The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-08-12
SPECIAL SERVICES SUNDAY.
INAUGURAL SERMON Al WED
MINISTER CHURCH.
A Large Congregation Hear Rev W.
lame. Little Preach for the First Time
a., p,cbmopd-Bsptist sunday -sch"o'
a.sociattop Meeting.

hytcrian church, pTt'V"VV "'
sermon sunday afternoon at to large
congregation. lie selected for ms "N''
..Therciore come | unto you without gam
saving. rs soon a. | was sent Tor ASH
therefore. for what intent ye have sent ior
me-"
Mr.. Little began by saying that ~ WIS
common for men, on entering spheIcs W |
public service. 10 point out the CouleS y,
action they mean 10 pursue and the metnou
NV which they hone 10 give il effect. mus
,ho chief magistrate Of a state or OF Tue
i-ni,cd states. the head Of a college OF uhi'
vcrsity, or the president OF scienunc VI
literary association. announces IN MS maui
s,,ral address the objects he means 10 ac-
complish and the policy he means 70
tursue In like manner, Wllhlh V'i''i"
limits may the minister OF me gos-
reI on entering new field Of labor.
define and declare the character OF the Worh
ne undertakes 20 perform. and the lnes on
which he designs 10 prosecute II. hu, "e
musi remember that the scope and matter
az his work are not left 60 his choice but
are determined by the nature OF his Noca-
tion and the teachings Of scripture. As
minister Of the gospel. his service j. III me
gospel only; as a pastor OF the hocN ~
God his care is to feed. lead, ant guaru
that flock. Hence he may not TO exercise
his ingenuity. but TO give clearness anu
precision TO himself, and TO remove thal
yagueness as 10 the objects nnd mater oil
his work which clings 10 many OF me PEG
ple. declare the specific aims ana designs
Of his ministry.
THE APOSTLE PETER.
In the words Of our text we have the
belpml example of the Apostle Peter
6rough, before US, botn in regard to his re-
Spouse 10 the invitation ana call mace on
him from C1sarea, and his inquiry INTO
the specific object for which they had called
him 10 that city. 4 nriei survey OF the
apostles conduct aud procedure IN the pre-
misses may help Us to better understand,
and, perhaps, correct our own. Ii Will, at
all events aid us as minister and people 10
place and keep before Us the specihc WORK
and duties which grow out o. the newly
formed and responsible relation instituted
between us. We humbly pray That our
Master. the rigbtiul Lord of all. may give
us az richly OF his Holy spirit to guide us
in the path of duty. and 10 crown our works
i'm his service. as he did TO the Apostle Peter
AT CIs9fea.
SPECIAL CALL.
/. In the first place let rs consider our
apostles response TO the call and invitation
given him at JOppa 10 90 20 CTsarea.
II was special call and iuvi-
tailon for special work IN the
Lords Kingdom. The apostle had
long before been called 10 be a minister OF
the word. lie had already made rich proof
Of his ministry in Jerusalem, in Judea. and
in Samara. Now he is 10 enter new Held
and TO engage in an untried work Al
C1sarea the Church of Christ Is to receive q
new expansion, TO experience new ana
wonderful development. This apostle Is 10
he hOnOred 10 do that work. Ii is nothing
less than the opening of the door of faith TO
the Gentle world. This special call had
both an outward and inward, an external
and spiritual element. The former is mani
tested, when three messengers frOm CUsarea
came 10 Joppa bearing the urgent call for
st. Peter 10 come thithcr. Cornelius, the
Roman centurion, who had command ofthe
s'lmperial Guards" which were stationed
with the project of the province of Syria, in
this city, being warned Of God, had sent
them. The messengers on reaching Joppa
say to the apostle. "COTnclius, Just man
and one that feareth God and of good re-
port among all the nation of the Jews, was
warned from God by an holy angel 10 send
for thee into his house, and t. hear words OF
thee
PRAYED on THE ROOF.
Observe how God prepares the apostle for
and inclines him to receive and obey this
special call. lie first reveals himself to his
servant, breaking down his long-cherished
Jewish and sectarian prejudices. At noon
Peter went up TO the roof of the house for
prayer. He was hungry, we are told, at the
time. While he prayed he fell into a trance
and saw "A vision from Coda sheet, as il
were. let down from heaven 10y the four
corners, and ON il all manner of fOuI-lOOted
beasts, moving things and fowls. \ voice
from heaven calls TO him saying, "Peter, rise,
Kill and eat" But his prejudice is stronger
than his spirit of obedience. And he at once
says. mot 50. Lord, for have not at any
time eaten anything common or unclean.'
But the voice from heaven charges him.
saying, "What God hath cleansed'that call
not thou common" Thus the prejudice
which hitherto kept the few apart from the
Gentle, and led him TO refuse association
is broken; for while lac deliberates on the
meaning of this vision, the messeng, -
came from Cornelius the Roman, the Gen
tile, called the unclean. and the Holy Spirit
there and then instructs Peter 10 90 with
them, nothing doubling, for says he, Il
have sent them"
Thus was he assured that God had called
him, both by his spirit and by the letter,
both internally and Outwardly. He accord
ingly at once sets out, accompanied by
brethren Of JOppa, with the messengers OF
Cornelius.
CONVICTIONS CLEAR.
We have. then, the apostles con-
duct before Us rs declared in the
words of the first part of the tex /,
Therefore came unto you with
out gainsaying as soon as | was sent
for" His convictions OF duty were clear,
and his action on them prompt and I'M
hesitating.
1t seldom happens in these days to min
listers of the gospel, when celebrating on
which OF two or more invitations they
should accept, TO have such clear and GER
tain knowledge Of the will of God in the
premises. There are hundreds of ministers
who would now go to the ends of the earth
10 do the Lords work as cheeriully and
promptly as did Peter to C9sarea were
they as certainly assured Of the VIII OF
God. But they have TO Judge what is the
will Of God from proyidential indications
from their knowledge of their own fitness
for this or that work, and from the motions
of the Holy Spirit in answer TO prayer
These sources Of evidence often yield nc
more than strong probability in regard u
the Will Of God, on which, however, II l.
his duty to act.
DIFFERENT FROM OTHERS.
In opening the work on which ! now
enter in conformity 10 your cal
and invitation. | may say in the words OF
our apostle, when he arrived at C1sarea
and before entering on his work, There
fore came unto you without gainsaying,
as soon as ! was sent for little while
ago was wholly unaware Of the needs and
wishes Of this young charge. Ii is so diff
ferent nom and 50 much feebler than any
of which | have before had the care; but
regard IL as having much of promise ant
encouragement. The providence OF Go,
has so ordered things for me that 1t wa'
possible for me 10 assume the charge. The
seems, as far as | can understand il, to b'
his will. Therefore came unto You with
out gainsaying, as soon as We sent for me.
>. In the next place, our apostle inquiries
the specific object or work for which they
had sent for him. says he, Il ask, there
fore, for what intent We have sent for me-
NOT THE PHYSICIAN.
As tar as the messengers had made The
case known to the apostle, their inten
might have been 10 hear him in reference q
the bodily healing of some one in Cornelius
family. But Peter was not "A physician anC
would assume no function OF a calling moi
his own. Nor if advice was required on
any matter Of law could he be of service
for he was not counsellor skilled in th'