, 1874-05-04
fortunate, but should turn turn their faooa t,.
ward tliem. Ono, atleaat. might be aaved.
TIE REV. F. N, ELLIS.
His Efrsk Sermon mt tho Michigan Aveax,n
Baptist Church,


His EGrse Sermon mt the Michigan Avepa
baptist Church..
Tho nev. Frank N. Ellis, iato OF KAnsa4 City,
delivered worry interesting discourse to q 1nrge
audience yesterday morning, At tho Michigan
Avenue Baptist Church, on tho OCCASION Of hia
installation as pastor, Since tho departure OF.
Dr.. ]. 3. Thomas, rho loft laat December, to
acoopt call IN Brooklyn N. Y, the church has
boon without d pastor. Aftor listening to sov-
orAf candidates 1t extended unanimous cali to
the Rev. Mr.. Ellis, who has beon enjoying very
suocoauful pastorato at Kansas City Mo. Mr.
Ellis is still comparatively young
man, with worry prepossossing address,, aud
Of great originality, and will doubt
less bc found to DO horo tho right man ID tho
right place. His delivery ia easy and graceful
Without much gesture and his voice pleasant
but mot very deep.
At tho Sunday School services ho1d yesterday
morning At $3.50 .. n,., tho now pastor received
graceful Welcome by beng made tho recipient
Of abouquot Of flowers from eaoh class In tho
school, accompanied by two addreaaos; ono
from boy, the other from girl. Mr.. Ellis
ceo wore closed By hymn ct wolcomo composed
for tho occasion. Tho 1oworu offered by the
children were aftorward formed into largo
efoss, Which, set OF by overgreens, WAS placed
ots Of aowora wore also placed on zach nlde Of
tho pulpis-stand to oilor their eilont wolcome,
and. as II to gtvo spocoh to ths floral
tribute, the words: "Wolcome, PASTOR" COM
poaed OF ayergteeos, Woro hung 5ust In Tho rcar
OF tho orbBB.
Tho words Of Mr.. Ellis text wcro from tho
tonth chapter OF Acts, Goth vorso:
Therefore came unto you Without ga!nsayng =
soGn 20 .ss ". for what infant
Mr. Ellis said no wished to be allowed TO In
dulgo in n familiar conversation rather than to
PRESSED bis Thoughts. Cornelius, I'D dosout e eo eo.
iigtous man, an earnoat inquirer, was a special
5f1end Of tho outcaat and friendloss. Truth A.
ways lay In tho plano Of such life
.au,llt, ss bis. There ,,xs Wss hero vo!y natural
revelation. No ono told him what to do to ba
saved only to send for Potter. This vas = very
embarrassing call to Petsr, but when ho went ho
learned what to do, while he MAS willing to take
to tho Gcntiloa and preach to thom. He had
mover dono any H,ioh thing before. Petor's con-
yloton Of duty BY bis vision was mado plain
Tho preacher thought It would not be frrevor-
p1sos, and ssS tbo 't ssnae a Question ~ Why y's b.
had beon Hont for. There was eomethinA
moro TINT was remarkable in tho circumstances
detailed IN tho text. Phillip tho Evangelist was
might moro easily have hosn called. Dnt Pose7
was tho choHen agent, not Phillip. Potter had
In idoa that certain clausos Of men hnd tue beal
claims to be saved. This prejudice must bo
What should pcsor p1eaoh7 Tie character Of
tho audience Of Cornelius ahowed him. Nots
word Of tho difference botween Jow and aentilo,
botweon Pagan and ChriHtian, WAS uttered. h
prdhohod FREQ salvation until the spirit Of tha
Holy Ghost came down and stirred tho minds OF
his listeners. There was that always in tho
spirit OF an audience that opened mans month
OF shut It up. Thero was that which holpod
pfoachot and enabled him to talk without se-
a MIN restrained which made him think Of
ovory wutd uttcrod and the way, uutit his whole
anorgy oozed out In caro- and anxiety about tho
manner: Potter had tho former audlcnce. He
forgot Cornelius, forgot bis audience, mud stood
there telling tho story Of tho Gross, Of Jesus
Christ and Him cruciaad.
Next, how should tho minister preach7 Some
how the old-faehioncd spirit Of tho gospol as 1t
was ohllsd, is considered out Of place. Tho gos-
had thrown open hegateu Of Heaven must not
bs told now. All must be toned and modified ia
tho cuAtaotcr Of the time. The Office OF the
ministry must DO magnidod by tho man who oc'
who Through OWL and good report acted Chris.
tim lifc, honored his office. Il ho catno With any
othcr .purposo he disgraood It. Many sboughtif
man drew largo audience ho was successful
fall short Of his object.
What kind OF prcaohing dron7 Ono kind WIS
that which blasphemcd tho cross. Pooplo would
go to hear what Buch = man would soy. But u
man rib preached Christ oruoidod faithfully,
Would draw, and draw moro In the end thln ono
Wh6 preached scklv sentimentaliom. Peter
preached Christ, as Judge aud As Savior, kindly,
truly, ibid earnestly. Thoro WAS no time to
theorze, to daily. but only to tell clearly thoWay
Tho next object object Of Peters call WAS to
not as a pastor, and this WAS the Speakers. Cor
nolius' family was moral aad upright, but With
out eaving knowledge Of the Gosool Peters
object In Visiting, MAS not to make IN agreeablo
call, but to load that family to saving knowl-
edge Of tho Blblt, and whilo be talkod to Them
tho Spirit cntnt and flnlshod the work.
II vas mYoh easier 20 oritcise PASTORS work
than to do It. Sometimes q church had as much
aa It could do to did pastor In his work Of vle-
iting. Tho results Of Peter's visiting nero
full of dntdhragomcnt to all who did likewise;
and wheu ho had PREACHED the Gospel, ho also
baptism. I" Who can forbid water that these
should b ,bapti2ed n Ho did not stop to know
w66thsr tti6 ofdinan6o was popular or not; suf-
t1cont for them to tall tile Tholo truth; And il
salt sui S Would follow as did then. believing IN
dod In TIis pfoniises, this church could 50 On
VIII! The fu!l a5surands 1T dod'a blesoing aud OF
aods approval. ....-.,
@ ~ s i tes 4sssoen enon1 Il pSs
tor, Cd behalf Of tho church and congregation
at large. Dlnher will By soryod In the dining
room from to 8, aid alf MI! b6 Welcomed
peculiar foatufo Of this ollhrdh, which ie Of
VISITORS il that tho pova arc ronttd BY tho stn..
Gle sitting BY tho month, Do thab 10 one need
foel that ho 10 compelled to take .; seat or
gittine TOR y6ar. 4 plomant tltuu ts eXpe5tsd
eAted will bo probons.
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Tho acknowledgements 6K tkb C4ss
pni1i lii Notv moxtco.