Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-08-13
AN ABLE SERMON
Preached atSt. Matthew'S by Rev.
Armstrong
On God Representations on Earth and tho
Proper Ideal of the Creator as
Drawn from a Text
from Job. 49,.

After long absence from the city Rev.
]. G. Armstrong returned yesterday TO oc.
cupy his former place in the pulpit Of st.
Matthews church. OF late years DR.. Arm
strong has been rector of the Monumental
church, of Richmond. Hsleft many warm
friends in Wheeling, and they, added to
hose who well remembered the scholarly
and polished sermons, made up large con-
gregation for St Matthews yesterday after
noon. Rev. David Green read the beauti-
ful and impressive service of the Episcopal
church and the grand music was executed
by the large and we'll trained choir OF St.
Matthews, the Te Deum being especially
beautiful.
Rev. Armstrong took for his text the 9TH
verse of the thirteenth chapter of Job:
will We speak wickedly for God? and
talk deceitfully for Him. From this he
preached an impressive and able sermon,
delivered in
HIS Powerful, FoRCIBLE STYLE.
The words of the text are those uttered
by Job, when his three friends, Zspher,
the Noamathite, Eiiphaz, the Temanite,
and Bildad, the Shuttle, come, in the
midst of his mental troubles and bodily
maladies, to reason with him aud Interpret
The justice of God and explain his
administration of the affairs OF thu
earth. They came upon difficult
and delicate mission. 1t IS no easy matter
at any time 70 peer into the heart anu
soul Of man, and he who comes on such
a mission must be armed with qualitCa-
lions found only in very small minority
of men and women. 1t was especially a
difficult task to make such a mission sue.
ces>ful with Job. His proverbisl patience
had not yet come TO him and he was
the iInpersonation OF a mighty intel
lect wrestling with doubt. He
was even in danger OF drifting upon the
dread rocks of intidelity, and difficult in
deed it was to lift the cloud of.doubt which
hung before his heart and enter into his
Utmost soul. A dread and awful thing 1t
is 10 realize that We, all men and women,
are the representatives OF God on earth, to
expound TO each other his administration
and 10 successfully perform such mission
ss undertaken by JoC's three friends, pre-
required certain conditions. To one SO
afflicted, none could 60 with reason and
advice, except he bear with him the evil
Gence of a knowledge OF and sympathy
With his condition. None could enter such
a heart, for its relief, without bearing on
his own heart.
THE SCARS OF Such 4 STRUGGLE,
such a battle, with himself. How job re-
celytd their words, is voiced in the text
they were not sincere and the honesty,
the sturdy honesty that is characteristic
Job. rejected them. They mIsrepresented
n IN tor 4 a
'helr speeches came, it was as but sound.
ing brass and tinkling cymbal. JOB ex.
claimed: will We speak wlckedly for God?
and talk Gereitfully for him?
First, they spoke wicke lily for God.
coming as His representatives they
placed him in a false light. And thus
seems 10 be common error in modern
times God is represented simply as an
iron will backed by a strong arm. He is
placed before the thoughts OF man more as
a powerful avenger and in purely me
chanical way. This was the old style, the
old idea. The changing OF the times must
Urirg q change in this, as the age demands
il. The set phrase of the long ago will not
now convey the proper meaning. God
should be represented as a just man. This
IS not irreverent and IAN honest God is the
noblest work Of man is good saying after
all.
In this brief and imperfect synopsis it is
iml ossble 10 really convey any adequlte
idea of the depth OF the sermon, the beauti.
full language in which it was clothed or the
eloquent gestures that
GAVE IT FORCE AND EXPRESSION.
Asa pulpit orator and for depth of rpas.
Oning, breadth OF view and strength OF eI.
preston, Rev. Armstrong has few peers.
He was listened to throughout with pro.
found attention and absorbing interest
Next Sunday DR. Greer will preach al ST.
Matthews and DR.. Armstrong will preach
tgain on ;Ae Sunday folio wing.