The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1889-08-16
DIR. DIXON,S SERMON
Before the Granville Grays in the Ok for Il
Methodist Church.

u
Methodist Church..
Especial Cor. to STATE CHRoNICLE.l
OXFORD, N. c., Aug. Z, 'S9-The truth
of the adage that great minds run in the
same channel, was again demonstrated
on Sunday last, when the greatest preach
er in the United States and the greatest
preacher in North Carolina, preached that
| common sense is what is most needed in
religion
DR.. Talmage was trying to impress that
fact upon the people of Livingston, Mon
tana. while DR. Dixon was holding the
Granville Grays, of which company he is
chaplain, and the citizens Of oxford, spell
bound by an eloquent sermon of which
that sentiment was the leading theme
An announcement that that practical
man and eminent divine is to preach never
fails to fill the house, and hence the Meth
odist church of this place was already
dtnSely packed, when at II o'clock that
handsome body of men, headed by Capt.
Bobhitt, all in their new regulation uni
forms, marched in and occupied the pews
reserved for them
The doctor was in one Of his happiest
moods, and not even the fact that a large
portion of the congregation had heard
Bishop Wilson but week before, could
detract anything from the sermon
Genesis 10th and 18th Verses. Any at
tempt at /; description could but do the
whole sermon an injustice, but a few
points will be ventured for the euitication
of your readers.
The doctor began by the old story of
Jacob and Esau told in a new strain. He
described the feeling of young man just
leaving his fathers house TO do battle with
the world alone, and the great comfort
which a blessing from godly father
should be to such one. His pathetic al
lusions to his own salnted father brought
tears 10 the eyes of many whose eyes had
been strangers TO tears for years. He
could think of nothing 50 horrible as the
life of a young man who tried TO 60 through
this world without a broad, solid. COM
mon sense religion, unless II was the mar
rage and subsequent life of an ungodly
woman.
His appeal to the young ladies who are
soon 10 leave the household of their youth,
to make new homes, to start IN the right
direction, was something marvellous IN its
beauty and strength.
Plant your ladder on honesty, integrity
Of purpose, love fer your fellow man and
be sure to plant 1t firm and that the other
end rests on heaven and God, and all will
be we'll
\ man had complained 10 the doctor
that his parents had 50 iLculcated honesty
into his mind that he could not subSe-
quently rid himself Of it, hence be mad
not been 50 successful as his less scrupu-
!ous neighbors. Rude tho it may have
been, he could not resist the inclination 10
tell the man that he was lacking in com
mon sense. No amount of religion can
bring success without this one thing.
This is true of any calling. y young
man goes 10 school, his father pays for II;
be goes through college, his father settles
for that; he graduates at the theological
seminary and his father foots the bill
Then the young man gets up in the pulpit
70 teach plain, practical, business men how
TO live. Much HE KNOWS ABOUT IT. He
should include IN his education two
years course behind d counter, and learn
of men and life.
He knew many preachers who had bet
ter be following a plow. and appealed to
the congregation to know if he was not
one of them.
There are many lawyers, he said. who
would be better engaged drawing elo-
quence from anvil with a sledge ham
mer, than ii doing questionable acts and
hiding behind their attorneyship; many
doctors who have no higher conception of
their calling than to make little money
from the sulferngs of their fellow beings.
They lack common sense, honesty and hui
manity
His peroration comparing the life and
death of good man and a bad one was
unsurpassable in its grandeur, and made
every person in the house carry home
higher aim in life and deeper reverence
for God
Would that this could be said oftener
of the sermons which we hear Perhaps
it can be, when the plow-share gets its due
F.