The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-10-07
; MEETINGS AT PRESBYTERTAN
CHURCH.
AZ Powerful Sermon Preached Las
Night by Or, Payne.

NlgnP rpy pff dsH c.
The Presbyterian church was well
filed when the regular services be-
gan last night at s o'clock. Although
| it was only the second of the series
of meetings which are being held there,
much interest is already manifested
Under DR. Payne's able preaching, and
| the congregation last night was the
largest that has yet attended. j.
The subject of DR. Payne's discourse
was the "Thristian Soldier" and
he preached short and plain but
most powerful sermon from the text:
by all these things we are more than
| conquerors through him that loved us. "
He divided his discourse up under
four heads, and among other things
he said:
1--WE over-conquer,' is the literal
| translation of the text. 1t is evident that
| the Apostle Paul was familiar with mill
itary matters. He draws a contrast
between the true and faithful soldier
Of the cross and the military hero.
II. The soldier of the cross is more
than conqueror in the certainty of
victory. In the darkest hour we are
| more than conquerers through him
| who loved us In this worlds battles
the tide is oftesl turned; even in the
hour of triumph victory is snatched
| from our grasp. Napoleon, on the field
of Waterloo, sent to Paris, a dispatch
announcing d victory, and yet before
the guns ceased firing the Old Guard
, Of France was retreating before victo-
rious columns.
%. The soldier of the cross is more
than conuueTOr in the cost of victorV.
The road to victory for earthly heroes
is despatched with blood and strewn
with corpses. Their crowns, are pur-
chased with streams of crimson gore
and the shouts of triumph are mingled
with signs of widows and orphans and
the groans of the dying. Is it worth
the cost? Men climb to fame on broken
hearts, the misery of humanity and
the death of millions. After it
all, this earthly glory does not compare
with that other and greater glory of
salvation through the boundless grace
of an eternal God. Christ has paid the
price, and it comes to us free, without
money and without price.
-. The child of God is more than
a conqueror through the agencies and
the iinstrumentalities of victory. by
all these things we are more
than conquerors through him that
loved us An earthly army never gains
by being thanked. 1t gains no strength
by being weak, but the soldier of the
cross becomes strong in his weak
ness. He takes the enemy's guns and
trains them upon those advancing
upon him. Even human suffering and
sorrow always work out for the Chris
tian a far more and eternal weight
of glory. Oh, what flood of light does
this throw upon human life and human
experience. God only sends that which
| is necessary to win us to Him.
-. We are more than conquerors in
the rewards of victory. Earth's
conquerors gain glory, they gain
territory, they gain fame, they
gain power, dominion. But what
is all that? The mightiest
king, the greatest warrior the world
has ever seen gained fame, power and
glory, but he died as each and all of
us must, and his sword was rust, his
royal purple was dust, and his fame
forgotten. What are the rewards of
the soldier of the cross-victOry over
the world. the flesh and the devil; VIC
tory over death, hell and the grave.
"'Thanks be unto God who giveth us
the victory through our Lord and Sa-
viour Jesus Christ Even in looking
down into the grave we can exclaim
with Christ, ooh, Death, where is thy
sting; oh, Grave, where is thy victoryp
The earth's victor shall go away into
everlasting punishment, but the right
eous into life everlasting and that is
more than victory"
The marriage of Miss Luna Craw-
ford, daughter of Mr.. w. r. Crawford,