The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-26
REV. >. ). LANIER.s LAST SERMON.
He Leaves savannah This Week 10
Co 10 Greensboro, y. c.

Rev. J. J. Lanier preached his farewell
sermons AT s. PauTs church yesterday
morning and last night. and he and Mrs.
Lanier and son viii leave the city next
Wednesday night for Greensboro, y C..
where he has a call
He has not yet decided whether he will
remain at Greensboro or not. He has
had several calls in different parts OF the
country. but will look over the field be-
fore definitely deciding where he win 10
cate.
Rev. Mr.. L.anier's resignation is in
effect Sept. /, which is next Sunday. 30
at that time st. Paurs church viii be
without a pastor. The church has not
yet denitely decided what action it viii
take in the matter. The majority OF the
members prefer 10 retain it as a churcn.
instead OF allowing it to again become
mission OF ST Johns church, and it is
possible that this may be done, though
nothing has been accomplished as yet.
Others think that it will again become a
mission.
The subject Of Rev. Mr.. Lanier's ser
mon yesterday morning was Salvation
by Righteousness and not by ritualism or
ceremonialism" His text was from Micah
VI, 5, What doth the Lord require Of
thee but to do justly. and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with thy God"
These words, he said, are more quoted
than any Others as summing up what God
requires man 10 do and to be in order
to secure his salvation. They express, he
said, the sum total Of Gods requirements
Of man. Though the statement is lucid
and clear it is not always taught man
ma a. -E,r,fa Fnf
he said. have been taught him as being
even more essential than the require
ments expressed IN the text. Micahs
teachings. however, he said, were totally
subversive of the whole sacrihcial system,
the Offering % calves year old, rams
and rivers of oil as fulfilling the require
ments of God
He spoke of the injustice, the lack of
mercy. the insolent pride and the sense of
self-sufficiency in man, and said that moth
ing could make him acceptable in the sight
of God, but that which will remove these
characteristics. Nothing can remove in
justice save justice; nothing can remove
tyranny save loving mercy and nothing can
make man humble with his God save
sense Of his utter dependence on his God.
The fault of the sacrificial system, he said,
YVES that 1t could not remove these char
acteristics from the soul of man. The
message Of Micah to his nation was sal
walton by righteousness The message of
the ecclesiastics and ritualists of Micah's
day, he said. was that of salvation by the
ritual and the observances Of the sacr.-
fetal system.
Micah's message has prevailed, he said,
for in no civilized nation to-day is an al
tar erected on which is shed a drop of
blood of any animal in the delusive hope
that IL can take sin from the heart of
man. The speaker showed that Christ
saved his people through the means spolx-
en- of in the text, or through righteousness.
The sermon on the mount, he said, was
an expansion of the same message. He de-
livered to the world through his prophet
Micah.
His sermon went to show that the words
Of the text gave sufficient instruction to a
man who is DESTROYS of leading a Christian
life, and that ritualism and ceremonies
are not essential tc the salvation of his
soul. His sermon last night was based
on the idea that no good that is done is
ever lost
Rev. Mr.. Lanier's congregation will part
with him with much regret. He has been
with st. Pauls church just three years,
and has buila the church up to what it is
to-day. He has been a hard and steady
worker. and his departure will be a serious
loss to the church-going community of
Savannah. Wherever he goes he will be
followed by wishes and hopes of success
from his many friends in Savannah.