Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-09-13

The Temperature, To-day.
As nEarsTERxr At THE COMMERCIAL orTIos
Ats A. NJ, Cat 2. NJ,
A PASTORS Farewell.

REV. ALIEN. MACARTHUR TAKES FINAL LEAVE OF HIS
ooNdREGATIoN-THE DOCTRINES OF MS MINIS
TRY AND HIS BENEDIcrIoNs UPON THE CHURCH.
Rev. Alex. Macarthur, who has severed his
pastoral connection with the Second Baptist
church to resume his studies at the Grocer Tho
illogical Seminary, preached his farewell sermon,
last evening, to an audience which filed the
main body of the church. His text was from
Romans y l-"Brethien,my hearts desire and
PRAYER to God for Israel is, that they might be
saved"
Explaining first the propriety, nature and sim
cerity of this prayer of Paul as dutlful under
shepherd, and showing the far greater glory of
the salvation of Christ than that of Moses, Mr..
Macarthur said that such had been his prayer
for two years past during his ministry with this
people, When he came, he said, he determined
not to know anything but Jesus Christ and Him
cruciiied and in his preaching he had always en-
deayored to uphold the cross. And now that lie
was leaving his prayer to God was that all might
be saved with an eternal salvation. When lie
came, he said, he felt his fallbility, and sought
Gods grace and wisdom. Knowing there is q
tendency to think that God will be mercful ard
just he had preached total deprayity that man
was a rebel against Gods government and sub
ject to everlasting punishment But lie did not
stop here. While he taught that by the fall man
was a sinful creature, lie had also shown the
the way of life through tho cross, as tho true
Moriah of true sacrifice.
What he had preached in the past he said lie
Should continue to preach i'll the future, no mat
tor where he may be, for it ID the only mirror i'll
which the sinner can see himself reflected, the
only magnet to draw souls to Chrst-it il the cen
tire of Gods attributes Just as the sun is tho cen
tire OF the solar SYSTEM and without it the attri-
butes OF God are meaningless to us. lie might
have preached of the omnipotence of God, of his
Wisdom and his Justice but without clear
comprehension of the cross these things could
not be well understood. He had also taught the
doctrines OF evangelical repentance, of justifca-
ton by faith, of option-showing that divine
adoption is far superior to natural adopton-ot
nctifcation-explaining that while con-
version il an act, sanctilication il a Succession
of aets-of final perseyerdi &c, of gloriticaiiop.
These things he said he had taught plainly and
kept nsthng back, for when he was ordained
into the ministry he was so impressed with the
force of the sermon upon tins subject that he
had determined to make it the rule OF his life
lie had declared the whole counsel of God only
90 far al iie knew it, but he had much yet to
learn ; he had preached the truth in its native
simplicity and apostolic purity and now he was
anxious that his people should not lot it Flip.
His last advice WAS to cultivate an intimate ac-
quaintauco with the Scriptures, to search
them, to read them as ilie best Of all books !;
for while others shine with q borrowed light,
they reflect Gods truth; while others are of the
earth they are heavenly while others solicit the
attention they command 1t while others may be
consumed like the AleXandrian library they are
indestructlble while others may be forgotten
they arc eternal.
Cultivate spirit OF prayer. 1t has accom-
plished everything in The past-the stopping
the mouths of lions, the subdung tho fury of
the flames, tile raising of the dead, the pouring
ont OF Gods spirit. But prayer alone will not
suffice. With some mon it il gift. Faith must
he coupled with it to render 1t effective. As
further words of counsel, lie advised fathers to
bring up their children in the admouition of tile
Lord, children to be obedient to their parents,
husbands to love their wives wives to obey their
husbands, old mon to make the best use of their
short time on earth, young men to seek God
young and old, ono and all, prepare to meet
yonr God We may not all meet again upon this
earth, lut it is certain VIC shall all assemble il
Gods right hand.
But few minutes more of my ministry is
left, but there is time enough to save soul.
Ii during my ministry Any soula lave been
brought IN to Christ, let lis give all tie glory to
God. And now i'll the name OF God | wish Won
all temporal prosperity, and that whatever af-
flictions you may be called upon to bear they
may be but momentary.
Mir. Macarthur left Wilmington, at $40, this
morning, going direct to Grocer Theological
Seminary. During the interim the church will
be opened as usual on Sundays 80 aa to afford
candidates an opportunity to preach. On sun
day next, Rev. Richard d. Cook Will ill the pul.
nit