Daily Republican., 1890-06-23
a Bottle Sermon.


The Baltimore Eun reports the follow.
ing a. the giat OF q sermon preached BY
Rev W. W. sharp, pastor Of Kent ls.
land N. y. Church, Queen Anue's
County, Nd. last Sunday. Mr.. sharp
10 well Known 10 thb city, having goue
out from Asbury N. u. Church to preach b
somc four or hve years ago. The Sun
says that bottles were used from the null
pit in Illustrating the leading points OF
hs sermon. There were four OF these
bottles, and wheu exhibited At the bs.
ginning OF the sermon each was half flli-
cd with water. His text was se,ectsd
from Gencsis L 26th- and nth verses. aud
Genesis II, 7th verse. "In these pas.
cages" Mr.. sharp raid, 1--WE have the
pature OF man, body, dust, soul and
spirit" He here called the attention 60
the four bottles, aud designated the bot
tlea the body aud the water the spirit.
Mr.. Sharp then said that man was Great
ed in the image Of God, In righteousness
and true holidess. He showed that this
condition did n0s continue, and that sin
and Satan are 10 the world. Sin is de-
filing the soul and body. The preacher
at this point exhibited bottle contain-
Ing colored liquid representing Sin.
The Vial was covered with gilt and pic
turee. s'Sin gilds itself, Continued Rev.
MIR. Sharp. referring to to his bottles,
''and makes itself Attractive" At this
point he nfted the Qilded bottle, and
while holding 1t in full view Of his con-
greRation he said: "Sln waycs it, ban
nsrs, blows its trumpet, clsps it, Gym.
balls, spreads its banqueIs and makes it.
seli - attractive % possible. Contact
with sin dedlcs and pollutes.
~ afa -.
mented vial containing 3 discolored
water. A portion OF the contents OF the
bottle represenling sin was smrtisd into
that containing water, and the latter was
also discolored. The preacher pointed
out then how sinner will Affect pure
man. Just - the dlscolored liquid had
Affected the pure water.
Ar. Sharp next propounded the quss-
lion. "H0w shalt man be reformad?" Al
the same same time he picked up the
two bottles containing discolored liquids
and placed one among . bunch flowers
which nestled on the pulpit, and asked
II there was any change In the disoolor-
ed water. Baptism, Mr.. Sharp said, had
been suggested % one way OF reforming
. sinner, and he then plunged the bottle
OF discoiored liquid into vessel OF water
Hs pointed out the fact that there was
no change, aud he said that baptism Is q
blessed ordinance, but It has NO saving
virtue. and presupposcs . repentance.
Another suggestion Tor reformation, said
Mr.. Sharp, was . profession Of Chris
tianity. He labelled the bottle "Chris.
tian." but there was NO change In the
color Of it, contents. Another sugges.
tion WAS death. and 10 illustrate the
point the preacher broke the bottle. The
stained liquid ran ont into vessel, and
still there was n0change In its color.
Nothing" continued Mr.. Sharp,
"can purify bat the Atoning blood OF
Jesus Christ" Here he ended his Illus
trations BY producing another bottle on
which was q Gilt cross and contaiuIug .
crimson fluid. A few drops Of the crim-
son iionid were poured into the discol-
ored water, and Immediately the latter
became ss pure and white as 1t had been
originally.
The sermon was intended especially for
children, but was listened 10 with much
interest by the large adult congregation
present.