The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-15
BRAND MARKS OF CHRIST.
Rev. j. ID. JOrdan's Sermon on the
Christian Stigmata.

Rev. j. ID. JOrdan's Sermon on the
Christian Stigmata.
An unusually interesting and instructive
service was held at the First Baptist
church yesterday morning and was at
tended by not only large portion of the
members of the church., but by many Wis
itors as well. One of the delightful feat
ures of the service was the singing by Mrs.
C. 3. Younglove, who rendered Ave
Maria" in a voice which was clear and full
and which made the singing the more eff
fective and inspiring. A select musical
program had been especially selected for
the morning services.
Rev. John d. Jordan, the pastor,
preached on the subject, The Christian
Stigmata; or, Our Brand Marks of
Christ" which had been deducted from
the text, from Galatians 6:17: "Henceforth
let no one trouble me: for bear in my
body the marks of Christ"
The speaker was at his best and in deliv-
ering the sermon, and the attention of the
large audience was particularly noticeable.
The subject was one to which Rev. Jor-
dan had directed much attention, and the
thoughts as they We're coherently and nat
urally put, had the effect of enlisting a
deep interest upon the part Of the congre-
cation.
This text Is pathetic passage" said
the speaker. ut puts the Apostle Paul in
an attitude of self defense before those
whom he has brought to light and life. A
spiritual father has to defend himself be-
fore his spiritual children. The first lead
| ing thought that impresses itself upon me
| in the above topic is the fickleness of
in Cal or 10
| to wondering and admiring crowds. They
received him as an "angel of God,-as
| Christ Jesus Himself
Paul had to linger among those people
| because of an "inhrmity of the flesh"
| Perhaps it was some eye trouble, because
| he reminds them that they were so car
ried away with him, that if they could
| they would have plucked out their own
| eyes and given them to him. Now they
| had listened to evil whisperers suffered
| their minds to become poisoned and be-
| come critics or fault-finders of him whom
| they were once inclined to worship. They
| TOOK up false charges and evil reports
and did not hesitate to speak evil of him.
But this was not Paul's first experience
| with fickle-minded people. On his first
| missionary journey he and Barnabas en-
| tered Lystra, and after the people had
| heard Paul preach there, they said: 1.-THE
| gods have come down to us in the like
ness of men. And they called Barnabas,
| Jupiter, and Paul. Mercury, because he
| was the chief speaker" Then they
| brought garlands and oxen and wished to
| sacrifice to the apostles-but Paul and
| Barnabas restrained them. Immediately
| there came evil minded and wicked people
| from Antioch and Iconium, who spoke
| against Paul and Barnabas. Then the
| people, who had sought to worship Paul,
| fell upon him and stoned him until dead,
as they thought, after which they dragged
| him out of the city. AS long as he fed
| the thousands and healed the sick, they
| thronged him and magnifed him; but
when he began to teach and condemn
| them, they cried out, away with him"
So 1t was with the voices which cried:
| ''Hosanna" at one time, but later said:
| 'He is worthy of death" The same hands
| that plucked the palm branches, stripped
| Him and nailed Him to the tree. But the
old man seems to have risen to the full
est nights of his magnetic manhood, and
| with that composure of soul which works
a conscience void of offense, he said:
| "Henceforth let no one trouble me; for
bear in my body the stigmata of Jesus"
or. the brand-marks of my master
| ''This brings us to consider the stig-
| mata," continued the speaker. 1.-THE real
| 'stigmatizaton is an ancient and Oriental
| custom. The slave was stamped with the
| brand or mark of his master, so there
| could be no question as to whom he be-
| DrlCKG0
| into the flesh, so that it could not be re-
moved, but lived as long as the man lived
| in fact, become a part of the man. 1t is
| said there used to be temple in Egypt
| where one might enter, and If he had the
sacred stigmata, no one could trouble him
! again.
Paul seems to have had some idea like
this in mind when he said; 'Henceforth,
| let no one trouble me; for l bear in my
| body the stigmata of Christ" This is a
| strong speech, and means that no one shall
cause him any beatings upon his breast.
"But what kind of marks were these p"
| continued Rev. Jordan Had Paul a cross
| engraven upon his breast? BY no means,
for he would have thought it idolatry.
believe they were the marks which he
| had received through his prosecutions for
| Christs sake. He had been stoned, smit-
ten and whipped many times. Paul did not
need any self inflicted wounds. His sores
| of service were quite enough.
''Now we shall consider our own stig-
| mata, or the marks we should bear A
| Christian is a servant to obey the will of
| the Lord. He is a soldier to fight under
the banner OF the cross. What are some
| Of the marks which he Is to bear? First,
his old heart of stone must be changed 10
| a heart of flesh. 1t must be washed from
its sin and engraven with the law of life
and love. The old man In satan, must be-
| come a new man IN Christ Jesus. Second,
! not that baptism saves either the body or
the soul, but by baptism we put on Christ,
| take on His yoke and declare our belief
in His burial and resurrection. 1t is an
outward act whereby we declare our in
ward belief. Third, no longer my will
| But Thine be DONE. Chrlst's word be-
| comes our law and His work. our sweetest
employment. He lives IN us, the hope of
| glory and we live In Him for His glory.
Fourth, our lives are no longer to be self
ish. We are to love our brethren as our
selves and our love for Christ IS to be su-
| preme. If we would be greatest Of all, we
! must be the servant of ALL