Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-26
MIR. swEESY's FINE SERMONS.
Reviews Not Present Of the Country,
but Looks 10 Euturc PossihIIifies

nut Looks Ia Future Probabilities.
The union Thanksgiving services OF the
disciples churches was held in Seventh
street church at II o'clock yesterday
morning. The collection taken u was
divided between the ward I'm the Retreat
Tor the Sick and room in the Woman's
Christian Association. under the special
charge OF these churches. this being the
| custom.
Rev, Mr.. Sweeny preached the sermon
lie began by saying that the glorious past
of this country had so often been re-
hearsed he would not undertake TO repeat
/ II in detail; this country could not I've
! on its past / desire to look into the
I boundless potencies of now and the fu-
ture-all these. numerous and potent as
: the are are of value only as they minis
ter and serve for good Let US look at
our weak and strong points: The world
estimates greatness by the strength Of
armies and nayies. We are not strong
there. In art, libraries and religious or
CARNATIONS mot Christian we are not
great as compared with Old-World cOun-
tries. We are great, however in free
dom OF thought, great In that our govern
ment is by all the. people. for all the |
people, as contrasted with Old-Worid |
governments, for they are people by the |
government for the government"
Again: Freedom of speech" and a free
press. In this, even, we are changed. |
Once in this State there was only one
paper, and that "by authority of the
King" and at $50 year. Now In this
country there are 10000 newspapers.
Another thing in our government Is
That our forefathers recognized political
equality in the sense that no other coun-
try ever has. They pointed to our White
House, and said to every native-born boy,
Won l.
title to it." Are we true 10 these great |
neritages? Are there signs Of decay?
They speaker said that he was 'forced TO
acknowledge there were mighty forces at
work trying TO break down the best fea-
ures of our great Institutions These,
institutions, he claimed, were the COM ;
non schools and the Bible. and freedom !
II speech and press-not the license that
uns to abuse. This latter feature he I
characterized in severe terms. r
"A strong point Mr.. Sweeny made was '
he one great danger TO our country that ,
God men, Christian men, were not taking !
ctive part in the politics of our country. .
LAST NIGHTS DISCOURSE. Q
What Shall Do With Jesus?" was the a
lbject Of the address by Mr.. Sweeny b
st night. He said the question was one
momentous in consequence that II over n
all other questions, and he | y
embed for the answer as upon 4 de- a
ended the souls salvation. No man or a
oman can dodge the issue. Even the | T,
1werful, as PLATE. cannot get away from | ~
1t followed and haunted him, and z,
owe him TO suicide ~
You must know who Jesus is" said -
G speaker, before you are Interested m
the text which / have selected. :"
ant to undertake to testify that He is ~
e Son Of God, the only universal cha W
cter IN Disappointing national about ~
sus. We see in David the Hebrew. in Sc
cesar the Roman, in Bismarck the Ger
IN, IN Gladstone the Englishman, each DE
IN the prejudices peculiar to his nature. go
I you can't conceive of Jesus with re- le
larltles or prejudices. No! MOI a thou
nd times no; His is the only nature go
sr seen on earth large enough and great SC
ough to be sinless; none like Him be-
'e for 1000 years; none since for 1900. {
was the only nature great enough
embrace all the worlds in His great So
som OF affection; His the only nature
ma enough to hurl forth the challenge. ~
hlch OF you convict Me of sin?'
lr. Sweeny's discourses were heard an
n great pleasure by large audiences. are
ne subject for this evening will be the
Obedience to Moral Law Sufficient?' oor
eral candidates will be baptized. -