The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-12-03
THE CHURCHES.
interesting Services At
tended by Largo
Congregations.
Or h0GE'S SERMON LAST NIGHT An
rHt ord MARKET.
Church News aud Notes


DIR Ho0E's SERMON At THF OH MARKET
pr h0ge resumed his services at the
Ola Market Hall last night before an i'm
ntnsc audience, every seat I'm the
spacious room being filled. Promptly at
5 O'Clock The services began, after which
lhe eloquent divine began his sermon as
follows
Or iloge does not write his sermons.
and those delivered by him I'm the Old
Market Hall are not furnished by him 10
the DAILY TNMs, but are reported for
publication by one who Is detailed Is
pcciaiiy for that purpose
Dr Hoge commenced hy saving that ii
gave him great pleasure 10 resume these
sryices after so long suspension of
them, aud 10 reCommeuce a work so con
genial TO him. He vas deeply gTatifed
90 be welcomed once more by one of the
largest audiences ever gathered In the
Oid Market Hall.
The text for 10 night ia the 18th verse
of the VII chapter Of Second COrrinih.
isns, Il will be a father unto you and
YOU shall be my sons and daughters
saith the Lord Almighty" There are
three divisions OF my discourse tonight
which will mske It very easy TO remem.
Der The three heads of the sermon will
be these, "the Father, the Family and
the Family Home" 1t is q great pilv
that so many people get wrong ideas of
God in early life. Many think him cold,
stern and hard. Many regard him is un-
approachable-perhaps | ought not TO
have used that long word-there are
many children here tonight who may
not understand il. If instead of preach
ng to children was prea ching 10 uni
sersiiy students l would still try TO use
The plainest words II children could
understand them il would be all the bet
ter for scholars, so instead of unOp-
prOschable will say God Is easy TO get
TO-, easy 10 find True we cannot see
God, the child may not see the father ia
the next room, but If the door 10 g. jar and
The child hears the fathers voice, 1t
knows the father Is near. How near is
f God 90 you Nearer than the person
that sits next 10 you on these crowded
benches. Why should there be
this common dread Of GOdY 1t
is because We are conscious
0f sin, and we kDOS that God hates sin.
sin is Gods enemy and our curse. sin
would destroy God if il could. Sin rolls
ike a fiery river through The world,
blasting what IL touches The very good
uess of God requires Him to protect the
interests Of the whole human family.
Therefore goodness as we'll as justice
impels Him TO punish sin. a loving Ia
Their will correct his children for their
good. aud that others who see their evil
deeds may be kept from disobedience
dow is God described 10 us in the Bible
A God Of wisdom, justice and power and
holiness, bat We need His wisdom to
guide US and His power to protect us
Were lie not Just We could not respect
Him. and were He not holy we could
not revere Him. Beneath these great at
tributes Of wisdom, justice, holiness and
power there beats heart of love. dc
not suppose because lie Is 50 great that
lie cannot feel and is not tender In the
mountains YOU sometimes see great
cliff. Thunders cannot shake, lightn'
iuas cannot burn it II echoes bach
The thunder with voice almost as loud
bat If r dove COOS Al the base OF clih, II
echoes back the soft note of the dove II
child eep it echoes back the weeplna
Of the child. God cares how we feel TO
ward Him and how we speak OF Him
Kaiser William, the Emperor OF Ger
many. isa great soldier, but If walking
through the streets of Berlin he should
oyerhear one family cursing him and an
other family praying for him, man o.
war though he is, with armies al ms
hack he would rather hear the prayer
than the curse. So when the apostle says
blessed be God, we must remember tha
ne hath said Whose offereth praise
olorifetb Me" Bnt what more does th'
apostle say Of Him. lie calls Him tn,
Father of Mercies, God OF all Comfort
There Is not a mercy OF which lie Is no
The Father. OF every comfort he ls lh'
Z Author. lie Himself hath said "As ont
whom his mother cOmforteth, so VIII
comfort YOU" A father may disinheu
an ungrateful son and drive him iron
. bis house bat a mother clings 10 hin
affer his banishment. y Widowed
mother IN this city had son who le'
her and went she knew not whittier
bnt every night she kept lamp burning
in bis chamber. her heart yearning 10
) MS return ana almost breaking III ne
loooipg 10 welcome him home again
. Aggin what DO We read Like as
fsfber uitieth his children, so The Lor'
, ni,ietb them that fear Him. savage
a,e cruel and often make sport OF tn
spfferiups which they intlict. Humal
/. laws. even when they are Jnsi. are 10
D characterized by pity. funlshmenls 81 = y
b even when they are deserved, are o''el
Z neeilessly aggravated. Oar JallS az
frequently disgrace 10 ciFlll"a''oii
On prits when released from coniiheilen
even when they want 10 IeIoIhl' 3.
g neither sympathy nor help. we arc VI
d Ten told hat we need new nU,ot j
G Kichmond. but We need House or ke'ug
D y great deal more A boy commils a
e ofTrnse for which he is sent TO Jail, Dul
q often comes ont after his ass0ciaslo
b, here with criminals of the basest sol
y more child of the devil than wheh d
went in. fyOu want TO know how 20
n mites a disoOedient child, read the sloi
e of the prodigal Son. When men :
% wrong God knows how 10 hate tue 81
e and al tn: same time 10 pity the SHINE
d Ab. olom was cOnspirator against u
a f.tber's gosernment and against his II
ther's life. tut after his untimely end, ID
II ,id cried "Oh, AbsalOm my son, IN
n som Would 10 God ! had died 10
re- thee ,,..,
s- Secondly. We hsYe now considere
le God In the character Of q Father. Mex
~ look at the family. "Yod shall be N
ID sops and daughters God as the FaIh'
Of ,he spirits OF all flesh is the Father
all mansind But in a special sense b
h The Father of those who by grace al
y adopted into His family How do v
a obtain lhis adoption Here is the al
" swer. "Ye are children Of God by fail
= in Jesus Christ" ia good tamil
: brothers and sisters love each other M
from q sense Of duty, but because II
IA natural 10 love those who have sat al IL
d same table, shared Ia The same sports an
together enjoyed the blessings OF "a
same home. so those who compose tn
family OF God should care Tor one AN an
other, sympstbize with one ah9'ner an'
i1rHDpg IA VIII