The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-11-19

Something more than twenty years
ago five faithful Baptists left the First
church ard formed the Swain Street
Baptist church. Out of this nucleus
grew the large Baptist Tabernacle con-
gregation which worships in the beauti
full structure at the corner Of Person and
Hargett streets,
Rev. DR.. J. D. Huffman was the first
pastor of the church. And Sunday
morning, as he stood before the large
congregation that filed that broad
auditorium, he recalled the days of the
works inception, when five men, IN. B
Broughton J. NJ. Broughton, W. I
Womble, J. S. Allen and J @. Birdsong),
laid the foundation on which this broa
structure has been built.
1.-The Tabernacle congregation is now
the largest in the State. And its Sun
day School is the largest in the South.
Sunday morning when DR., Hufham visited
the school there were l., LAG scholars. He
sa d it was the greatest Sunday School
he had ever seen except John Wanna
makers, in Philadelphia
''To these five men the Baptists owe
debt of gratitude, for they laid the foun-
dations of this great work. We are now
looking at the full tree, for which they
sowed the seed and watered the plant,
and cared for it," This he said, refer
ring to the founders of the church.
He preached on Justification" TAX
ing as his text, much more being now
justified through his blood, we shall be
saved from wrath through him."
"We can never measure justification,
he said, ''up it's rugged sides we may climb
up and up until we sink down in very
WEAKNESS of bliss. We may wonder
along the beach, gaze and gloat over the
blue expanse and dashing waves
of the ocean, we may lap 1t
up in our hands, we can never
measure it's vastness So it is with this
ocean of salvation.
''Some people think Jesus came down
from heaven only to bring freedom; we
need a great deal more than freedom.
But all we need is included in this word
Justified, justification. The Governor
may pardon convict, but he cannot wipe
out his crime. thank God that | do not
walk this earth pardoned convict.
Sometimes as the shadow OF eternity
steals over me, and / realize myself
standing with bowed head before the
white throne and the judgment seat, |
thank God that do not stand there as
a pardoned convict.
"We are sinners, through and through,
and need not only pardon but justifica-
ton. Between the justified man
and the Father there is no more
barrier than between the little one and
his parent We are little children, do
ing child's work-and the Lord receives
it and rejoices in it; crude rs it is, in the
sight of the Father it is more perfect
than the work of an angel.
justification, then, Is to make the
guilty innocent, to make the sinner
righteous.
II was standing on Mount Mitchell
once, waiting for the sunset when a
dark cloud settled down upon us. We
could not see each other. | could not
even see my hand before me, 50 intense
was the darkness Then there came TO
me that passage, 'Blottiqg out as
cloud, thick cloud, our transgressions.'
Blotting them out until they are buried
in the ocean of His Loving Forgetful-
ness.
This justification is so great an
act that it thrills the very throne
of God. The sinner lis as one
that was dead, and is made alive God
takes the sinner in his loving arms and
justihes him.
"How are we justified No by works.
Men JON churches and sing songs OF
praise, and do deeds of charity, but this
is not Justification. OILY one stran has
God stretched across the fiery gulf be
tween you and his favor You must cross
over the bridge built by his Son or be lost
''Ah, me! Woe is the man who trusts
to w4ter, TO churches, 10 ordinances 10
save him!
''Neither repentance nor faith can
bring salvation to soul. 1t is not be
cause Of repentance that we are saved,
but because of atonement "Atonement
is by Christ alone. Father, forgigep
And the holy majesty of Gods outraged
law becomes our advocate when We
plead the atonement of Jesus Christ.
1--WE are justified by the blood OF
Jesus.
"When I was boy they had great ar
guments about falling from grace. |
LcFcI dISuG Ou budt L UCliCSC tudb
He who wept tears of blood in Gathse-
name and died on Calvary will carry us
to the end, and bring us safe to heaven
at last.
"You have suffered, but no touch of
wrath ever came to you that was laid on
Jesus.
81 cannot explain all this 1t is not
my business to reconcile, but to receive,
aud to believe.
II am now an old man, and | have
often thought that il God were to allow
me to commence life again, and taze out
Of it whatever | will, / would cry out,
Leave me my sorrows. They have been
my greatest blessings.
Let ne leave with you this dear glad
note If you are his child, no harm, nor
ill, nor evil can come to you. for He hath
justified you, and will save you from all
wrath"
AT night DR.. Hnfham preached at the
First Baptist church on Repentance :"
At beth services large crowds greeted
a