Smyrna times., 1875-09-15
For the SmgTna Times
Synopsis Of the Sermon of Rev. j, IT.
Wright, at st. Peters Church,
last Sunday Morning,
/ IT, For am no; ashamed of tbocl

Synopsis Of the Sermon of Rev. j, IT
Wright, at st. Peter's Church,
last Sunday Morning.
ROMANS l. l6-" For am not ashamed of the Gospc
FChrist it is the power of God unto salvation f.
every one that beheVeth
The necessity for Bible Societies i.
another proof of the ignorance, ungratefuI
ness. and sinfulneSs of humanity. Think
of il! at this time, so many years since the
Holy Scripture the most won.
derfui truths and promising the most
precious blesSingS-was completed, sOcie-
ties are needed that this volume NAV he
Obtained; societies are needed to bring the
claims of the Bible to even Christian men and
ir0aaca. This Is a disgrace to the Christian
profession; it Is an insult to our intelli-
cence. The presentation of the Bible
cause in this age of the world ought to be
an unnecessary work, and especially to n
congregation convened in a Christian
church for the Worship of God. Can Won
find MahOmetans without the Koran ? and
are their teachers required to almost beg of
them 10 become interested in the book, and
strive that its influence should reach
others? The Chinese venerate the writings
oi ConluciuS, and though poor and Hitter
ate will secure at least some maXims and
laws Of these, to him, invaluable books.
In comparison with the Bible all books of
Other religions sink into insignificancc.
They are the creatures of fanciful imagi-
nation. a cgazed intellect, Il scheming brain.
or a darkencd understanding. while thc
Bible Is the production of the Divine
Intellectuality; the expression of Divine
Thought: the revelation of Divine Will
And yet III Christian land surrounded
with the privileges and blessings the Bible
has bestowed upon us, we forget its great
ness. regard hot its Sacretlness remain
ignorant OF lts teaching, and utterly careless
whether others possess ii or not. selected
WORT, 10y my text, which seem TO me. to
teach ot that peculiar characteristic OF the
b't.''. ~ t:'at II meets the great and all i'm
P'::.Git neet ot neutrality-suspicious.. wish
tAl; with the Apostle every one present
could -ar. 81 .fe, not Gskaacd ot tic Gos,,1 Of
thr.'. for this reason. at IS the no,rcr cf
|tt .i't' Sf.''tso, f3 trerY one that JfLiqretI :
WLen We speak of the Bible we do NOT
mean only that collection of books so
carefully preserved and highly revered bv
III" Jews. They are the histories of one
man. on" family, one nation. While these
books have this national characteristics
Wni.o they We're given especially to the
!>r1e!!tISh people, they loose the first and
81 10 themselves worldwide. universal
adaptation. when joined to those other
books. IN which types of the first find a
substance, where the rc1hy of shadows Is
seen. wnere an explanation of heretofore,
h'Np''o"Uie mysteries is given. In short.
where present Messiah fulfilis all that was
written of Him. Without the GOSPEL. We
"+'- Bible maimci and useless: without
ii... G4>I.ri. We have a history of the Jews.
hu' w.iI the GOSPEL we have tie book.
"'.i'A = 'Ia' 2osccr # tioi ,o,'9 s,ucat.oq 10
o. .le, t,,' b,'c.sih.'
All Scripture is full of Jesus. LIDO mot
Sly that every word, or verse, or chan
Ter speaks directly of Him: but Ills sririt is
III ali. all lead to Him. Every unfilfllcd
aspiration Of humanity, all partial repre-
~"nttt-on OF character all sacrifices. all
promises OF JOY and rest. all manifestations
oi infinite love and mercy, point 10 the TYNE
oi perfect humanity, of perfect DIVINITY
the one all-suificient and only efficacious /
slcrilte-lhe Lord Jesus Christ. Taking
TINS view OF the Scripture. and il is the |
fght View, we may call all of it the Gospel. |
and apply TO 1t the words of the ApOstIe
" 1t Is the power of God unto salvation to |
every one that believeth, andof this he ..was
not ashamed If we accept this completed |
Bible as the Word of God, and believe ON |
the Christ of whom it teaches, we will not |
be ashamed, /. e.. we will not he d;san. |
pointed, but our greatest expectations Of |
eternity will fall immeasurablv short of the |
blessed realities which will be ours. But |
would more particularly dwell on the |
other Interpretation. How many Of US can
say. am not ashamed of the Gospel? that
q" not neglect, or slight. or reject. or dis
regard the Bible? How many of us can
.ay IN the face of all enemies / will cling to
II! ~ spite OF all opposition | will carry if
l" 'thefs! II we cannot take the book to
'"''" "e>utute ones, we can provide the
! means; II we cannot give our time and
l'ooI, We can give our money. All there
Would be no lack of either workers or
money if Christian men and women he.
Ieved and appreciated the fact that the
Bible, the Bile ,ciH Christ n, Il. is Gods own
power unto salvation to every one that
1eiieveth. Gods Word, in that it is. does
not IN some mysterious and unaccountable
manner save the world, but it saves iaF;g;d
-''' those who believe its truths. those who
laSten all their hopes on the sacrifice. the
I, 1iood OF which tinges nearly every page of
ms blessed book; to those, to those only is
u the power of God unto salyation.' A
man can never believe in anything of
which ne i totally ignorant. A man never
o'ed TOD IT he did not know that there
vas a God. A man will not believe in
'esu. Christ and find salvation in the
,acriiIee He made if he knows not that
,esus came into the world: that Jesus
he'd Tor his sins; that Jesus lives as his
htercessor and Savior; and if men are to
get this knowledge, it must be from Gods
ora. The Holy Spirit uses the Bible
pod power to accomplish the salvation
y men. lie causes these words of truth to
urn their way into the very souls of men.
lie applies them to our spiritual wants.
he Bible j. indeed the communication of
ne Spirit Of God with the minds. and
iearts, and souls of men. If then men are
be brought under His influence they
must have the Bible. No work i'm which
re can engage is grander in its results than
hat Of the Bible cause; none other can
ring so much of JOY and peace, and allevi.
! We 30 much misery and woe. Oh give to
ne Door, nQPisffiuO cinuopg fIo I;IJo c,,H RI