The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-10
SHOULD LIVE WITHOUT SIN.
REV. DIR. THOMPSON POINTS TO
CHRIST AS HIS EXAMPLE.

Two Practical Sermons by the New
Presiding Elder of the Savannah
District-Dr. Thompson Says Mod
ern Civilization Has No Right TO
Fix the Moral Law.
Rev. Dr. John a. Thompson, presiding
elder of the Savannah district of the
Methodist Church, was heard here yester-
day for the first time since his recent APP
pointment by the South Georgia Confer
ence.
The morning sermon was preached at
Grace church, where a large congregation
was gathered to hear the presiding elder.
DR.. Thompson was heard a night at
ten Seventh Street Church. His sermon
was from Titus, Hip: For the
grace of God that bringeth salvation hath
! appeared to all men, teaching US that,
denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, We
should live soberly, righteously, and god
ly in this present world"
Dr. Thompson said that since he has
been able to observe the times there never
has seemed to him to have been so much
of utilitarianism in the world
as now. It is pre-emlnently an
age of usefulness, he said, with
the usefulness of a suggestion or OBJ
ject always before one before it's accept
ance. A thing must be thoroughly prac-
teal or it will not appeal to the public
mind. An illustration was given with
proposed invention, which, if successful,
would be received on all hands with de-
light But let the finest piece of mechanism,
a model of the discovery be investigated
and found a failure and it will never be
thought of again.
1t was essential, the preacher said, for
Christ to die in order that the world might
be saved, and it was necessary for him to
Illustrate by His life that which should be
lived by men to-day. Unless such life
had been lived, it would be said that it
would be impossible; but Christ came in
the guise of a man, and for that reason
his life may be pointed to as a demon
Stration that a man can live without sin.
For man to be better than his fellows,
he must live a better life. Nothing is so
repugnant to Christ as for the profession
and life to be at variance.
There is but one way" DR. Thompson
said, for you TO show that you are
follower of Christ to the world. 1t is an
easy thing for one to avow love for the
Master and fidelity to Him. but it is hard
to live the life he should. That how
ever, is the way in which this love and
fidelity should be shown. Professions Of
experience in which it is shown just what
those relating them have done, do not
serve the purpose. 1t is all right for one
to rise. and tell of how he has felt, how
the grace of God came to him, how he has
lived as his love for Christ has dictated,
but unless the life of the man has indi-
Gated the truth of his words. it is all
vain. The daily life is what is needed to
show ones relationship to the kingdom of
God and point him out as a follower of
Christ If all these things are said by the
professed Christian and his life does not
show their truth, he is insulting the Christ
by assuming his name"
DIR. Thompson said he had recently had
a discussion with man who claimed that
| the observance of the Sabbath is a matter
that should be fixed by the state of civli-
cation, holding that because every sew
enth day was observed centuries ago is no
reason why the custom should be followed
| now, when the conditions are not the same.
The preacher said that to permit civiliza-
ton to fix the moral law would be to
place it above the latter-to defy it.
Man. said DR.. Thompson, should live
without sin. The pattern has been given
us and the name of Christian should not
be assumed unless there is more than the
profession to entitle one 10 it. You may
say that you do not believe it possible for
such a life to be lived, and that you do
not believe that preachers or any one else
live free from sin, but that should not pre-
vent your endeavoring to do what is right
and shaping your lives as nearly as pos
sible by the noble example that has been
given US"
DR.. Thompson spoke of the energy and
activity necessary for the proper conduct
of the work of the Lord. He commended
such in a preacher or a Sunday school
superintendent A pastor who uses manu-
script from which to preach his sermons
was strongly condemned. A congrega-
ton should not haYe such man turning
the pages of a dusty paper he said, while
speaking the words coldly and dispas-
sionately upon which the immortal souls
of his hearers might hang. He said that
he wished the energy and reliance that
always leaves a good business man I'M
daunted might be displayed in the work
of Christians, so that the difficulties that
confront them might be overcome with
the success that attends the efforts of the
man of business.
There is some one or more in the Sun.
day school of this church that have the
energy of which l speak, DIR. Thompson
said 81 do not know who it is, as I have
not seen enough of the school, but there
is everything 60 show that such energy
is at wogk. The results are patent and
1 say God bless whoever is doing this work
with the activity that is accomplishing so
much good"
DR.. Thompson will be in the city until
Wednesday. His presence is necessary
when the quarterly conferences of the
charges within his district are held To-
night the conference of Grace Church will
take place, while tomorrow night that of
the Seventh Street Church will be held
Towards the end of this month the presid-
ing elder will return to attend the confer
IF oil
churches.
CEASE TO DO EVIL.