The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-09-27
$50 GREAT SALVATION"
ELOQUENT SERMON BY REV. ALLYN
Il. FOSTER AT oLIVEr CHURCH.

Shall We Escape If We Neglect to Grasp
That Which Is offered Us-Culture and
Modern Views Cannot Furnish the True
SoIace which Only the Bible Yields.
The following able sermon was
preached by Rev. Allyn K. Foster at
the Olivet Baptist church Sunday
evening, Sept. 5. 1t was listened to
with much interest by large congre-
cation, many of whom have expressed
their desire that it should be published.
The preacher spoke as follows:
I ask you tonight to think about
three words in the second chapter Of
Hebrews-2d chapter, Sd verse, $50
great salvation"
The whole sentence reads this way:
allow shall we escape if we neglect so
great salvation?"
The test OF any truth is the power it
possesses of inspiring It's devotees.
The men who have written in this vol
ume which we know as the Bible had
their truth so inwrought into their lives
that they could not speak but eloquent
ly of the things which they had to de-
clare.
1t seemed to be principle with them,
and even as they talked quietly about
these fundamental truths, there were
times when it would seem that the
gushing fountain would play itself out.
When we are not looking for any such
expression the apostle says (probably
the same apostle who wrote the epistle
to the Hebrews, Thanks be unto God
for his unspeakable gift. A gift so
great and placing us beyond the power
of speech, that 1t is impossible for us TO
refer to it, The unspeakable gift!
Again. in another place, one speaks OF
''the everlasting gospel" the gospel not
for time simply, but for now and al
ways-everlasting ..
Then we read of great good things"
'tidings of great joy" as the angel says
at the time of the birth of Jesus, BE
hold! I bring you tidings of great joy,
which shall be to all the people!" And
again In this epistle which we have be-
fore us tonight, the apostle cannot re-
frain from using the greatest superla-
tive possible to hinl-'so great saliva
toni"
And so tonight I have asked you to
think Of these three words, and whether
or not it is worth while to possess this
salvation.
is it a great gospel? Is 1t great sal
walton? If So in what particulars is it
great. 1t is easy to find that it's effect
has certainly been widespread. From
the beginning handful of men--barely
IL Joto Iytt,I rn1 n nd
twenty and then only a few thousand,
and they in the midst of an obscure
province Of the Roman empire, wor-
Shipping, having no rooms, simply com
ing together, breaking bread and offer
ing prayer and talking one with the
other, having things in common, de-
monstrating social problem that had
never before been seen. From that
commencement, from that single center
there have radiated out in every posi-
BILE direction these same things, until,
before long, in the lifetime of the men
who wrote this book, one man
(not himself believer in Jesus Christi,
said '"Thesa people have turned the
world upside down. And to-day we
need not look far to see that it's influ-
ence has been growing and growing
like a great measure of music, starting
with the softest, simplest melody
growing and growing, until the great
crescendo breaks on the ear in mag
rideent holy chorus.
In what respect is esalvation great ?
this salvation offered to us through Je-
sus Christ.
First it Is great in what its definition
comprises.
Salvation is simply an obsolete word
with some people. There is so much de-
velopment, so much culture, so much
advancement in the world, that there is
no room for salvation in these days
The necessity Of redemption, of sal
walton, is not admitted by some. They
think that a man who has denied God
here may hereafter in some other
sphere, come to a better understanding
OF higher plane, and somehow, after a
while, develop into a son of God. Sal
walton seems too old word And yet
4 believe that we need to set out upon
the old paths again; we need to go back
and find out just what salvation means
If I understand this gift of salvation
to men, this $50 great salvation" that
the apostle speaks of, it comprises two
I or three things; an individual saving
from the penalty of sin which the man
himself has committed, making him
4 right with God. Remission Is writer
q in letters of blood over the whole of this
message; sin has been committed. God
4 has been affronted, and there must be
1 somehow, satisfaction. You cannot I'M
derstand it; the Bible don't attempt te
4 explain how the sacrifice Of Christ upon
\ the cross frees you and me from the
4 penalty of our sin. But Jesus bears oul
sins and makes us right in the sight OF
God Salvation AS we read in the5
g chapter of Romans, Being, therefore
4 justified by faith, let us have peace
II with God, through our Lord Jesus
81 Christ
u That is part of what that term saliva
u ton comprises, the making of the indi-
n vidual right with God.
N Another thing this gospel, working
through the individual, lays the foun-
dalton of the regeneration of society as
whole. This gospel does not stor
Il with the individual. The men who are
n called of God are not men who are
called from the mass of men simply to
II be saved, and the rest to be lost. The
81 only election in Gods realm is the cleo
81 ton to service. The man who is called
@si is called to receive commands and go
81 forth into the world.