The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-04-09
IN BAPTIST CHURCHES.
SOME or THESERvICEs WHICH WERE
HELD LAST SCNDAT.
The Revival Closed a. the Grsce-strest
Church-A Meeting at Leigh-s'reef,
Grove-Avenus and Pine s.. Churches.

gregdtion was large and the services
very impressive. Before beginning his
Sermon the minister announced the
death OF the oldest member OF
the congregation. Rev. Joseph Walk
err, who died that morning in Flu
wanna county, near Scottsviie. The flu
neral will take place this morning at
Scotsyille soon after the arrival OF the
Richmond train.
DR. Hatcher selected his text from
Mark xii, "a. And when Jesus saw
that he answered discreety, He said unto
him, thou art not far from the kingdom
OF God" He then spoke In substance as
follows:
great many people have passed
through the gate and are in the kingdom
OF God, while some are still far from
IL. Sin Is the separator. and the people
are getting far from God by their wicked
deeds. The Saviour spoke Of the man in
the text as belonging to neither class.
for he Was right near the separating
line. and had come right TO the gate.
There must have been something in the
man that called for this remark. What
was IL? This man was near the king
dom on account of the answer he gave.
There were three things In what he said
that must have been the basis OF Chrsts
remarks. One was that he had an eX-
ceedingly clear opinion Of Coo: he be-
lieved in his unity. a living. self-Tespect-
ing. almighty God a man may have
some views Of God and not be very near
the kingdom. This man. however. recos-
nized that his supreme duty was to God.
lie loved God with all his heart, with all
his mind. and with all his strength.
The man also believed in the brother
hood Of his neighbor, so that he could
love his neighbor as himself II we love
God above all, and If we love our neigh
Dor as ourselves. then we possess relig-
ion, and If we do that all our lives we
will be saved. But some one will say 1
don't believe have done that; have
failed 10 love God. and have not done
my duty perfectly to my neighbor. Thea
he has fallen short and has missed his
mark-he has sinned.
Then the question comes up whether
we are near the kingdom or far OF. II
depends where we stand in reference TO
sin and in reference to Jesus Christ.
| There are three things we have TO say
to be near the kingdom. One Is that We
realize that we are sinners. Unless we
feel that we have sinned against God we
have not taken the first step towards
eternal life In the second place we have
to confess our sins, and this has to be
done openly and in public. There is no
conversion and salvation until the people
have realized their sin and confessed II
before the people The change in mans
life when he begins a Christian life Will
be as marked as his confession Of sin.
But when we strike a sin. and when
we tell the people to give II up, then Il Is
that the difficulty begins We have TO
have the conviction Of sin. If we can say
] that We are sorry for our sins then we
are near the kingdom.
We also have 10 be right in our hearts
/ ha.fa n hnlfayp that He
Is The Son of God. and has come 10 save
the people; that He is the sacrifice for
| sin. We have not only 20 believe Christ,
| but we have to confess Him, and Christ
will then save us. II we believe in Christ
! in our hearts. and II we confess Him in
public then lie will bless us in that act.
GBovE-AvrSUT BAPTIST.
| At Grove-Avenue Baptist church the
Sunday school was large and lively. II
is evidently growing in numbers as we'll
| as life and yigor Some very promising
teachers have recently been brought I'm,
and new scholars appear almost every
Sunday. The school had the privilege OF
listening 10 a timely talk from Rev II.
! w. Battle. Of Petersburg, who also graced
with his presence the pastors Bible lee
ture.
Or Hiden preached i'm the morning
from Matthew. first chapter. 2lst verse:
| Thou shalt call His name Jesus: fer He
] shall save His people from their sins"
| The preacher opened with a brief dis
| cussion OF the use and significance OF
names, and especially Of Hebrew names.
| He pointed out that Joshua, JehOshua.
Hosea. and Osee are all notifications OF
| the same Hebrew word for Saviour"
and that Jesus is substantially the Greek
form OF the same word.
nV fpcfefaI 90 ~DaGt1xr on tho Gif-
ference between saving people from their
sins and saving them in their sins. He
pressed the point that Christianity means
fair dealing between man end man Tn
everyday business transactions. You
need not talk about a repentance that
does not make you pay back what you
have frauduently got from your neigh
Dor. said he. I'VE turn men out Of the
Church for drunkenness. | once knew
a woman who was excluded for gambling,
but did you ever know man TO be
turned out for cheating? And who doubts
that Christianity means honestly
At night Rev. r. W. Battle of Peters
burg preached the annual sermon before
the Ladies' Aid Society. His theme was
Broken Cisterns, Which Can Hold No
Water" The congregation was unusu-
ally large, number OF friends from
other churches having come especially
preacher is evidently a typical specimen
OF the cultivated southerner. Everything
about him tells of the sun. His style, his
general appearance, his pronunciation.
all SAVIOR Of the gulf. His mind is fun
to OVERLOOKING with literary images, anu
he naturally introduces not few cha
tons from and illusions 70 the English
classics He loves Walter Scott and rev
erences Shakespeare. His words or Kind
L. a the ODOd ladies
highly appreciated, and It was with pecu-
liar appropriateness that he quoted Pauls
message. Help those women which Ia
bored with me in the Gospel"
pISE-srREET BRPTJsT
on Sunday morning at Pine-Street Bap-
fist church the pastor preached from the
third verse of the fifth chapter of First
John: For this is the love OF God. that
we keep His commandments and His
commandments are not grievous. The
sermon was especially addressed 10 those
who had recently, as the fruits OF the
late revival. connected themselves with
the church, and was replete with good ad-
vice. sound instruction. and great
strength. After the sermon the hand OF
fellowship was given 10 tifty-two per-
sons. There were six additions 10 the
church by letter and one by expert
ence.
Sunday being the tWenty-fourth ami
versarv OF the Ladies' Sewing Circle. the
services at night were In honor OF that
society. The sermon was preached by
the pastor, from the sixth verse OF the
ninth chapter OF Acts, and was appro-
pirate and very encouraging TO the re-
male members Of the church. There Is
not a more faithful organization In any
church than the Ladies' Sewing Circle OF