The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1890-05-15

TWICE \ DAY FOR \ WEEK THE REV.
MR.. ARNOLD DELIVERS STIRRING
AND FoRcIBLE SERMONS TO
LARGE AND ATTENTIVE
AUDIENCES.
On Monday, May the 9Th, the Rev.
c. L. Arnold, of ST. Paul's church,
Wilmington, commenced a series of
sermons in ST. Paul's church, In Clin-
ton. The membership of the Clin-
ton Iarish is small and a large con-
gregation is something unusual, but
from the first sermon the congrega-
tions that gathered to hear the elo-
quently clear, earnest, and practical
divine grew larger and larger each
day. Not even when the Bishop
visits the parish do such congrega-
tions gather to hear him. For the
benefit of our readers who C. uld not
hear him We give below an outline
Of the able, interesting and instruc-
tive series of sermons:
INTRODUCTORY.
The writer of the epistle to the
Hebrews has stated in the first and
second verses of the sixth chapter
the six first Or fundamental doctrines
of Christ. They are as follows Re-
pentance from Dead Works, Faith
toward God, Baptism, the Laying on
| of Hands, the Resurrection, land Eter-
nal Judgment. These are the found
atior on which rests the superstruc-
ture Of Christian Truth. Take out
one Of these and you imperil the
stability of the fabric of Christian
teaching. No subject can more prop
erly demand our prayerful and care
full study, that we may know the
truths whereon we stand.
SERMON NO. 1-REPENTANCE.
First, there is the doctrine of Re-
pentance from Dead Works, or from
those sins which work death. What
is it to repent? To turn away from
sin unto God. A crucifying of the
old man Of sin and raising up in us
of the new man created in righteous
ness and true holiness. Repentance
is taught and exemplified in the par
able of the "Prodigal Son." First
is the realizing of his sinful condi-
ton, as the powerful phrase Of the
Gospel is: "the coming to himself"
He was beside himself while in sin.
He did not know himself, was in a
state of me- raj Inconsistencies. He
is awakened; he sees the depths of
his sin; he feels his degradation. and
moreover comes to realize that he
ought not to be what he is, that he
has Father and Home whence he
had come. He says I have surren-
dered. But then comes resolve:
l will arise out of this sin. l will
not sin lower and lower, but just as l
am will go to my father. We see
now what Repentance is. There are
the two steps realized of sinfulness,
and the turning from sin unto right
eOusness. Some call this conversion.
We call it repentance and day by
day docs the Christian need to prac-
tice it. Sin is disease and forgive
ness through repentance is the cure
unto death.
SERMON NO. 2 FAITH.
Faith is a faculty of the soul by
which it apprehends spiritual truth
God is known to us by faith, and it is
this faculty that enables us to per-
celve divine guidance, even through
the darkness Of sorrow or the per-
pleXities of life's unmeasured way"
I have said that faith is faculty of
the soul. Therefore it grows in
strength by exercise. The disciples
prayed Christ to increase their faith,
but the Master did not promise to dc
so. AS properly would man seek
of God a good memory, or a bril-
liant imagination as power Of faith
Prayer can prevail with God. In
, answer to our petitions will oul
Heavenly Father pour out upon US
the abundance Of his grace, and fill
+ our souls with his consoling and en-.
, tightening spirit, but faith he does
not bestow in answer to prayer, tho
) prayer as an act of faith mus
strengthen that faculty. Truth is
5 the result of faith. 1t is the souls
: attitude to God, confident reliance
, upon Divine Providence, "believins
when we cannot PROVE" following
without fear whenever divinit,
: lead. Faith makes real to US on
1 highest, hottest hopes, and brings t.
/, our hearts assurance OF those things
which transcend the perception 0
senses. AS the Hedging of the pre-
l sent spring Matched bird taught b,
s its mother, spreads it wings and com
mits itself to the viewlesS air ant
finds itself upborne by the bouyan
atmosphere, SO prompted by fait
: the soul commits itselfto the unsee
c God, and feels beneath it, supporting
I. and unfolding it the everlastin
{ arms.
t SERMON NO. 3-BAPTISM.
The Episcopal Church holds firml
= to the necessity of the two great sa'
: -aments, Baptism ard the Supper {
If the Lord. She teaches her childre
r that these sacraments are general
Y necessary unto salvation. BY stgel
[. orally necessary is meant, necessar
e when at all possible. The infar
born to parents who are not belieH
er ers cannot present itself for baptism
Ii if 1t die during this period Of inc
d pacity it is not lost, for its failure
perform the Savior's commandment
4 the sin rests not upon it, but upo
e. those who neglected or refused
bring the child. By Baptism, "
believe, that We are born anew I
water and the spirit. Birth is
w change of state. The chicken in tt
K egg just before it picks the shell
q, which it has lain imprisoned, is pc
II feet i'm all its powers, faculties an
y members, and its birth is but Il
ID ii stepping forth OF the chicks I'M