Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-10-15
FAREWELL SERMON.
AN ELOQUENT DISCOURSE DELIVERED LAST
NIGHT TO A LARGE CONGREGATION
At The Third Presbyterian Church BY Rev. O. u.
Afford, Who Goes to Philadelphia.
Other Church News.


At the Third Presbyterian Church,
last night, Rev. C. NJ. Afford delivered
his farewell sermon to the congregs-
ton. The church was crowded to its
utmost capacity, it being necessary to
I'll the aisles with chairs in order to ac-
commodate the large audience present.
His discourse was an eloquent one, and
was delivered from John 9:9j: Whereas
I was blind now 1 see" and his subject
was blind Eyes Open"
Among other things, he said: There
is such thing as a natural law in the
spiritual world. The thing of the spirit
are represented by things OF nature,
Even the diseases of the race represent
the sinful condition of mankind. Lep-
rosy, that disease of diseases, sypihes
the terrible disease of sin while blind
ness portrays a lack of sight. The one
gives Us a view OF mankind corrupt
and vile; the other tyUitieS the sinner,
who is moral, intellectual and refined.
With this idea in view | wish TO con-
slider this miracle OF Christ giving sight
10 the blind man.
NOTICE THE CONDITION.
Of the blind man. Here is man who
has four Of his senses fully developed,
but is lacking 10 the fifth. he has the
sense of touch, taste, smelling and
hearing. He can hear the sweet mel
odv Of the instrument and the loving
voice of the one he calls mother, but he
cannot see the motion OF the hands on
the KEYS or the face which expresses
more than the voice. He can eat the
fruit OF the vine and know It's delici-
business, but be cannot see the vinecIad
hill as the rising sun kisses away the
dew. He can feel the fresh breeze
from the heavens, bot be cannot
see the sun riding through the
sky amidst the clouds Of feecy white
ness. or the fiery steeds Of night mar
shalling their forces for conflict. He
can hear the birds MARBLE forth their
songs of praise, but he cannot see their
beautiful plumaRe. He can enjoy the
perfume of the flowers, but he cannot
see the beauty Of the rose Of Sharon or
the lily Of the valley He may not be
unhappy, he may even be entertaining,
educated and refined, but he is blind TO
all the beauties that sight reveals.
THERE Is A GREAT NECESSITY
in knowing our blindness.
The man OF my text was born blind.
He never knew what IL was TO have
sight. he may not have known that
ne was deprived Of any power, but as
be moved among men he discovered that
they had faculties be did not possess.
His knowledge Of his own blindness
was by faith in those who saw. When
men tell us that there is such thing rs
spiritual sight we ought to believe 1t.
Ii is harder TO convince the moral man
than the immoral. The reason is that
men stepped 10 sin aud crime can re-
member a time when they were better
and truer than they are now. 1t Is
different with the moral man, for he
can never remember a time when he
was better than he is now. The i'm
moral man Is like Bartimeus, who had
at one time the power Of sight, remem-
boring when be could see the beauties
OF nature; but the moral man Is like
the man of our text who was as blind at
birth as when Jesus met him, How
hard il is for US TO make some men be
lieve that they are spiritually blind.
They are wise for seeing in reference
10 things OF this world. They
plan for tomorrow, next week,
even for years ahead, but are
blind to the future life, Notice
HOW HE RECEIVED SIGHT.
The Savior met him on the highway
begging. He spat on the ground, made
clay aud annonted the blind mans
eyes and told him to 60 to the pool OF
Sloan and wash. The man aid so and
returned seeing. There is LorecOrd that
the man had any great desire TO see, yet
he desired il enough to obey Christ.
There was nothing in the clay that
would give sight, nor 10 the water or
Sloan, neither is there anything saving
in the ordinances OF the church, but the
mans obedience TO Christ and faith In
him, opened the way for Christ to pour in
his heart that which opened mis- eyes. So
our faith ia receiving the ordinances OF
the church admits Christ into our
hearts, bringing with his salvation"
At tue close Of the sermon Rev. Mr..
Afford stated to the congregation that
he had been with them four years and
six months, and that during that time
he had tried faithfully TO fulfill his COM
mission as minister of the gospel. He
said: "In denouncing the Evils OF the
world l may have been looked upon as
being personal in my denunciation Of
sin, aud this NAV have given offense TO
some; but when l preach the gospel
l know no man. / never preach to
please anyone, but the Master who
gave me my commission. My pastorate
here has been a pleasant one aud have
tried to serve the Church faithfully and
well. In these latter days Of the Nine
teeuth century the world is becoming