The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-05-31
rue MEMORIAL SERMON
Preached by Rev. DR.. Cunningham at III
First Presbyterian Church.

Preached by Rev. DR.. Cunningham at the
First Presbyterian Church.
Last evening the Post mustered about
forty strong at Its hall, and, accompanied
by several ladies Of the Women's Relief
Corps, marched to the First Presbyterian
church. where the pastor, Rev. DR.. D. A.
Cunningham, preached q Memorial ser.
mon. Seats in front were reserved for the
veterans, and the other seats were we'll
6lled by members Of the congregation and
those from other churches who desired to
hear tho sermon.
DR.. Cunningham took for bis text the
words, "a good soldier Of Jesus Christ"
from the third verse OF the second chap
ter OF Paul's second epistle to Timothy.
He said that a christian Is not only like a
soldier, but he Is a soldier. They we're
considered 30 by Paul and from the Apos.
ties metaphor, he proposed In his sermon
to Holiday Post and the people generally,
10 deduCe some practical lesson that
would illustrate the fact that Inequalities
going 10 make up a true soldier were
analogous to thoseo Of q good soldiero o Jesus
Christ. First then, the soldier must he
enrolled. In times OF war there
must be no neutrality; men must
enlist and have their names en-
rolled in order that they may be beni-
fitted by drill and discipline and the cause
strengthened by organization. And so II
Ia that a true soldier Of Christ must con.
fess him before the world. How would
such excuses as, / am afraid l am o
traitor, l do not like the character OF those
in the army and | am afraid l am a COW.
ard, sound coming from men when war
was in ~progress2 No brave man would
offer such excuses, as they would at once
convict him OF CowardiCe or treason. How
do such excuses sound coming from those
who are not good soldiers Of Jesus Christ ?
II Is o small matter In what company one
Joins or In what department, and the same
may be said regarding the church one
joins. The thing ia, 10 enlist and fight the
good fight, instead OF putting of enrolling
until the battles have been won by Drawer
comrades.
A soldier always keeps his equipments
In good condition. Christ furnishes
equipments to all his soldiers, and they
to be effective In time OF need should al.
ways be kept Furnished and In readiness.
The gitdle OF truth, the breastplate OF
righteousness, the helmet Of salvation
and the sword Of the Spirit should be al.
ways at hand and not laid by to be used
only on quarterly parade days when there
Is inspection and general muster. Strategy
is another quality that Christ's soldiers
must possess. We are to prone to de-
vote our energies TO struggling
against the smaller iniqnities instead
OF concentrating our efforts at the
strong points Of our enemy. A Christian
life Is real soldiery 1t Is real action In the
face Of foes. A good soldier 10 q brave
man, and the Christian life 10 M requir.
ing courage and bravery. A good soldier
engages personally and never Tags; a good
soldiers great aim isthe final victory. "a
good soldier OF Jesus Christ works for the
establishment OF ChriBt's kingdom and
that God may be glorited. Such a cause
should inspire ts with Paul's glorious
Chivalry. Are you enlisted2 1s your name
to be one Of the good soldiers at the fual
roll call2 Men OF noble hearts, with i'm.
mortal pulses beating within you, Christ
wants you In his army come and beia
c%onqueror."
Tie sermon was delivered with much
.earneBtness and was carefully and atten.
lively listened TO. In his prayers DR..
Cunningham referred feelingly 10 the
comrades dead and living aud invoked the
Divine blessing on them. Among the
hymns sung were those two familiar ones,
"Am I q Soldier Of the Cross7" and
"stAnd Up, Stand Up for Jesus"