Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-11-14

REV. DIR. TRAVIS B. THAMES.
CTh0 Preached the Annual Serman)
majority Of them were speedily received
i-.o the homes OF our hospitable citizens.
Very few cf them sought entertainment
a. tha hotels Of the city. as the Commit
Gee oa Hospitality. Of which Mr.. w. r..
Jones is chairman. was ready
a-l anxious 20 assign every one
10 comfortable home. not only
those Of the Baptist denomination
having thrown open their doors to the
welcome visitors. but some of the mem
Der. OF every Protestant church having
done likewise.
THE OPENING EXERCISES.
T-. exercises ut the big tabernacle last
r-l- le-an promptly at s O'Clock. and for
nearly au hour before that time there was
constant stream Of persons into the hail.
Tt. vast audience was called TO order
D., REV. Dr. T. S. Dunaway. the president
ure ass0cIau0u. The meeting was then
rr.3 with devotional exercises. the
tsrr "0h. for a Thousand Tongues to
ina soul stirring manner. and the voice
o.rrIea. as it rose and fell until the very
-"..e NO tho ~01rh -1.ilding seemed %
r-e with the joyous anthem. sounded in
as though 10 came from "a thousand
u0tts Ecy. R. i. Scott, Of Essex, Of
ta PRAYER. after which President Dun
arr made q few brief. c0ngr ilatory
remarks in which he tenderly sred to
those who had died since the last meet
rror tle association. Further devotional
exercises were then conducted by Dr.
Thames
uB THAMES'S FINE SERMON.
The annual sermon was preached by
Hav ur T. B. Thames. of Danviile. 1t
r.s most powerful discourse, and the
speaker had the closest attention during
delivery Dr. Thames is a Splendid
booking man and fine speaker, every
aom that be utters being clear and dis
tlet DE handled his theme in mas
..ry manner. and made a strong impress
SION ODD h.s hearers.
u- Thames took as his text these IA
-lI words from the seventh verse Of
.te fourth chapter Of II. Timothy, Il have
falt f.e flitn" "The vision OF the great
le he'd hitherto been prospective
f.r thln retrospective began the
o. cher TO one cleaning goal the hope,
tt- energy. tne faith Of his life had been
t-ssei with steadfast devotion. From
Ef4.- f0 grace and glory 10 glory he had
f.e. counting always the achievements OF
l.r as only worthy OF fOrgeU ulness
t.l .IIViOn. With larger hopes, stronger
t.rll ana with an ever increasing mo-
lilm he was constantly projecting
im u into The further regions Of grace
N. truth. So that the regndnt rule or
le Was crystallized in the words
one thing ] do, forgetting those
which are behind. and reaching
unto things that are before But
-". H-u bis hand resting upon the long
oI-'.. r0aL the time Of his departure
1r a, hand. and being about 10 eX-
l tae cross for tie crown, and 70
behind. And. looking behind. he
l simple phrase and unbOastins
s declare the satisfaction Of his
t sali at his life work There was
L.lg ot fear either out OF the past or
i".tr- i1 disturb the decD serenity
a'l which fc had come, or 20 dim the
.c of the crown he vs. soon 20
N.I Dice had ran with I>.tr1ce the race
t 'Ire. he had W1gc1 TO Triumphant
lnceasing battle. ne had KEEP
'I.fl once delivered unto the saints,
s indeed, now ready TO be Of
What THE APOSTLE MEANT.
t cannot be that when the apostle
ro more than that be had been
N 'I trust and faithful 70 a CO.
The faith means much more
compact or covenant; these, 10 be
lt much more beside. He must
Dad In DIS mind some scheme OF
some system OF truth, or some
of fact known and accepted
taitf' To was the revelation OF
j. ...1 tni,Iei{ rely ana completeness that
Dr. Thames went on 10 say that faith
az bad been spoken or By the
was not the growth of the earth.
principles truths. and doctrines were
correlated into one coherent whole
7. 1e called the faith" said he:
order sequence, correlation, ever
Gods works. are nowhere more
.YI-F present than IN the falth
-.lNDrol unto the saints. Every
.here are the pragmatlsm OF the
purpose The logic OF Divine speech,
+NfNfel sequence Of Divine prOv-
th. grace and glory of Divine
..p. Throughout The symmetry
STABILITY the beauty and harmony
llne structuralneS5 are clearly
The sympathetic eye sees,
.n the faitn' a. glorious temple
|..A whose foundation d. suukeu tar
f1e earthquakes grasp. whose
leiDe the stars beyond the sweep
cHRiSTIANITY's VICTORIES.
g. Hr Nfr' mICh the fashion OF late
-e'y these forms Of Christian doc
which this characteristic Of the
Hlah. possible. the carly schOlas-
which hrst gave phiiOsOphic form
stan thought. is especially blamed
r Ihe dIycrgenclcs and differences
i4lcrn theological faith And the
~ being made from many quarters,
e 70 me Scr'ptural setting and state
yi uuih 10 n easy 10 be sympa-
..is in either case. But II should be re-
.'tieo tsat 70 Was with these crys-
f. iofin3 and statements tnat the
Nv. christianity wOn It's first victories
sa Dafan thought. and philosophy. Yea,
O.. more II was by these that
liahliy Itself was saved from the
enc hcrosies OF those false pro
WIS ~ which lie doctriaal integrity