The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-09-07
THE PEHTACoSTAL.
Large Crowds Attended, the Sunday
Meetings at Salem.

crowds attended all the services of the
Pentecostal meeting at the tabernacle
Sunday. The morning congregation was
greatly delighted and wonderfully
moved by powerful sermon by Dr.
Smith from the text, 'For this Is the
will of God, even your sanctification,
DIR. Smith is undoubtedly great Bible
scholar and is unanimously liked
Evangelist Clarence b. Strouse preach
ed in the afternoon. His subject was
1.-The Establishing Grace" which he
showed to be sanctifying grace, purifying
grace and empowering grace. His text
was 1 Thes., $40, II. might and day
praying exceedingly that we might see
your face and perfect that which is lack
ing in your faith? To the end he
may stablish your hearts unblamabls in
Holiness before God"
He showed conclusively from the first
chapter of the epistle that those to whom
Paul wrote, and for whom he--prayed that
their "hearts might be established I'M
blamable in Holiness" were already con-
verted--having "much assurance" "joy
Of the Holy Ghcst,' "work of faith"
"labor of love-" sounding out of the
word OF the Lord, )" example to all that
believed" etc.
He showed that only those who were in
Christ had access to this grace" Rom.
5:12, and that this access was by faith.
Ii called attention to she fact tina. Paul
was not praying that they should cease
from the commission Of sin or that they
should be moro jealous in work, but
alone that they might exercise perfect
faith in Christ AS Il perfect Saviour.
ITO the end that He might establish their
hearts unblanable in holiness He
further showed that Paul had this same
desire for other Christians, (Romans LII,
, Cor. III. etc) that they might exercise
that establishing grace.
He emphasized the factathat this estab-
fishing blessing had to be with the heart;
Establish your hearts unblamable in
holiness" showing that they were evil
IDENTIFY not made holy in conversion. but
to be made holy by this second grace in
answer to their perfect faith. In conclu-
sion he showed that this establishment
or confirmation was an instantaneous
act, wrought by the Holy Ghost and that
Gle" God, did it-not growth, works or
physical death-2 Thes.3:1. "A
In response to the invitation for all
who desired the establishing blessing to
come to the altar, many came and the
power of God was signally manifest;
many received the blessing
AT night DR.. Smith preached n power
ful sermon from Matt. 19:2U.
The services will continue throughout
the week at 0 and 10:3a q. m, and 80 D.
M
The Rev. Joseph II. Smiths sermon
Sunday night was from thoughts sug
gested by the rich young man who came
to Christ and said "What lack I YETI
Christ answered, eff thou wilt be perfect,
go and sell that thou hast and give to
the poor, anu thou shalt have treasure in
heaven; aud come apd follow me-"
The speaker said 1.-THE Lamb always
precedes the Gospel. There is nj way of
Mt. Zion except you pass by Mt. Sanai.
This young man had no equal: he was
the highest product of the law, but he
was not willing to pay the price of per-
feet salvation. Don't ward off the arrows
spirit. Men lack the simplicity of the
Gospel-the inbred sin of the heart must
be destroyed. Many men will strive for
q season, but when they are told the
price Of a perfect life in Christ they drop
back and are lost. Many are called but
few are chosen; broad is the way that
leadeth to destruction and many there be
who tindeth It. If such a good man as
this went to hell, you should be careful
not to prop yourself with morality or
goodness, or the we'll kept edicts of the
law. To be perfect sell what thou hast.
To be perfect in love is not to be perfect
in service" This the wonderful preacher
illustrated by n child hemming hand
kerchie! AT the request of its mother; the
work he said was poorly done, with many
stitch dropped, but the love that
prompted the work was perfect. There
is no such thing as perfection in service.
but there is such Il thing as il perfect
heart. An apple he said, might be
small aud green and hard. but it would
grow and mellow and ripen. So with the
heart. y watch was made to keep
time and a heart was made to love-not
perfect in the service, strength or wis
dom, hut perfect in love. He drew u
vivid picture of the young man going to
the funeral of his own SOUL. This moment
he said, submit your possessions, you
Will, your life, to Him ami He will show
you what full salvation is. You must
strip for The race. You MT st pay the
price.
Yesterday afternoon at 3 clock DR..
Pepper, of Philadelphia, preached an in
teresting and earnest sermon from Philip
plans. 81. Dr. Peppers arguments are
close, s,ccinct and logical and as he leans
forward from the rostrum one cannot
fail to see in him Il wonderful man of
God, in whose service his hair has grown
gray, but whose intellect is as yet unim-
paired. ~ short account of the progress of
these great meetings will be given each
day for the readers of The Times