Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1893-11-29
Paul's Determination at COrinth.
[Conoluded from EiIst pare.l

concluded from FiLst Page.l
trouble with men In these days is that they
don't believe anything. The disciples be-
lieved something therefore they lived and
died for the gospel. Preachers often say in
this age-we believe nothing, therefore we
speak. Marty don is cheap In these DAYS.
Launch forth into the boundless and peril
Gus seas OF the "higher criticism" and you
are ahea !. After all IT tests the strength OF
men to stand by the old truths of the gospel
and not be led astray after new tangled no-
lions There Is much need of the induction;
"Watch We, stand fast In the faith, quit you
like men, be strong, let ell your things be
done In love-" Let us not be governed by the
desires of men, but let us rather adapt our
selves To the needs of humanity, then we
shall have a conscience void OF offense to-
ward God and men. Having noticed the
characteristic Of this determination of Paul
at Corinth, let us now turn to Its meaning.
l. What Is the meaning of the words
Christ and him crucifed? In the first place:
!. II means the humanity Of Christ. The
life of Christ was the miracle Of the centu.
ries. The old theologians went away after
vague speculations and theories; but what
men need Is a sympathizing Savior. Christ
glorihed childhood and manhood by taking
on himself our human nature. In the Ian.
guage OF Jean Paul Richter, "He was the ho-
Hest OF the mighty, the mightiest of the ho-
~, he lifted with his pierced hands empires
of their hinges and turned the stream Of
centuries out Of Its channel, and still gov
ems the ages" Why Is IL that the Roman
Catholic Church worships the Virgin Mary?
While we turn away In horror at such idol
airy, 1t Is the most natural thing In the
world. You may denounce manolity, but it
will only multiply her worship; you may
prove easily enough that there Is not a pass
age of Scripture favoring her worship, but II
Will do no good. Mary embodies a tender
thought In the human soul and supplies a
real want In men. What can we do? / an
swer, preach the humanity of Christ more.
Show that all that Is tender and lovely in
woman, and all that is really noble and great
in man Is found In Christ. To preach down
wrong we must preach up right, TO tear down
error, build up truth. Some preachers are
apparently afraid to preach the humanity of
Christ, they must deal only in the cold alb.
stractions OF argument, proving his devin-
ity. When you nave proven his perfect
manhood then the belief in his divinity fol-
lows as a natural consequence. Men can
best be led TO believe him the Son of God by
preaching his humanity more. He was Ell
Their the Son of God or a fraud. The conclu-
sion Is inevitable. Let us then hold up the
glorious and matchless manhood of Christ,
and as men must see him as the perfect man
they Will be led to accept him as their Sa-
vior, This Is what Paul preached, a sympa-
tizing Savior, who was tempted and suffered
while on earth for orr sins, and Is now at the
right hand OF God, able to succor all his
tempted followers and "to save to the utter
most all who come unto him."
z. But Pau preached his divinity, also.
Whlle much emphasis should be placed on
preaching the humanity of Christ, we must
not fail TO present his divinity, If he was
only man, he can not save us, but he was
1.-THE mighty God, the everlasting Father, the
Prince OF Peace" In him was ali the full
ness Of the Godhead bodily. He was divine
or nothing. He declared that ali pow
unto him.. Paul declared that he should
rule until all enemies are destroyed and
mould then surrender back to the Father
the power, who should then become "all and
In alIV III ig mirnRlpg nrnyad him IN ha n..dto
Son; the Father spoke from heaven and de-
clared 1t; his disciples declared him divine.
How beautifully. was his humanity and his
divinity blended together in his life. See
him weeping with Martha and Mary at the
tomb OF Lazarus, a great sympathizing man;
but hear him cry with a loud voice, and be
that had been dead four. days comes forth
from the sleep OF death, 9 nd we are made TO
exclaim that this man was more than @ mere
man.. In the garden Of Gethsemane we be-
hold him bowed with grief under the mighty
load which he was bearing for us. He pleads
That II possible the cup may pass. On the
cross ne dies In agony awful to behold; he Is
buried like other men. Is this the death
knell of the human race? See the angel de-
scend and roll away the stone. Rising tri.
umphant over death and hell and in his as
cension he proved himself the incarnate Son
of God. But it is not my purpose to prove
his divinity today, but to convey a faint idea
of what think Paul preached at Corinth,
and what as oo-workers with God Il is our
duty 70 present TO the world.
