The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-08-07
Charles 3. Preston breaches In
81. Thomas Church.
/ rs TIE NEW RECTOR THEREOF
~ DR.. kaufman breaches on "security
- Troublous Times "--An Interesting
sermon by Rev. T. Edwin Brown of
. fhiladelphis In First baptist Church.

Rov. Charles f. Preston preached yes
erday morning at ST. Thomas church, on
n Defense OF the Gospel" from Philip
jans / |; IL. He spoke as follows:
1--WE have before us In one of the apos-
lolic epistles some important thoughts re-
harding the ministry. The ideal pre-
oented to us Is st, Paul, a man whose
NE and death were consecrated TO the
nrrvice OF Jesus from the time OF his
ncQuaiptance to his death. He uttered
>hese words. Not only is the apostles
'oovcnty' and the 'one thousand
~ho claim the gospel Of
She beloved God. Let us on
tbia feast OF trans flguration consider a
subject dealing with the proclamation
of the most blessed ballowed news that
hao reached the ears of men. Here are
1Ive points: Positive knowledge, personal
|mission. Divine order, the powerful
&ortrtss and the message itself
Positive knowledge-tais knowledge
ar,se from the certainty Of Paul's call to
breach the unsearchable riches OF Christ.
We have the most striking instance OF
Call 10 the ministry ut the time OF con-
versior. The two are seldom simultane-
QUA Together with the light was the
call. " Go on to Damascus aud IL will be
told thee there what thou must DO"
Such knowledge is worth more than
I'LL the NOIlu 10 TIC ODTlrtltu NTnUNsru-
dor. Every true servant OF Christ has II.
IL comes down in the succession. When
Satan comes to Gods servants ana says.
You are not called they can boldly
say, i am called into his grace The
burden Of a world lying in sin is upon "A
olergyman's heart. Men are going to perdi-
Zion aud unless the servants OF Christ we're
certain OF n divine call, they could not
undertake so great work AS TO rescue
thcn. Seeking the Office of the ministry
- an occupation or looking
tcward its fulfilment as respectable
avocation is a serious thing and motive
that will result In barrenness aud con-
demnatlon. A true minister must DO
called By God before he can call others
20 God. No one thus called can with
Eesignatinn retire from nc i've ministerial
labor to enter secular business.
Second-''Personal Mission-I am"
Paul and others have positive inward
cary for everybody TO know concerning
1his call, nor anybody. Many times hu-
man Judgment fails In this matter. 1t
has often been said hastily by those
incompetent TO judge that such man
was never called 60 preach. He overheard
the Lord calling somebody else" Per
haps that very man may be mighty
through tie power OF God in him. "Know-
1og that i, not Peter, James or JohD,
but am" Every clergyman must
otnnd by his CALL
Third, thedivine order "Set" This IL i'm
accord with the designs of God. He
Bath set some In the church." The min
i<terial Office is "A stated one. A priest is
.n Priest forever The Saviour has had
q continues 10 have representatives TO
.ps rtorin on the earth his holy acts. which
ne ratifies in heaven.
FOURTH. the powerful fortress "for the
rcfeuce." There is sonnet hing for both
clergynien aud Christians TO co. There
can bc no folding OF hands when the
y" whole world lieth in wicxedness."
There seems 10 be no remedy
20 far ms human instrumentality
Is concerned. We are here to defend the
gospel not In our own strength, but In
the strength of God. The battle is the
Lords. If God before us he is
more fhan all who are against u.s.
Defend implies attack. Our re-
I1gion is everywhere attacke by the
enemies OF the cross. A few OF its foes
are the departures on new theories, Ms
oxtreme evolution. legal morality. higher
cEiticIsm, spiritualistic Interpretation;
sii these are against the gospel. The at-
racks OF the enemy are less bold but more
Intriguing chan formerly, but here in the
ministry is to be u defence. Though the
people may say. Prophecy unto us
should SO speak the truth of God in'love
that he can say, II have
not hesitated TO declare unto you
the word of God" Here let me
say that your rector. realizing TO some
extent the awful responsibility OF 2 Jer-
want Of Christ. will ever declare the whole
truth so far as he understands it, never
preaching to please anybody but the
lord aud Saviour who thus commissioned
the gospel. He will love your souls and
always work in their behalf aud in turn
ask you to work hand in hand with him.
Fifth, "The message itself. the
Gospel" This is what we are COM
missioned to preach. go We into all the
world aud preach the gospel" Not
eciopce nor philosophy nor natural
history, hut the good news" OF Jesus
Christ. Not one part, but all. The
church Is not a specialist IL Itdeclares all
she truth Of God. Life from death. Inn
mortality through Christ aud the glories
Of the world to come are to be placed b.
fora the air nor for his saiyatian