The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-09-09
A FINE SERMON
By Rev, J. H. Smith at the Salem
PentacostaI Tuesday Morning.

Inc following sermon was preached nv
heV. d ii. Smith on Tues lay morning be
lore large Pentecoste audience. 1t was
crowned out of cur issue yesterday morn.
ing:
Mr.. smith preached from the text.
uoo' which knoweth the hearts, bear
them witness; giving them the HOLY
Ghost even as He Gid unto us; and mt no
u'Herence between us and them, purify.
ing their hearts by faith" Acts. 1854.
THOSE familiar with the Acts of the
apostles COR just rs properly the Gospel
Oh the Holy Ghost recognize that the
us OF this text stands tor the 30 who
occupied the upper room at Jerusalem on
the day OF Pentacost, and the "themn
stands for the household of Cornelius
which had received the gifts of the HOLY
Ghost while Peter prea shed to them So
thmt the theme presented here is:
Inc Evidenti;l Value of the Gift of
the Holy Ghost. The cursory reader has
some difficulty in locating Cornelius from
an evangelical standpoint. While on the
other hand it Is hard to account one mr.
unchristian who has such II character for
devoutness, righteousness and prayer: vet
on the other hand it seems difficult TO nc.
count one Christian who had mot been
baptized, y one to whom Peter was sent
10 tell him words whereby she might he
saved. One on whom it looks as though
the Holy Ghost fell when Peter touched
the remission of sim in his discourse.
One OF whom there is no historical record
that he had attended the preaching of the
Gospel heretofore, etc. But these ditG-
cnlt'es will vanish and pe-plexities dis
appear before II little closer attentiveness
anu few legitimate reflections and in
ferences.
In the first place the word "savedn has
Il primary. secondary, and final sense in
the hospel, and thisis one of the burdens
oil this text and OF the Gospel of free sal
walton to show that there is saving
effect to the baptism, not simply rs min
listers to comm uncate salvation unto 9th
ers, but as men to com plete salvation in
ourselves.
IN the second place, that is an errone-
Gus reading which understands the
Scriptures to say that the Holy Ghost fell
on them when reference was made to
the remission of sins;n for Peter SAYS,
III rehearsing the matter, that it was
when he began to speak to them. The
remission OF sins WAS but one link in a
sreat chain of Gospel truth which Peter
declared on this occasion; and instead of
TINS proclamation of the Gospel evoking
rel enhance, and inquiry on the part of the
people, rs it did.w1h the multitude on
another occasion, who cried out, "Men
and brethren, what shall we do?'' 1t found
them rather so responsive and SO adjust.
ed t. the truth and to God that they re-
ceived the browning seal of Christian ex-
perlence when the apostle began to speak
TO them
But In the third place. il would he ut.
terly impossible to explain the opening
wo"ds of Peter to these pepole in the
house of Cornelius on the assumption
that this WAS their first Gospel privilege
and the beginning OF their evangelcalex
perience. For he plainly declares that
1.-THE word Of peace by Jesus Christ, that
word We Know Now there can he no
mistake about this; nor will any he apt
to err III reading this unless influenced bv
disposition To get rid of "second bless
ing theory. 1t is evident that these
men had already the blessed knowledge
of peace by Jesus Christ when Peter
evident that they had the additional
blessing of the gifts OF the Holy Ghost
before the apostle had lett the house or
was through his discourse.
Nor is it difficult TO conceive of a pos
sible opportunity which Cornelius and
his household may have had to hear this
void OF peace by Jesus Christ. Had not
Philip the Evangelist come to that very
town OF Caesern i'll his evangelistic iou,.
neys some six or eight years before,
More than that, had he not for some rea-
son taken up his residence there so that
he and his four daughters, which did
prophesy, had somewhat of a location
there: And in the light of these facts
would it not he mere difficult to conceive
that one of the most prominent men in
the town had heard NOTHING of the Gospel
for these several years, than 10 believe
that from the ministry OF the spiritual
family he had heard the words of peace
by Jesus Christ?
Yet Cornelius tand of course, too, those
whom he represented ant led) was in an
abnormal or imperfect Christian state,
and that from two different aspects.
Julaistic preiudices had debarred him
from church privileges He had entirely
been denied water baptism, which was the
initial right into the church, so that when
Peter assumes his defence u little later
he makes this challenge in the face of
the facts before their eyes: "Can any man
forbid water that thss should not be
baptiZed.'
Like Phillips Samaritan converts, un.
til two Of the APOSTLES came on mission.
to them, and like the church ut Ephesus
until Paul followed the ministry of A pol-
los, he had not yet received the perfecting
baptism with the Holy Ghost, and hence
was in the experiehc" of disciples of John
the Baptist, yet living sonew here within
range of the posi- bilty of the baptism
with the Holy Ghost. Doubtless, then,
abnormal conditions in his Christian life
furnished the burden of these prayers of
his which came up like memorial unto
God, and in answer TO which the Lord
sent Peter to tell him things whereby He
mieh. he saved Saved in this fuller
sense, rs so many in the churches need
now to he saved