The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-05-16
rnc,dents nc Day o.

Sunday, the 10th instant, while the people
were awaiting at Morgan Chapel the arrival
of the minister, an interesting little girl, just
on the threshold of her teens, with hasty step
and anxious countenanee, approached and
spoke to gentlemen of the sudden illness OF
her father, living few hundred yards from
the church A few gentlemen went to the
house; but before services were ended at the
church the news came back that life had
wound up the drama Thos. b. Mercer had
died suddenly of apoplexy of the heart
The awaited minister was Rev. John b.
Amos, a Presiding Elder in the NJ. Z. Church,
who delivered an impressive discourse from
the words-s'Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst
make me clean" He spoke of the leper's
unequipoised faith-"f Thou wilt" imply
ing doubt of His willingness, Thou canst,
implying perfect assurance of ability. He
said Christ is not only able, but as willing as
He is able, enlarging beautifully, earnestly
and eloquently upon the wonderful love that
redeemed man. The pathos of the speaker
and the touching tenderness of the theme was
calculated to win away from the bad, to lure
wayward feet into the paths of rectitude be-
fore they know it. We were glad to see him
ignore the mistaken idea of throwing open
the fiery pit to frighten men from It's yawning
gulf, to start backward for "the mark of their
high calling, perhaps but to fall and perish;
because, instead of running for prize, they
are simply running from a penalty. The
speaker held that those glad tidings of love
and compassion were to be preached to all
nations by human tongues-the ministry.
We wondered what ohm meant in the Apoca-
lvpse when he said-sI saw an angel fly in
the midst Of heaven, having the everlasting
gospel to preach to every nation, and kindred.
and tongue, and people, One brief, COM
prehensive, grand sermon, perhaps-whoso-
ever will, let him take the water of life freely.
The sermon as whole stood out in striking
contrast to the often preached but false tradl-
ton that the Lord when in this world was re-
iected by vast majority. Such sermons
place before us in bold relief the Son OF man
as he was, the most amiable, kind, compass
sionate, tender and fascinating being the world
ever knew, winning upon the admiration of
all except the sordid and selfish. We will
give a few facts. "He came to His own"
1.-THE priests and elders in the Jewish church,
s'and they received Him not" but the COM
mon people heard Him gladly, great multi
tudes followed Him, the blind man cried with
a loud voice, he could not get within speak
ing distance for the crowd; Zacheus ran "a
great way ahead and climbed up a tree, he
could not see Him for the press; the servants
of the high priests, sent to apprehend Him,
returned without Him, saying, Never man
spake like this man, it was only the leading
spirits in the Jewish church who complained
we shall lose our places, ''for all the world
have gone after Him." it was the priests and
rulers of the synagogues who fain would have
laid hands on Him, but they feared the PEG.
pie. Who then would say He was rejected
by the great majority? We have said this in
the interests of truth, while we do not believe
that the modern pulpit have intended to SLAM
der the Lord, but they have preached the
traditions of their fathers without thinking for
themselves.