The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-05-13
A MAGNIFICENT SERMON.
THE ELoQusNr DISCOURSE OF A
BALTIMORE DIVINE.
DR.. Ellis breaches at the Second Presby-
terrain Church, A Pulpit Orator OF tx
traordinaryl vigor OF Speech and Fe-
licity of Illustration.

pcSccCu you. lntItlOIt, DlctuICl, Wy
the mercies OF God, that ye present your
bodies a living Sacrifice, holy, acceptable
with God, which is reasonable service.
And be not conformed 20 this world, but
be ye transformed by the renewing OF your
mind, that ye may prove what is that good
and acceptable and perfect will OF God"
Romans xiii, l-2.
Such was the text announced yesterday
at the Second Presbyterian by DIR. Ellis, OF
Baltimore, Baptist divine Of great elo-
quence, who has been in the city for some
days as a delegate to the Baptist Conven-
ton, now in session here.
The fame Of DR.. Ellis as pulpit orator
Of extraordinary cloqucnce and power had
preceded him, and the church was crowded
with an audience notable for culture, rs-
fnement and intellectual pre.emnence.
Men prominent in every walk OF life and
leaders in their various professions, were
there, and their unanimous verdict was
that not since Henry Ward Beecher and
Bishop Thompson, OF Mississippi, lectured
here, has there been so fine an exhibition
OF pulpit oratory US was given yesterday by
the Rev. DIR. Ellis, OF Baltimore, who com
bnes yigor OF expression with felicity OF
illustration, and at times rises TO nights Of
oloquence that arc sublime. The rev.
crend gentleman is ABOUT fifty years of
age, OF portly build aud giant stature. His
smoothly shaven face reminds one
lorclbly Of the late Henry Ward
Boccher, and this similarity extends
even TO manner and action. His iavorite
gesture is with his clinched hand, which
! he brings down before him rs III he desired
10 pound and hammer the truth into the
souls Of his hears lie does not conBne
himself TO the pulpit desk, but walks from
| one end OF the pulpit platform TO the
| other, facing his audience and hurting at
them words and sentences that now thrill
with liquid music or burn with impas-
stoned elOquence. lie uses no manuscript
but small piece OF paper In his hand
upon which are inscribed brief notes, a
sort Of skeleton, into which he bfeathcs
the spirit OF lie. No newspaper repor.
can do justice 20 II, even ii the words were
taken down geographically there would
still be lacking the virile manner, the
vigorous personality. the intense earnest
ness Of the man. IE APPEAL will not
attempt 10 report the sermon rs Il was de-
liycrcd, but must content itself with a
general description Of II, with here and
there striking passage that cut deep into
the reporters memory.
Dr. Ellis began very happily by Fnying:
81 cordially rcciprOcato the kind interest
OF your pastor in rendering me his pulpit
today, and | appreciate all the more his
lender of UNCONVENTIONAL fraternity be.
cause lac kas been your pastor but one
! week, and YOU are naturally anxious To-
/ form his acquaintance, but as lac Is suffer.
/ ing from severe cold, | am glad 10 be OF
service to him and thankful to preach 10
this congregation, for am free TO say that
were / not a BAPTIST | would be a Presby.
terrain" After these graceful preliminary
remarks the learned divine proceeded u
ckpound the text heroinaboye quoted.
| neutrality-suspicious. ~ CHRISTIAN LIVING.
According to the old dispcnsaton, said
the speaker, sacrilres TO God were con-
sumed by fine. Paul besought the Ro
mans 10 present then bodies living sacri.
flee, meaning that their lives should bear
| testimony 20 the grace OF God and their
hearts aud souls enlisted in his service
thereby forming a sacrifice that cannot be
consumed-a sacrifice as deathloss as God
himself.
TO be a good Christian man shod'd b,
a good halor. lie should hate evil with
ns much intensity as ho loves the good,
The effective way 10 go at thing Is 10 ap
proach II heartiorem0st A heart con
irollcd by the spirit OF God Is the safest
leadership In the world.
The environment in which W. find our.
selves suggests this vital type OF Christian
life. BE careful OF the lines YOU arc cary.
ing into your character by your daily con
duct, for they cannot bi washed ut Ma.
lures aualogies arc eloquent prophecic,
and picturcd parallels Of the necessity
Of the intensity Of Christian life. Here
this learned gentleman with fine dcscrip,
tive power drow an illustration from nm
incident that tfauspircd IN the British
Museum. DR.. Wilkinson. In his Eastern
explorations, had brought back 10 Eng.
land from the mummy pits Of Egypt a jaI
that bore evidence Of having been scaled
in an age of remote antiquity. One day II
icll from It's shelf la the British Museum
and was shattered into atoms. Among
the fragments were discovered n lol
oi small black objects, which were planted
In British soil, and IN due couns Of tim,
sprouied their green leaves above lh,
surface Of the ground. The black object.
were peas, transplanici after 5000 years
and giving birth o. tho indcsiruclibl,
germ Of lie they inclo.cd. Here was &
suyg, ,tiiycness Of Immortality reaching on
ifoin the mummy pits Of Egypt across {
chasm II 5000 years.
II vegetable lie incllgcs such suggcs
tons oi immortality what must soul.lii,
hr7 our environment Is dual. Il Is IN,
bridge between time and eternity Look
90 the acorn, a small thing in itself, which,
Ia the iullnoss Of time, expands into th,
oak. and wthslsnds the lcmpcsls OF cen.
turtles. Tho acorn unio.ds ,hc intensity oI
being. Il isa vegetable expression OF IN,
eternity Of life.
Ilisiory's story Of Tho souls struggle io
liberty IL the story Of this intensity %
human life, aud the heroes of that struggle
were mca OF high type Of camcs,ncst
gtunt, who iorrrd aud shaped intellectual
implements OF warfare 10y the intensity o.
intellectual liic. From unimalrue 1,
maslodon, from mole hiil TO mountain, N,
one lesson Ia Taught, lie }, destiny, lii,
~ doom. Tho gospel ui the l.opl reveal
moro than the possibilities 81 life. Jcsu
Christ serves " the altar II these s1u
possibilities Immortality from thi
standpoint means mor than mere dum
ton. 10 IN not one straight lin
drawn out with iulnity IRON thl
very starting point Of birth thcrc arr tw,
diyrrdng lIncs, growing wider and wide
npnrt as the world roll, ON 90 eternity
Iilc has two goals, one pointing 10 heaven
the other, to that wur, which mono OF a
can understand. uni which ! h1pa nu,
pray mono Of ~ may understand, tia
awful word, bell.