The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-29
HIS ACCEPTANCE HOPED FOR.
DR.. FAIR AT THE INDEPENDENT
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

the Church of His Decision in n
short Tlme--It Is Believed He Will
Accept the Call.
DIR. James Y. Fair, D. D., of Richmond,
whom the congregation Of the Indepen-
dent Presbyterian church has called to its
pulpit, preached yesterday morning and
last night to large congregations.
DIR. Fair had been heard by few of the
congregation before, the call having been
extended on testimonials, and great deal
of interest was felt by the members. DR..
Fair is preacher of force, his charm con-
sisting not so much in fiery eloquence, as
in the calm and even presentation of
forceful arguments, touching appeals or
fine descriptions in beautiful diction, well
chosen figures and rounded periods. The
congregation is greatly pleased with him.
The members feel that he is even more
than the testimonials had led them to ex-
pect, and they congratulate themselves
on having extended the call.
Whether DR.. Fair accepts remains to be
seen, but no other than the belief that he
will do SO, prevails. He has not yet said
what his intentions are, but he will notify
the elders soon after his return to Rich
mond. He will leave Savannah this af-
| ternoon.
DR.. Fairs evening sermon was from the
text in the second chapter of the epistle
to the Philippians, ninth verse, "a name
which is above every name" The burden
of the sermon went to prove the dedication
of Christ.
However, widely men may differ as TO
the nature OF, Christ said Dr. Fair, "they
are unit as to his influence 1t Is admit
ted without reserve that he has attained
higher place, welded greater influence
and exerted greater power over the world
than any other that has ever lived. His
name and it's precious prestige have en-
| dured through time, have penetrated to all
| lands and are limited to none. To no one
| order or Class is His influence confined.
In the highest condition of the race Christ
is felt and il is in the grandest works OF
man that the Inspiration of belief in Him
has shown the grand influence He Yields
The most magnificent works of art the
stateliest triumphs in architecture, the
most lovely paintings, the noblest books
and the grandest musical compositions all
owe their existence to Him."
In the long list of names that history
| preserves, said Dr. Fair, the name of
Christ, isolated by the grandeur and mag
nihcence to which none others can aspire
stands pre-eminent, or, in the words of
the text, it is "A name which is above
every name" The age in which the Saw
| Tor lived should be considered, for an in.
vestigation of the influence Of a man de-
| mands a consideration of the age in
which he lived.
From the testimonials of their own
writers, said DR.. Fair, I'VE learn of the
age of those ancients being one Of cru
| city, depravity and immortality. brought
about by Grecian doctrines, Roman
sensuality and Jewish formaity, and it
would not seem thatNany man conld have
| achieved religious influence. Then, too
! He was born of the Jews, against whom
| the nations of antiquity were arrayed in
strongest prejudice, and it would seem
impossible that one sprung from such
/ stock could exercise influence over those
nations, even If he might over his own
people. Then, too, He was born in Cali
| lee, province deSpiSed by the Jews, as
! that town Of his nativity, Nazareth, was
! despised by the Galileans. There was a
proverb among the Jews which read
Can any good thing come out of Naza-
| rethY' And yet this uneducated young
map, this despised Nazarene, who bore
with him the contumely of his birthplace,
| without temples in which to worship.
preached to multitudes by the murmuring
sea or in the green fields, and gained that
influence. He did not gather about him a
galaxy of brilliant men, but chose his
| disciples from among the lowly, and they
kept the four brief records of his history.
| He died at last ignobly on the cross by
| crucihXion, that death which bore with it
ignominy as great as the punishment"
Dr. Fair asked if 1t does not seem won
| derful that hedged about with the disad-
vantages He labored under, Christ should
| ho1 IA
live yet In the hearts of men. He said
! that, measured as men now are by their
| surroundings, His would have been suffi-
| Client to have doomed him to obscurlty,
| but His difficulties were surmounted, and
! now, in the grandest temples man can
| build the greatest as well as the most OBJ
| scure bend the knee in humble worship to
the peasant of Galilee He is worshipped
| by ALL by the scholar and the savant, as
| well as by the untutored, and His name
| Is the only one used the world over as a
| household word. How is this influence
to be explained? Only by the fact of His
| divinity / would not be afraid to stand
| in any presence in this beautiful city, no,
nor in the capital Of this country, were
the opportunity afforded, to rise in in
! ter-stellar space, nor, and deem me not
| irreverent to stand before the throne of
/ God and fling down the challenge that the
| few pages of Christs history, written by
| the ulSclpleS, nave uOne more 10 Sdnctty
and enllghten the world than have the
writings of Austelle, Plato and all the
great writer's of antiquity.
He rode on no popular tide of Messianlc
favor. for He turned from the carnal
demands. that showed the tendency of
| popular favor Single handed he met the
devil and resisted the flesh's temptations,
and, If all this were only accidental why,
l say. was it unprecedented. and why has
it never required? He that could so con-
duct himself was divine. IT'S said that
! the day of miracles is past. but In this
age, 1850 years since his death, / see
things that are stranger than suspension
! of the laws Of nature, for 1 can stand by
the bed OF the dying and hear through the
| lips of the body a voice from the soul at
| the portals OF the great beyond that pro-
nounces the word Christ can stand by
| the mourners, strong in their sorrow, as
| the sod Is thrown upon the coffin of the
departed, and hear that their comfort
and strength Is in Christ; have seen the
| drunlard that had lain In the cutters. re-
claimed by the power OF Christ to whom
| he had turned after reliance In his own
| power had failed. These things l pro-
nounce miracles, and l commend this llv-