Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-19
HOPE HE WILL COME.
ruE cp,cE-srREET PEOPLE ANx-
,ous FOR DIR. wITHERsPooN.
GREATLY PLEASED WITH HIS SERMONS
Large Audiences Hear and Enjoy
his Discourses-Rabbt Cnlisch on
rrodigaI Nature-second Baptist
Church Heopencd.
Church Reopened.

terrain chutCh, IN lnlS Clly, preached lot
that congregation at both services on
sunday, and returned yesterday to the
Monumental City. He will leave in n few
days TO attend the synod of the Northern
Assembly.in which his church holds mem
bershlp. and II Is expected that upon his
return next week he win communicate
his decision TO Grace-Street church.
The congregations at Grace-street on
Sunday were unusually large. the edlfce
being crowded both morning and night.
Tor his morning discourse Dr. Wither-
spoon took for his text: 1.-THE fruit Of the
righteous is a tree OF life. and he that
winneth souls is wise" Or. Witherspoons
exposition Of this text was both instruc-
tive and impressive. He dwelt more par
ticulariy upon the last clause Of the verse.
"He that winneth souls is wise" but
showed in his characteristic and logical
manner how 70 followed the statement so
beautifully expressed I'm the first clause
as "the fruit OF a righteous life" His
different explanations as to what Is wise
were impressive, and with much feeling
he showed that no wisdom was equal to
the brightest type that Of winning souls.
warmed up in his subject. and was elo
quent in his delivery, particularly so
when ne asked, What IS a soul? This
part Of his discourse was very affecting.
and touched the hearts Of all his hearers.
THE soul can think" he said, "can de-
termine its veal or woe; can determine 10
accept Heaven or hell. The mountains
can do nothing but remain where the
Maker has put them. The sea cannot re-
sist the Will OF the Almighty, but the
soul can say yes or no to the VIII Of God,
and be saved OF lost. as II chooses 10
obey or not to obey the behests of the
Almighty" The Doctor then took up that
part OF his discourse TO show how 'he
that winneth souls is wise and among
sther things said we must have love, and
that those who possess the love Of Christ
would want all others to have that love.
and would have the incentive TO bring
others to Him. and I'm that way become
wise In winning souls. Love the speaker
said. was something that could not be
cOunterfeited. He was pathetic in his
description Of love as felt by the Chris
tian.
SERMON ON GODS STANDARDS.
At night the Doctor took for his text,
"And as many as walk according TO this
rule, peace be on them. and mercy, and
upon the Israel Of God" and took for his
subject Gods Standards" He called at
tention to the fact that we had our
standard for eyerything-Our art standard,
our standard in literature. our standard
in science. The buIIder has his standard
I'm the erection Of a safe and complete
building. AS man works and lives by
standard said the speaker God, too, has
his standards, and from the Bible he
proved what was Gods standard Of mo-
"a nj fc III rH NJ hapufnQeC He
concluded his sermon by drawing a con-
trast between mans standard of success
and that of God. and in a very striking
way showed that mans success was not
10 be judged by what he possessed.
DR.. Witherspoon made a fine impression
upon his congregations, both morning
and evening No one could hear him !
read and preach without being impressed |
that ne is highly cultivated with voice |
distinct in pronunciation and far-reaching. |
Whilst DR.. Witherspoon has not COM
mitted himself I'm regard to the call eX-
tended him by the Grace-Street church, |
the congregation think they have gooo
reason TO feel that he will be their future |
pastor.
Rabbi CnIisch on ProdigaI Nature.
The Jewish Feast OF Conclusion. which |
is the last holy day of the Feast Of !
Weeks. was observed on Sunday. There
was a large congregation at Beth Ahaba |
Synagogue and Rabbi Calisch preached !
an eloquent sermon on "Prodigal |
Nature" The material world. he said, |
was a symbol Of the spiritual world, |
and in our own lives as i'm nature we |
may discover the divine economy if we |
do but look for 1t. In conclusion. DR.. !
Callsch said:
Natures dice are always loaded, and |
I'm her rubbish heaps and corrupting piles |
there lie the pOtentalities of endless life /
and benefcence. Nature teaches man i'm |
many ways; she gives TO him his Ian
guage. his art. his architectural methods |
and designs, his mechanical devices. his
music. and his philosophy. She supplies
the wants Of his body. his BRAIN and his
soul. I'm limitlcss forms and ways, be- |
cause back of all his forces and agencies: |
back of all her potencies and powers |
rests the supreme and eXhaustless power
what are sciences but maps of uni
versal laws. and universal laws but the
channels Of universal power. and univer-
sal power but the outgongs Of the uni
yersal mind?
1--WE see full well how flawessly rolls
the cOsmic harmony. and though nature
Is prodigal with stars and stones, and |
lavish with leaf and bud. and profuse
with petal and sepal, and magnificent
with majestic ocean as with murmuring |
brooket, yet. in all there is no waste, no
extravaganza, no useless consumption. no
unproductive squanderng. Nature does
not use a steam engine to crack a nut.
and when we behold what we deem to
be wasteful destruction. we will find that
Il is but thrifty foresight-that in the
economy OF the universe the destruction
OF to-day Is the material OF construction
FOR tomorrow the leaf dies but TO help
birth: death is the handmaiden Of life:
CORRUPTION feeds the stainless purity of
the lily, and the beauty and the fragrance
OF the rose are born from fostering
decay.
NATURE THE SYMBOL
"The material is symbol of the spirit
ual and we will discover that divine
economy in our own lives II we do but
look for IT, The thousand and one little
acts are making character. The
many years, when childhood is both ire
sponsibie and unproductiYe OF material
gain. are counting in the development
OF soul Grief and pain have their
character Is fortified by sorrow.
and tho flowers OF human life are
watered by tears. The crystal drop
that exudes from the eye Is the dew OF
our soul. that comes only when the dark
ness Of agony shuts out the light OF
happier day.
Thus should we rest content under
ell conditions, knowing that under the
guidance OF God all cosmic activity is
but running along the lines by Him
dlylnely laid out. There is no hesitation
or swerying, there Is no haste or hurry.
frrat al I