Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-06-11
EXAMPLE OF DANIEL.
ibis Dr.. Battles Theme Before the Rich
mond College Association.
Duty OF MEN TO THINK.
The Distinguished Minister Dweiis
Upon. the Importance of single
Thought-ChoIce of the Right Must
De Made Mt the Right Time.

Rev. DR.. II. W. Battle, the distin-
gushed pastor OF the First Bap'ist
church, of Petersburg, preached the an
niversary sermon before the Young MEMS
Christian Association OF Richmond Col
Iere Sunday night at Calvary church.
The discourse was an especially appro-
pirate one for such an occasion, and the
services throughout were full OF interest
The association about sixty strons)
marched down TO the church In body
and most of the other students were
also present. There was a full congre-
CATION. the galleries being also wei hi'eu.
Professor Harris. stauneh and helpiul
friend Of the organization, preslded' ana
Rev. DR.. c. II. Ryland and Rev. II. a.
Bagby took part In the exercises lne
singing was especially good.
THE ASSOCIATIONS WORK.
MIR. John j. Hurt, who has made an
efficient president of the college assocla-
ton. read his annual report, giving
gratifying exhibit Of the years WORK.
The association meets every student upon
his arrival at college and seeks 10 bring
him under religious influences. EHo.s
are made to enlist such as are Chrls-
tions in regular religious wefk. Two
devotional meetings are held every week
a general prayer-meeting on THURSDAY
evening and a conservation service on
Sunday morning before breakfast. Sys-
tematic Bible study is another feature
of the work, and during the present
session much interest has been added
by the weekly lectures OF Professor Har-
ris on the topics covered In the Bihle
classes. taking up during the session
the whole Pentateuch. A class for the
study of missions and mission helds mas
also been conducted with gratifying sue
cess. One promising young man mas
announced his purpose OF going 10 the
foreign field. and others are CONSIDER
ing the question. Mr.. Hurts report also
tells OF the work at the penitentiary.
Soldiers Home, and city almshouse,
where the students hold services weekly.
Some OF the young men also engage in
Sunday-schoo and other religious work
at suburban points.
DIR. BATTLES SERMON.
Dr. Battles sermon was from Daniel.
E. S-"But Daniel purposed in his heart
that he would not defie himself.
I'VE have here" the speaker began,
"a noble purpose on the part OF young
man sorey tried. / desire to point out
some of the considerations which must
have induced this very remarkable reso-
luton on the part OF Daniel. and to in
quire how far moral principles justified,
and subsequent events rewarded. his
brave stand. Look at some Of the things
involved in the purpose. A young captive
from the comparatively small and very
conservative town of Jerusalem has been
introduced into all the pOfnp and glory
Of high fife i'm Babylon, with fullest OPP
portunHy to guaff its jeweiied cup OF I'M
riyalled sensuous delights: tutors provided
at the Kings command. ready not only
to conduct the inquring mind through
the labyrinths Of Chaldean philosophy.
but to point out with many a laudation
each material object which, In associated
splendcr, made Babylon the glory Of the
kingdoms, the beauty OF the Chaldee's
excellency'
Imagine the feelings Of the young
Hebrew as he gazes on the strange and
magnificent things which everywhere
meet his eyes. Marvellous walls. won
derfu streets, adorned by the most mag
nificent specimens OF architecture on
earth: superb temples, with the light re-
fiected from ivory and gold on every
corner: innumerable statues and altars.
BY day the arteriai blood OF the worlds
commerce beats with mighty throb down
music steals forth from palata. homes.
with its voluptuous swell and soft eyes
look love TO eyes that speak again
WHAT A MIGHTY CITY.
"All involved in Babylon's political
commercial and social life combine TO
form that subtitle and well nigh irresisti-
Ole thing We call the genius Of a mighty
city. 1t concentrates in glowing focus
of magnetic splendor at the palace. Does
Daniel feel the power of these things?
young man of magnificent physique
passions appetite, ambition; think you
his eye does nat sparkle with a new lus-
ire. and his bosom swell with the
dream of things that may be, as
he gazes upon magnificent Babylon?
But difficulty has arisen. II is easy
to see that something of serious import
has arisen. What has happened? The
King has said that Daniel must eat Of
the rich, meats and wines from the
royal tables. those viands first conSe-
Grated to the gods. What Of IL? Are
} they not of delicious flavor? DO they not
come from the Kings own table? Where
is the evil? IL youns Daniel will permit
the productions OF Chaldean thought
saturated with la eiiectuaI poison. to enter
through the portals OF the mind
upon what ground can he refuse that
IL be wrong. Is wrong by virtue OF its as
ISOLATION? Young Daniel is thinking
about all this. Let him think II is a
grand thing TO think. Ii you would be
a man you mast think. The very word
man - derived from the root from
which we get mind. and. etymologi-
cally at least. a man is one who has mind:
one who thinks. 1t Is a sublime thing
for a man to lift himself out Of the
trend OF his age and challenge the moral
quality OF that ages demand.
LET Us REASON TOGETHER.
Let us leave Daniel 10 his medta-
lions for a few moments, while you and
I do some thinking. What transcendant
compliment the Creator paid man
when He. the quintenssence OF mind. the
fulness Of wisdom, said Come, let US
reason together" God wants man TO
think the cheap and gratuftous false
philosophy TO the contrary, notwithstand-
ing. Colleges are erected and endowed;
men of intellect and broad culture con-
secrate themselves to the teachers noble
Office in order thai human brains may be
trained in the art of thinking-to think
Alright. There h certain dangerous fall
lacy which would have us believe that one
Is not responsible for hts conclusion, just
so 1t he honest. and by honesty In this
absence OF hypocrisy. What did God
give brain for? What dad the great
Creator mean by afrording us nruititu-
dinous sources OF evidence. Think, oh
think; but be sure you think right A
mistake upon moral question may in
volve the most far reaching and ire
mendous controversies. Nature, society,
and God demand that We should think
right thoughts. Human law finds the
evil in the act; divine law discovers II
in the thoughts. Well, does Young say:
Guard well thy thoughts: our thoughts
are heard In Heaven The wise man
declares that the thought OF foolishness
is sin. and the condition upon which Je-
hovah declares his Willingness TO receive
his apostate people back to favor IS
that the unrLghteous man shall forsake
his thoughts The place 10 meet an evil
thought is upon the threshold Of the soul,
before it has entered in and entrenched
Itself.
Daniel proposed that he would not
defie himself. Sublime self-respectl
Babylon Ia Babylon, but Daniel Is Daniel,
and Daniel in the strength OF his inoor-
ruptible integrity looked proud Babylon
In the eye and said: 4 will not
MANHOOD OF A MAN.
I'm this age. which so emphasizes the
power OF environment until we are almost
tempted to believe that man is but the