The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-20
GOSPEL FROM MANY PULPITS
The Sermon of Bishop Andrews at Rob-
erts Park Church Yesterday.
OiscOursss Of Visiting Clergymen on Various
Themes, at the Several City Churches,
Yesterday Morning and Last Evening.
BISHOP ANDREws,s SERMON.


The Human and Divine Necessity for the
Death of Christ
Roberts Park Church has perhaps never held a
larger audience than that of yesterday morning.
which assembled to hear Bishop Andrews. The
exercises opened with beautiful prayer by Rev.
DR.. Fl. B. Ridgeway. president of Garrett Uni
versity. The Scripture lesson was read by the
Bishop being the thirteenth chapter of the First
Epistle to the Corinthians, after which was sung
the hymn. beginning.
''Oh thou in whose presence
My soul takes delight"
The Bishop took as his text part of the forty
second verse of the twenty-seventh chapter of
st. Matthew: "He saved others, himself he can
not save" The sermon began with a pathetic
portrayal of the scenes and incidents immsdi
dately preceding the crucifxion, and gave an
affecting description of that event. picturing in
vivid colors the great and motley throng that
had gathered at the cross He described Jesus
as voluntary victim one who had foreseen and
predicted the event; who escaped all suares and
dangers until the sublime hour had come to
make this sacrifice. He spoke of the human and
divine necessity for this death of Christ. It was
part OF the divine scheme for human redemption
that there should be an unwilling of the heart Of
God to man. and so. at the appointed time the
Son OF God came down to earth, put His arm
arouad our human nature and lifted US up to
eternal union with himself 1t Is through
Christ that men have come to know the wealth
of tenderness there is IN the divine bosom.
Exactly what the divine necessity for the
death Of Christ was | do not believe any man
knows, but it opened way of salvation for men,
The Scriptures declare we have redemption
through His blood even to the forgiveness of
sin; bat when we como to ask in the New Tesla
Gment for the philosophy of atonement we find it
not / know but one place where that is set
Forth and that Is in the third chapter of Ro-
mans: Whom Goo hath set forth to be propi-
tiation through faith in His blood to declare His
righteousness for the remission of sins that are
past. through the forbearance OF God Save
that one passage, know of not another which
seems to declare that Chrst's death works in
she divine government to human salvation.
Is wonderful that theologians know all
about it. Some say it was meant to
eppease divine justice and make God merciful.
4 hope nobody believes that nowadays. Gods
mercy preceded Christ God SO loved the world
that he gave His only begotton Son. Then others
Say that Satan had such clutch upon men that
something must be done to release his grasp.
That is theory that belongs to the middle ages.
There Is another theory. commercial theory,
khat SO much sin required such amount of
suffering. and that, therefore. Christ barred His
bosom to divine vengeance. We sometimes have
theory that men owed a debt to God and that
yesus paid that debt. We sometimes sing Jesus
Paid 1t All The death of Christ, In the New
Testament, Is never spoken of as the payment of
debt
"But we do see all through the Bible and ss-
pecislly all through the New Testament that the
Heath of Christ does remove all obstacles to the
outflow Of divine mercy toward men; that some
how He, through the grace of God, tasted death
for every man. He was bruised for our trans
gression, and through Him are we saved. And so
I'VE stand and proclaim. He bears away the sin of
the world Jesus was setting forth in his own
person fact that belongs to all ages, and to all
men. Whoever helps his fellow-man does it at
Hcost 1t is Of the nature of love. according to
Its genuineness and vigor TO be self forgetting,
Belfdenying. seifsacrifcinR Jesus taught this
lesson thoroughly. He taught the lesson of
humility; even to the washing of His disciples
feet, to do any service however mental,
that will improve the comfort. the
well-being, the character Of any one
plse It is sometimes said this religion must
pass away. The central ethical law of Chris
tianity is to make men love God and love their
fellow-man. l care not what questions may be
raised. know that this system comes from God.
Wherever it has place in the human heart it rev.
plntionizes It, Il it had place everywhere these
ha&reds of class could not exist, enmties could
live Could this system come from any one but
God himselfs"
The Bishop, at the conclusion Of the sermon,
performed the ceremony of ordination of dea-
Cons upon Messrs. Bovard, Robinson. Moore Gray
Ind Mcmillan.