The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-05-27

that when he had finished on that occa-
sion. the venerable Thomas Armitage, OF
| New York, who was here then, rose IN
his seat to thank Gen. Ransom, and sad
| in all his career that no truer, nobler' or
| higher words had been uttered by living
| man. With equal earnestness and sin
| CERTIFY" continued Dr. Taylor. Il desire
to express to you cur appreciation OF your
address this morning"
| DR.. Vance pronounced the benediction.
DIR. MCONNELL'S SERMON.
In the evening devotional exercises were
held Rev. Mr.. Campbell offered prayer.
Rev. Mr.. Alderman read 1O3d Psalm.
Rev. j. b. Boone offered prayer. The
sermon before the graduating class was
delivered by Rev. Dr. +. G. Mcconnell, or
i Lynchburg. 1t was pronounced by all one
of the finest ever heard at Wake Forest.
DIR. Mcconnell is beyond all doubt one
| of the foremost orators in the Baptist de-
nomination. For genuine eloquence he
cannot be surpassed. His charm lay in
| clothing the truths he sought to impress
in sublime eloquent and uniquely origi
| nal language.
DR.. Mcconnell read few verses from
8th chapter of Romans, beginning with
31st verse. His subject was the Blessed
ness of Believing" He called attention to
three questions here propounded:
| First. If God be for us who can be
| against usT
Second, "Who shall lay any charge to
| Gods elect?
Third, "Who shall separate us from thu
love Of Christi
The first refers to our faith as the foun-
dation the second to our character, and
the third to our fickleness and Christ's
enduring power.
| congratulate Wake Forest upon its
school for the study of the Bible. Let us
not speak of a conflict between the Bible
and science, but of the science of theol-
ogy. the queen. of the sciences, which
holds out the golden scepter to all search
ers after truth. l do not intend to preach
Il sermon on theology. but / shall refer to
"a few Illustrations.
These three questions are among the
most important ever contemplated by the
human mind. IF God be- for us who can
be against u.s." Those who have accepted
christianity take it as the solution of all
lquestions. Shall we find that our anchor
is y rope of sand? Nay, if God be with
lyou. you are not alone. God and you shall
conquer when the world, the flesh and thu
devil oppose. Young men, make God your
foundation. He will never forsake thee
We have arrived at a time when men
are Christians and Christians are men.
Our religion has become the admiration
OF the world. l am not in favor of that
Christianity which lives in the higher
ether outside the throbbing impulse Of
our life. We have passed the fanciful
tage. Some desire to bring us to a religion
too pious to kill a gnat and too weak to
tell the truth. .,5,rr-- 5g ssbJ e'l8 40 u<a
T. Christ could say some sharp things. 20,
i Capernium, thou are exalted above the
heavens. but thou shalt be overthrown.'
Shall we abandon the old foundation
Of faith? Shall our scientific Investigation
| carry us to the stage where we shall re-
gard the Bible only as a mythical old
book, full of legends and stories handed
down from an Oriental people whose only
Ispeech was the language OF poetry and
song? atsf aBf 1e1 +. 3.l1t.t..
The Bible must be the foundation. I
believe every man at Wake Forest, will
i say that he believes the Bible is inspired
the word of God. and will live when
words have passed away Will God al
low any obstruction to come in and inter-
fere with his purpose in redemption?, As
long as the story OF Calvary is kept in the
history of men or angels, and it is eternal
redemption is ours. ftr..-..
/ There are many. many people who
think of redemption as transportation
We must learn that salvation is a cnange
OF life, OF character, an absolute change
for we are born again. The price Of sal
walton is not an estimate of redemption.
Any Of you young men who go out and
have the empty headed skept;c try to I'M
derrnine your faith, laid in the nursery
and developed in Wake Forest College,
point to Calvary and show Gods ,esti-
mate Of human life.
The Savior wasn't simply using an il
lustration when he said. If / be lifted up
l shall draw all men to me-" 1t is Gods
explanation Of life, of heaven and Of
hell There are so few of us who go to
| Gods word and dig out the sublime
truths Of God. The truth shall make you
free.
Second. Will our characters cause our
overthrow? ! believe that these liberties
Paul speaks of are liberties to do right
The man who most sincerely believes
that the gates Of hell are locked against
him is the freest to go to God. don't be-
leve men are saved in heaven because
they fear being lost in hell. The out
reaching love of God drew me to his