The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-01-04
IN THE CHURCHES.
Sermons by Local and Visiting
Pastors.
THE REV. W. S. MCKENZIE.
The Sunday Following New Years and
Commencing the Religious Year and
What IL Suggested to Several Pastors to
Say to the People.

The Rev. w. s. Mckenzie, former
pastor, preached at the Friendship
Street Baptist Church yesterday morn
ing to large audience. The text was
from Ephesians Lilo, "That in the dis
pensation of the fullness of times He
might gathetogether in one all things
in Christ, both which are in heaven and
which are in earth; even in Him."
Many passages in both Old and New
Testament are very similar to this in
substance but what do they mean?
There is something more than poetry In
these passages. There are prophesies
which tell us that Christ shall be king
on earth and shall rule all nations and
that time will surely come but under
what circumstances? Will il be in the
present dispensation of the Christian era
or will it be preserved for another and
grander Christian epoch? The world OF
intelligence is divided on this question.
Some say that the present dispensation
is only preparation for Christ's king
dom, which will come later on the
earth, when Christ will reign king, and
all nations will be willing subjects to
Him. Then all will be Alright and
happy on this earth, and the world will
distant this bright future is they cannot
tell, and can only hope and wait; but
indications are that it is not very far
distant, they tell us. These conditions
are indicated by the opening of foreign
lands TO the gospel, SO that the way
is being paved for the wide spread OF
Gods word and to-day the whole world
is listening to the gospel as it is preached.
The walls have come down and Jericho
is open TO the people of God. We are
now just preparing the way of the Lord;
boring and blasting into the caverns of
iniquity; preparing for the grand con-
summation.
The Rev. T. ID. Anderson.
The pastor, the Rev. T. ID. Anderson
preached yesterday morning from the
text, "The Spirit of knowledge and Of
the Fear Of the Lord Shall Rest Upon
Him." Isaiah M:2. We at this day are
too apt to give the prophet the credit of
knowing more about what he prophesied
on account of our knowledge of the
Christian dispensation. The prophet
knew that some "Root of David would
arise who would save Israel from their
oppressors, but if he knew exactly in
what form he would come at least the
Jewish people did not indeed, it
is fair to suppose that even while
Isaiah was inspired to announce
to Israel that redeemer would come
when time of unprecedented prosperity
and peace would ensue, that he did not
fully comprehend the meaning OF the
worde he uttered.
70 ha WI
should rest the Esprit of knowledge
and the fear of the Lord" some one who
in the character of king and judge should
rule the people in justice and equity.
The God of Israel was not like the gods
of other nations which We're merely am
plifed beings with ways and thoughts
like their worshipers. Jehovah was a
God "whose ways are not our ways and
whose thoughts are not our thoughts"
and whose character could not be un-
derstood by ordinary man, hence the ad-
vent of the one whose knowledge and
fear of the Lord would make him at
once the leader, preserver and judge,
who should restore prosperity to Judah,
was eagerly looked for. The fear Of the
Lord is something which we are in great
need of in our daily lives. The forms
of religion and worship are of much con-
sequence as reminding us of the necessi-
ty of religion and of the duty we owe TO
God, but God himself would be better
satisfied with us if we paid more atten-
ton to the fear of the Lord in our daily
business than when we pay sonuch atten-
tion to the outward forms Of church SER
yice. Our conduct in our ordinary busi-
ness affairs should be such that all may
know that we are living in the fear of
the Lord and in so doing we shall have
the satisfaction of knowing that we are
doing our best TO please God and that
our shortcomings will not receive harsh
judgment.