The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-02-05
Loo, {, NJ q. !. I 2. 3! 3
CHURCH NorEs.


sss,s Il SfNSFORD's Sc CON d WEEK-TiE
stSpAY,s WORK coNGREGA.ss.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. SUNDAY NIGHT.
SERVICES TN OTHER CHURCH Es-A l DDi-s
pfoNS, BAPTisais, &c.--B BIBLE MEETiNsG 7 q
I THE BAPTIST CHURCH 4, &C. e,
4 somewhat novel spectacle was presented
st Sfs PauPs church on Sunday morning..
ia The fact that a crowd Of considerable
proportions remained patiently waiting on
the lnain portico OF the church, and upon
the sidewalk in front OF and opposite the
church, for nearly an hour, until tne
doors were opened and they were per-
nifted Go enter the building and be seat
ed. It Ia not often in Richmond, although
her people are moral and the community
religious, that tits necessary for crowd 70
wait 8 great length OF time in order to get
into church to bear the preaching OF one
man: But so 1t was on Sunday. Even as
early as 10 O'Clock the unopened doors were
fhronged with people anxious to gain adj
mittance to hear tine great young preacher.
Divine service was read by Dr. Mlnn,ge-
rode, assisted by MT. Rainsford. Rev. II.
S. Kepler aud Rev. MIR. Slaughter were pre-
sent il, the cslancel, but took no active part
in the services.
The Morning Prayer being over DR.. MiG-
nirerode announced that the ensuing week
would conclude Mr. Rainsford's mission
work here; that services would be held as
heratofore--Bi bIe-rea(iings at y NJ. and
short services aud sermon at 8 p. NJ; that
persons who desired to converse with Mr..
Rainsford or the pastor as 10 their soufs
salvation would find them in the Yestry-
room or lecture-room at IL O'Clock or after
the services; and that on Saturday next at
44 O'Clock Mr.. Rainsford would hold special
services in the interest Of the Sunday-school
teachers or all denominations.
Mr.. RAISsFoRD's SERMON.
Mr.. Rainsford, upon going into the pulpit,
SAID that it was his intention to speak this
morning on g W hat Mans Lifeis Not, and
at night upon g hat Mans Life Is" de
then turned to the Bible and read part OF
the 18th verse of the 18th chapter OF St.
Luke ]" For a mans life CONSISTENT notln the
abundance of the things which he possess
etb.s' upon which he based his remarks. Life
in any form, he said, was beautiful beautl-
full thing. Gods word speaks OF ltas GODS
breath. and in the human life is meant to
be the most wonderful evidence OF the
mower OF God. Wecould see the evidences
OF this power all around us. As express
ing its endurance he referred to the great
oak OF century. standing alone IN the forest ;
as expressing the beauty OF life he spoke OF
the flower OF an hour that springs up un-
derneath the spreading limbs of the forest
tree, Stand where we may in the valleys OF
this land and we see the riches, the
strength, and the beauty OF the creation OF
God, and in mans life, created by God,
could be seen wisdom, strength, beauty,
endurance. and purity. All the universe
seems to be one great organ breathing praise
to God. But mans life is something higher
than all this--a life that consistent not IN
the abundance OF the things OF this world.
With all these gifts he cannot be satlshed,
and yet when we look around we are COM
PEELED to recognize mans great efforts to
iay I'D treasures upon earth-each one try
ing to prove that life consists in the abus-
dance of the things OF the world.
MANS ONLY HOPE.
He next spoke of the man who is
nine-tenths animal, and who is sunk SO
low under the power OF his animal nature
that even the strength of his resolution, the
influence and kind offices Of loving friends
and relatives, cannot save him. For him
there is one solitary hope; that hope is in
the name of the Lord Jesus. There are
very few families whose closets do not con-
tain skeleton Of this kind. Do not sach
experiences remind us Of the solemn fact
that life cannot consist in the abundance OF
this worlds goods?
He next spoke OF the man who has not
sunk so low that his own resolution and
the power Of loving friends cannot save him
from the snares OF vice. Not to any innate
goodness in him is this due, but only be-
cause he has not yet reached that unhappy
point. Poor, blind fool. BE thinks he has
not absolutely fallen yet.
He next spoke OF the faculty OF discern
ing sin in its slightest form, and how easily
the conscience may be scared and deadened,
and in concluding this portion of his dis
course said he wanted to lay his hands on
the men who regarded themselves rs safe;
to tell them bis own experience, and, itmay
be, show them In some small degree what
God had done for him. Scar the conscience,
dull the eye that shows you the right from
the wrong, and the end OF that man who eN-
cuses himself because he is an occasional
sinner, is that he is drawn gradually into
that state from which there is no relief, and
we blind the only portal through which the
light of Heaven may stream in.
A CLASS OF PROCESSING CHRISTIANS.
He spoke next Of another class of men,
the major portion OF protesting Christians
men and women-Wbo have no real honest
purpose in life. They pursue their daily
duties in the counfing-room OF office just to
get sufficient to satisfy the Dropensities OF
their natures for the rest OF the day, and to
enjoy themselves. II that is the idea OF
life held by men OF women, it is the oppo-
sitesidea Of the Christian life. 1t was no
want OF kindly feeling in him to say that
the spirit of God must be in you before He
can save YOU. He must convince you OF
sin, and that this is hopeless, heartless
life.
There is still another class Of men upon
which the speaker dwelt at some length.
II is that class OF men whose chief desire is
to do well unto themselves. They live by
the motto 6 AS long as thou doest well to
tbyseH men will speak well OF thee J" 1t
ia that class who have nude UP their minds
TO 90 straight through without opposition
with the dear object Of their iiyeS-to do
well unto themselyes-and these. are the
men who viii be well spoken Of. These are
the men who regard all the streams OF the
world as meant TO turn their mill F! These
are the men who, when they have hid to-
gether the aggregate OF their industry, fall
down and worship their own work. These
are the men that do what God calls idola-
try, and there is not one Of this class who
does not know that this is not the real idea
of life; that a mans life consistent notin the
abundance Of the things which he possess
eth! What would become Of our earth II
that was the best thing in it
God has only allowed you the interest OF
life, and man would dare to squander It's
principal.
IL, ~, ot l,;no, l,eftar than that