B. Christs cruciixion was also q part of
the apostles mighty theme. Christ was
more IMAM q martyr. Here we stand con-
fronted by the stupendous act of the atone
ment, The mystery of the height and depth
and grandeur of the gospel. "He was wound-
ed for our transgressions; he was bruised for
our iniguities, and with his str;zes we are
healed" who his own self bare our sins
in his wi body on The tree" We must
preach the "blo0d religion" Lett "God lie
True" though all men are false. Though this
doctrine was foolishness to the Greeks and q
stumbling BLOCK to the Jews, the great apps.
has been VOL ltly assailed by some modern
scholars ~ with whom wisdom will no
dOuDt Ole, yet we must hold IL up as the only
ground or the sinners hope. Let US never
cease TO sing the grand old song:
There Is u fountain filled with blood,
Drawn from lmmanuel's veins,
And sinners plunged beneath that food
Lose all their guilty stains"
SO that this theme that Paul preached at
Corintii embraced the humanity, the divin-
ity, the cruciiXiOn, the resurrection, the as
cension and the intercession of Jesus Christ.
His august person, his spotless life, his eff
cacious death, his triumphant resurrection
and his prevailing intercessiOn. This in.
cludes our pardon, peace, and salvation here
and hereafter. This Is the ~grandest theme
IN the universe. We. should never cease 10
thank God That he has counted us worthy
putting us into the ministry. God grant
that we may be faithful to the trust imposed
upon us.
III. In conclusion let me for a short time
mention two or three of the reasons why
Paul preached only Christ, and him cruel
fled. What were the motives inhuencingthe
apostle In this decisiOn7 He had weighed
the matter well and had arrived al this de-
termination after the most Earnest and care
full consideration,
|. This alone is preaching. To preach any
other gospel is not preaching at all. Men
may lecture, but there Is a difference between
| lHrtnrlnQ and nrAQQhtnO If nrnaahnra nrn-
pose to lecture on popular questions and SEN
satiOnal themes let them go out OF the pull
pit. Their place is on the rostrum. Men
may read elaborate and carefully prepared
essays from the sacred desk, but this as not
preaching. Here | am reminded of the the1-
logical student who, when asked by the Pro-
fessor OF Homiletics If the early preachers
read their sermons, answered hesitatingly
and stammeringly, mo sir, they just preach
ed" he uttered a great truth. What men
want In preaching is to feel the spirit of the
preacher and 70 be moved by his earnestness
and stirred by his eloquence. Preaching Is
either the greatest thing in the world or the
greatest farce. II the gospel Is true, as Dr.
Eioadus says, at IS awfully true, glOriousiy
true" To preach the gospel Is either indis-
pensible or 1t should be dispensed with. But
to preach anything save Christ, anu him
crucined, and call II preaching Is To learfuiiy
misrepresent the truth; a terrible sin.
z This Is The only preaching that can save
the world. The aim of every minister is 10
save souls. The design of every sermon
should be TO bring men and women TO a saw
ing knowledge AS IL is in Christ. Ii the ser.
mon does not accomplish this object, then it
Is a failure. If she preacher does not start
out with this object In view he has no con-
ception OF the magnitude of the work %
which he has been called. The success which
attended Mr.. Spurgeon's preaching vas due
20 the fact that he slammed noe to declare
the whole council Of God, not rs has been
said shat he preached a gospel broader than
his narrow creed" Moody breaches Christ,
old doctrines In their purity, simplicity and
power. This Is what makes him the greatest
of living evangelists. Materialism may sat
isfy some souls, but never has nor never will
save souls. Pantheism may tickle the ear