The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-05-21
THE ORIGIN OF THE CHURCH.
Rev. DR.. Vass Traces the Apostolic
Succession.

AN0Fs OA' 1Ss LAe%IG5 the LO-4E
Succession.
Rev. L. G. Vass, d. D., delivered the
first Of a series of sermons ncon the "Ori-
gin and Constitution of the Church at
the First Presbyterian church yesterday
morning He based his discourse upon
two portions Of scripture, Gods promise
given in the Garden of Eden, that the
seed of the woman should bruise the SER
pent's head, Genesis iii, 7-l6, and the COW
enant God made VITA Abraham, Genesis
xvii, Ala.
DR.. Vass said his purpose was to trace
the history of the church and its organi-
cation as set forth in the Old and New
Testaments; to ascertain the marks of
the true church and what is real apostolic
succession. 10 account is given Of the
origin of the church in the New Tesla
ment, he said. 1t Is spoken Of as a thing
already existing. This makes it neces-
sary TO turn to the Old Testament for the
history and purposes of 1t organization.
A BOOK OF ONE IDEA
1.-THE Bible, said Dr. Vass, 'Is a book
OF one idea, the development of Gods
plans and purposes for the redemption of
lost man. This is the central idea of
Paups theology" DR.. Vass discussed the
fundamental principles of the church as
set forth in the opening chapters of Gene
sis, the promise of Redeemer who should
be man, the seed of the woman; that
this seed should triumph over Satan; that
a new nature should be implanted in man
by God at enmity with all wickedness;
that this redemption should be accom-
pllshed by vicarious suffering; that there
should be perpetual conflict and ultimate
triumph.
DR.. Vass said there was no definite
form OF church organization during the
first 1000 years Of history, because the
longevity of man made it unnecessary
-Four generations, he said, reached from
Adam to Abraham. Adam lived with
Methuselah 243 years, Methuselah with
Noah 600 years, Noah with Abraham 2
years, but Noah's son Shem was Abra-
hams contemporary $50 years. Intelli-
gence was thus fresh from Eden for
Abraham.
ORGANIZATION MADE NECESSARY.
The worlds enlarged population and oft
repeated revelations required a formal
and working organization. A charter
eCclesiastic was given to A braham Ten
distinct revelations are vouchsafed to
him, the central one being contained in
the seventeenth chapter of Genesis, the
charter of Gods visible church. All gen
eral truths, charters and covenants are
here centralized and Illuminated. New
and distinct truths were revealed to
Abraham as to the method of admins
tering the covenant of Grace and Jehovah
enters into new relations as
ruler and head, with a separate part
of mankind contemplated peculiarly, not
as the elect of grace, but as visible
ecclesiastical body, the church, the or
ganization of which is intended to be per-
petual, subject to such notifications of
structure as may afterward necessarily
follow from the progress of the revela-
ton of Gods plan.
DIR. Vass discussed the fulfllment of
this covenent with Abraham as shown in
the dealings of God with the Israelites
related In the Old Testament and in the
fulhllment as told in the New Testament.
In his sermon next Sunday morning DR..
Vass will discuss the history of the
church under Mosaic and theocratic in
situations and the prophetic era.