Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-09-22
Mr. Moody,s Sermon ON Christ.


experience of a week ago caused everybody to
anticipate an extraordinary effort Oh the part
of MIR. Moody, in which, however, they were
disappointed, as be preached only once.
After the Introductory exercises Mr.. MOODY
read the last half the 22i chapter of Matthew,
choosing Tor his text the words 10 the 42d verse:
what think ye of Christ p 1t is this cues
ton, he said, which want you to consider to-
day, not what think ye Of ministers, not what
think we OF orthodoxy, or this or that ism, but
what think ye OF Christ. People tell me that
some folks are talking against these meetings.
1t is most encouraging sligo; | want to get
them to thlok about them. There was class
OF people 10 Jerusalem who didn't believe. lust
as there is in Mortified. The Pharisees came
to Christ and asked Him what was the great
est commandment. He answered that easy
enough. and then he turns to them and says,
Now l will ask You question: What think
We Of Chrisl?' Was He God map? Was He
10 heaven before the world was made, before
ever the morning stars sang together? Was
He God manifest in the flesh? How is it that
David called Hin Lord? That silenced them
MIR. Moody then asked severally the cues
| TONS. w hat shall We think of him as preach
er, healer, land teacher 3? aud expounded his
| answers to them. He then asked, Was He
God manifest in the flesh and said
1t we want to get at the character of q man
there are two classes of people we ask. These
| reporters here, when they want 10 fad out all
about person, they ask both his friends and
| his enemies. Let US inquire of those who knew
| Christ about him. Calphas, the Chief Priest,
standing at the head of the Jewish nation
suppose could summon him here and should
ask him few questions TEL US, Caiphas,
you heard Christ's defense when brought be,
fore the Sanhedrim. What testimony can you
bring about him p Caiphas answers, II asked
him plainly, Art Thou the Son of God? ? aud
he said, am, and you shall see Me at the
right hand of God When heard that told
the Sanhedrlm be was guilty of death" Christ
guilty OF death because he said he was the
God mani But there is PLATE, who caused
Christ's arrest. "PiIate. you had Him before
you, and heard Him; now tell us what YOU
think" lie answers, Il find 20 fault in Him, !"
A good many men coudeun Plate, but there
are worse men in Mortified. Then there
| Pilates wife-we'lI let women speak 10 our
meeting o-night-what does she say? s'Have
thou nothing to do with that just man; for I
| have suffered many things 10 dream because
| Of him."
LII call Judas, said the preacher Let him
come 10. Judas, you know Christ; you were
his disciple, and we're honored by being the
treasurer OF the band; you heard Him deliver
the sermon 90 the Mount; give US your testi-
| mony. GU can hear the 80 pieces of silver
| ring on the table as he throws them down and
cries, Il have betrayed innocent blood" God
made everybody, even strangers aud enemies,
testify for Christ.
There is that prince of preachers from the
wilderness who burst on the nation like the
fash of q meteor-John the Baptist. He was
not clad in silks and satins; ocusts and wild
honey were his food, but be could preach and
could draw great crowds out of the city after
him, which is thing not easy to do. See him,
that hairy man, standing there by the Jordan,
as carpenter comes down to the bank aud
asks to be baptized. John stands back II
have need to be baptized of thee" is his
| exclamation; and the next day John SAYS,
And l saw aud bare record that this was the
Son OF God" John had no doubt about it.
Said John too, Il must decrease and he must
increase. y But Christ has left word that no
man was ever greater than John the Baptist
There's another John, John the Disciple, who,
often laid his head on Christ's BOSOM Take
the Book Of John; it has been called God 5
love-letter A map can't read that through
without having his heart broken.
Mr. Moody then called Peter and Thomas as
witnesses and questioned them, and then said !:
Then there's that Saul, who held their clothes
while the men stoned Stephen. Saul resolved
to stamp this new doctrine out. A good many
men beside Saul have tried to stamp out Christ.
An infdel said that twelve poor fishermen built
Christendom, and we should see that one
Frenchman could pull it down. IuGdels have
not yet pulled it down, and there is more writ
ten ADD said now about Christ and defending
him than ever before since the world began.
So Saul was going to stop all this, and started
for Damascus, but the Lord speaks to him
and says, Why persecutest thou me?' And
DOW Saul thinks, why was he prosecuting
Christi "Why2" Aud then look at him
| as like giant he springs into the course and
starts for the prize. He was willing to be
sblpwrecked; willing to be beat,-he would 20
preach IN place few months, and not get
1000 or $4,000, but they would take him
out to the edge OF the town and give him SO
stripes and send him off,
sayI 1t is glad tidiugs they bring that He
10 Saviour. 1t is a wonder to me that God
don't take the work of proclaiming Christ out
of mems hands and give it to angels. | can
imagine how it was when God said to the an
gels, "Yes, 60 aud tell the shepherds" and
one got there first. and then heaven was empty
of angels. say it with all reverence, but if
you will allow me vel call 10 Jehovah himself.
1t has been said that the God of the Old Tes.
lament was the Christ of the New, and God
never spoke till he broke the silence of 1000
years, just to say as Jesus came up from the
Jordan, This is my beloved Son, 10 whom |
am we'll pleased" | wish | could tell you
what think Of Christ-what friend 10 ad
Verslty, IN prosperity, 10 sickness, in death
and before the bar oil God, thiuk he is. Oh
| wish you would think we'll of him, and feel
the touch Of bis magic hand.
The speaker closed with an appeal to his
hearers to accept Christ, 10 which, with voice
broken by emotion. be poured out bis words Of
argument, illustration. and passionate pleading
with thrilling effect upon the minds of an au-
dience already wrought up by the cumulative
force Of bis previous discourse.
1t is announced that Secretary Bristow has
ha oof G..