The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-04-08
DEVIL BITTEN SINNERS.
DR.. Pearson Says That Is What
Are,

are
Wesley Monumental church was densely
crowded last night. Rev. Mr.. Mather presided
over the opening devotional services. The
following announcements were made:
At IL o'clock this morning the service
will be one of thanksgiving and testimony
to Gods gracious work during these meet
tngs. Tonight DR.. Pearson will preach
his last sermon on a weekday: II have q
message from God for thee.n His last SER
mon will be Sunday night, and the subject
will be "Disposing of Jesus"
There will be no services tomorrow.
Every pastor will occupy his own pulpit
Sunday morning. DR.. Pearson's text last
night was; "As Moses lifted up the serpent
in the wilderness, so must the Son OF Man
be lifted up,n etc.-John lii, 14-l5.
DR.. Pearson remarked that it was a SIM
pie and profound text, sweeping the entire
field OF redemption. He read from Mum
bers xxi the account OF the fiery serpents
in the wilderness and Of the lifting up Of
the brazen serpent for healing. Three
facts appear from Numbers:
Those lsraelites were bitten by the fiery
serpents.
A brazen serpent erected on a pole was
the remedy for tie wound.
A look at the brazen serpent was the con-
dition for healing.
From John DR.. Pearson drew three
parallel facts:
We are devil bitten sinners.
Christ on the cross is Gods remedy for
the bitten ones.
Faith is Gods condition for salvation.
DIR. Pearson said his business was to take
Gods book and see what it says about the
facts. His sermon consisted in running the
parallel between facts ia the wilderness and
Christ's statements.
First, as the Israelites were bitten and
died, so the serpent, the devil, sin has bitten
men. The whole head and heart are sick,
and all we, like sheep, have gone estray,
and the Lord has laid our iniquity on the
head of Christ. The sin has descended on all
men, so that out Of the heart flows all man
rer of sin. The works Of the flesh as cata-
logued In Galatians are just what we read
in any hrst-class daily paper. We are a
race Of lost sinners.
The second fact presents the brazen SER
pent plumbers xxi, 81 as the remedy for
the bitten Israel1te. That was all of it.
How beautiful, simple, philosophical aud
sufficient! G d did the curing.
Parallel is the fact that Jesus Christ is
Gods remedy for sin, as the text declares.
The world through him can be saved. He
that believeth not Is lost. Neither is there
salvation in any other. We have redemp~
ton through his blood. By him all that
believe can be justified. So Gods word
afiirms.
Here is q man who says in the wilderness.
II don't see any connection between that
brazen serpent and safety" Moses says,
whether you see it or not, you are bitten,
and you die soon unless you Look and get
healed" What are facts! I am q stickler
for facts. 1t is true that every soul who has
acce Dted Christ has been saved. A bitten
man must accept Gods remedy.
A look at that braZen serpent was the
condition of being healed. The lsraeiite
he's just to turn his dyiuR eyes to the serpent
aud live. So faith in Christ is Gods pro-
vision for giving life. To as many as receive
him, to them he gives power to become
Gods sons. His faith is counted for right
eousues4 Romans K, 8.
These propositions, sustained by large
quotations from scriptures, were wildly
illustrated by realistic pictures from the
camp OF lsraelites bitten. but philosophiziug
aud QuIDbling Gen A. P. Stewart told
DR.. Pearson he had tried to solve Gods plan
by mathematics and like to have died with
perplexity. He found be had simply to
trust Jesus Christ.
Here is a man tells Noses he will cure
himself with a certain pOultice. Moses
says, Man, here is Gods remedy. and if
you rely on yours, you'll die, that's all.
Now men want 10 20 into the poultlce bust
ness and help God to save them.
! Another man has some Cruel his wife has
made. He is so sick he can't look, he says
| When he feels better he will look at the
brazen serpent. Moses says: Man, look to
be better and don't wait to be better that
| you may look, or you die. Look at Christ,
| lost sinner, to be saved.
Another poor fellow puts off until his
eyes are set aud no cannot see. Dear dv-
! ing man, films of death are thickening over
your moral vision and soon you cannot see
| Christ.
Moses takes a mans face in his hands and
turns the eyes toward the serpent. and he
shuts his eyes and will not look. o, God
help you, dear sinner, resisting all holy ap-
peals aud sutting your eyes on Jesus. 81
see Moses bend over dying man, lift him
up, turn him over and direct his eyes to the
brazen serpent. The sick man says: Hold
so, Moses, and let me look In the twink
ling Of an eye he is cured and happy. So
poor sinner, lost and dead we lift you to the
cross. A look of faith at the crucitied one
| gives life and Deace.n
The sermon was one Of wonderful sim
plicity, cIearness, yividness and pathos in
all its parts.