to truth and humanity,
which the charity of the Gospel of God can alone
inspire Gifted with plenary Inspiration, he
solved the great problem of human destiny,
which bat-eye ed leaden- headed philosophy had
for centuries been battling with in vain. He dis
PEELED the dark cloud, which philosophy had
raised, like sunburst from the sky and sum-
moned before the mind all its tremendous
realities. What had been the study of the wisest
philosophers for centuries was the mere pastime
of his gigantic genius and the mere plaything of
his maj este mind.
And, moreover, his deep-toned spirituality
was equally remarkable with his INTEL ectual pre-
eminence. We nust gaze with admiration at
his frmness of soul. He was proof against the
pride Of the Roman, the sheer of the Greek and
the ridicule of the Jew. He was a man, not q
truncated specimen, such as we too frequently
see in the service Of the ministry. His style was
simple, plain and remarkably lucid, yet he kin
died indifference into enthusiasm.
Among the doctrines he taught in his Epistles
and exemplfed in his life, that of the crucifx-
ion of Christ occupied prominent place
The Doctor here alluded to distinguished Brit
ish essayist who had achieved Immortality by
his essay on Decision of Character" and re-
marked that without decision of character no
good has ever been accomplished, either in
the work of God or man. ST. Paul had this de-
cision of character for he said: II determined
not to know anything among you, save Jesus
Christ and him crucifed." This moral deter
mination only proved the essential greatness of
his character. Unity of purpose has always
been the gushing characteristic of success
cessful men in all pursuits.
1t is possible to preach Jesus Christ to the ad-
miration of the world, without accomplishing
the ministerial or apostolic duty. Thus many
preachers speak with burning eloquence of
Christ the man, picturing in glowing words his
many qualities and holding him up as worthy
of imitation, and yet say nothing Of his atoning
death, as though it were part and parcel of the
old mythology, which had been long ago explo-
ded by the progress of civilization and q refined
christianity. Many among the theological hier-
archy declare that the bloody doctrine Gas they
call it, oe the necessity of the blood of Christ is
only relic of the superstition that for so many
centuries cramped the intellect and retarded the
progress Of the world.
The feeling displayed by the conqueror of
Jerusalem, when he entered the Holy of Holes
Of the Temple, and in ridcule offered up
SOW as sacrifice on the altar of God, is
| the essence of desm, skepticism and every other
ism that has denied the necessity Of the
death of Christ for the salvation of man.
Let those who deny the efficacy OF sacrifice
swer this question, why have so many religions
existed embodying sacrifice in them? How could
such a notion have ever originated in mans
brain? Common sense says it must have been
lodged in mans mind by the hand of God. If
we go to the History of the Jews, as recorded
by an enemy to christianity, we find that in all
times of trouble aud danger they resorted to
sacrifice by the offering of blood to suspend the
thunderbolt of divine anger to entreat
protection against their enemies. Reason
herself and true philosophy then declare, that
the shedding of the blood of animals of some
efficacy, must not the blood of Christ be of suffi
cent efficacy for the salvation Of man. The
ctucifxion Of Christ is the great central truth of
ralicjon IF the minister does not preach this